Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the plight of Rohingya children.

The recent UN report on crimes against the Rohingya people was deeply disturbing. As the Foreign Secretary has made clear, there must never be a hiding place for those who commit these kind of atrocities. I understand Jeremy Hunt is currently in Burma seeking answers.

I am encouraged by the support that the UK has given to Rohingya refugees generally, and refugee children in particular.

The UK is a leading donor to the humanitarian response in Bangladesh for the Rohingya people having committed £129 million to the crisis since last August. This includes the announcement in May of an additional £70 million of humanitarian support to help ensure the thousands of persecuted Rohingya people are protected as the cyclone and monsoon season begins. UK aid supported work on preparing the camps for the monsoon season began in January and this new aid is providing additional medication, sturdier shelters, food, clean water and support for women to give birth safety. Our support is also helping to support a large vaccination campaign against cholera in and around the Cox’s Bazar camps.

I agree with you that it is vital that the perpetrators of these atrocities are brought to justice. The Foreign Secretary intends to convene a high-level meeting in the margins of the UN Security Council General Assembly later this month and he has been clear that no stone will be left un-turned in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

As you may appreciate, ICC referral has to happen as a decision of the Security Council, and at the moment it is not clear that there would be consensus on the Security Council to deliver that.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP