Today Anne Main, alongside Rushanara Ali MP, appeared before the Backbench Business Committee to make the case for the importance of having a debate in the main chamber on the on-going plight of the Rohingya refugees who have fled from the violence in Rakhine state, Myanmar to southern Bangladesh.
Mrs Main, as one of the only UK politicians to visit the camps, described the harrowing scenes she witnessed in the Kutupalong and Balukhali camps outside Cox’s Bazar in southern Bangladesh. Mrs Main also reasserted her strong belief that what has gone on in Rakhine state has amounted to nothing short of ethnic cleansing.
The St Albans MP was keen to press the group on the importance of having a full debate in the House of Commons chamber on this issue and not for a smaller debate in Westminster Hall.
The commitee granted the debate and it will take place on Tuesday 17th October 2017.
Speaking after the decsision, Anne said, ‘I am delighted that the committee have granted a debate on this incredibly important issue. This is a humanitarian crisis of almost unprecidented levels and it is so important that it is discussed on the floor of the house.
‘I hope that [by parliamentarians raising their concerns in the house] even more can be done by the international community to help the Rohingya and the government of Bangladesh to continue to provide support to these vulnerable refugees.
‘It is also crucial that pressure is kept up on the Myanmar government to allow aid acces to Rohingya villages in Rakhine and to end the violence by the military against the Rohingya population in the country.’
Photo: Anne Main lobbying the Backbench Business Committee for a debate on the Rohingya refugee crisis
Watch: Anne Main, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh, talks about the Rohingya crisis and urges support for @DECappeal pic.twitter.com/FFL0lq8O0A
— DFID (@DFID_UK) October 12, 2017