WEBVTT 00:01.250 --> 00:05.417 - Well, thank you all for coming through the rain. 00:06.145 --> 00:08.812 I think you'll find it useful to 00:08.826 --> 00:11.409 your reporting exercises later. 00:11.995 --> 00:14.663 It's my pleasure to introduce our Deputy 00:14.663 --> 00:16.697 Assistant Secretary in our Bureau of Population, 00:16.697 --> 00:19.121 Refugees, and Migration, Richard Albright. 00:19.121 --> 00:22.788 He has been in his position since July 2018, 00:24.149 --> 00:28.257 but already very busy and active throughout the region 00:28.257 --> 00:31.246 where he oversees humanitarian assistance in both 00:31.246 --> 00:33.829 Africa, Near East, and in Asia, 00:33.961 --> 00:38.211 so no small job for our Deputy Assistant Secretary. 00:38.743 --> 00:42.493 So I'm going to ask him to give a few opening remarks 00:42.493 --> 00:44.856 and then we can take questions. 00:44.856 --> 00:47.122 - Excellent, thanks very much. 00:47.122 --> 00:51.789 Thank you for coming here today on this bleak rainy day, 00:52.819 --> 00:56.299 but we all have really important work to do here 00:56.299 --> 00:57.754 and I just wanted to highlight some 00:57.754 --> 01:01.337 of the support that we're providing for the 01:02.027 --> 01:04.694 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, 01:05.306 --> 01:07.013 as well as elsewhere in the region, 01:07.013 --> 01:10.013 and some of the displaced population 01:12.041 --> 01:16.189 and the conflict affected population inside of Burma. 01:16.189 --> 01:20.545 So I think you've seen ambassador Haley's press statement 01:20.545 --> 01:21.765 in the announcement that she made 01:21.765 --> 01:24.515 yesterday, yesterday on the 24th. 01:24.735 --> 01:28.568 We announced, the United States Announced just 01:28.691 --> 01:32.691 over $185 million in new humanitarian assistance 01:34.266 --> 01:37.023 for those affected by the Rakhine State 01:37.023 --> 01:39.856 crisis in Burma and in Bangladesh. 01:41.830 --> 01:45.936 In Burma the funding supports more than 300,000 people in 01:45.936 --> 01:50.273 Rakhine State, including internally displaced people, 01:50.273 --> 01:54.023 and in Bangladesh $156 million of these funds 01:56.003 --> 01:59.370 will reach approximately one million Rohingya, 01:59.370 --> 02:03.149 who are displaced refugees inside of Bangladesh. 02:03.149 --> 02:05.922 It will support, also, Bangladeshi communities 02:05.922 --> 02:08.589 that are hosting these refugees. 02:10.085 --> 02:12.206 The United States is very proud to be 02:12.206 --> 02:16.956 the leading donor responding to the Rakhine State crisis. 02:17.571 --> 02:21.154 Our assistance provides life saving help to 02:22.039 --> 02:24.212 crisis affected communities on both sides 02:24.212 --> 02:27.111 of the border in both countries, as well as 02:27.111 --> 02:30.343 the refugees and the host communities in Bangladesh, 02:30.343 --> 02:33.322 and it provides them more specifically assistance 02:33.322 --> 02:37.655 in the areas of protection, emergency shelter, food, 02:38.826 --> 02:43.093 water, sanitation, health care, and psychosocial support 02:43.093 --> 02:46.593 for people who are affected by the crisis. 02:46.661 --> 02:48.989 This assistance, this new assistance, 02:48.989 --> 02:52.572 the $185 million announced yesterday brings 02:52.775 --> 02:56.108 our total assistance that we've provided 02:57.009 --> 03:00.676 for this particular response to $389 million 03:01.476 --> 03:05.476 since the outbreak of violence in August of 2017 03:06.134 --> 03:08.554 when the Burmese Security Forces 03:08.554 --> 03:11.223 began committing widespread atrocities 03:11.223 --> 03:16.056 against the Rohingya villages across the northern Rakhine. 03:16.084 --> 03:19.400 We continue to support Bangladesh in its response 03:19.400 --> 03:23.483 and we're calling on other donors to do the same. 03:24.733 --> 03:27.507 This doesn't complete the exercise, 03:27.507 --> 03:29.447 there's going to be considerably more assistance 03:29.447 --> 03:31.862 that's required of the international community, 03:31.862 --> 03:34.380 the United States will continue to do its part 03:34.380 --> 03:37.880 but we will ask others to support as well. 03:38.782 --> 03:42.365 So, I think with that, I would just want to 03:43.849 --> 03:48.516 commend the support and the generosity of the government 03:50.985 --> 03:53.360 of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people 03:53.360 --> 03:56.193 in hosting over a million refugees 03:57.010 --> 04:00.927 who have arrived very suddenly since last year, 04:01.651 --> 04:05.974 and we continue to work closely and appreciate their 04:05.974 --> 04:07.639 strong cooperation in working to 04:07.639 --> 04:10.722 address the needs of this population. 04:12.164 --> 04:14.914 I'm happy to take your questions. 04:16.556 --> 04:19.107 - [Interviewer] Yes, I am reading this one, 04:19.107 --> 04:20.427 I have a question. 04:20.427 --> 04:23.927 What is this doing for those countries who 04:25.699 --> 04:28.949 are deprived, the people, the refugees? 04:30.083 --> 04:33.583 I don't know why people have this thinking 04:34.356 --> 04:37.925 that whatever is happening on them is terrorism. 04:37.925 --> 04:41.000 If they will not make the situation worse 04:41.000 --> 04:44.917 so people will not fear this type of situation. 04:45.971 --> 04:49.804 If you could think-some bad elements up there, 04:50.871 --> 04:54.121 like media, in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, 04:54.457 --> 04:59.290 you can do a search (mumbling) so people, 05:01.106 --> 05:05.754 they get homelands, if they want to move somewhere else. 05:05.754 --> 05:09.004 - Well, that's an interesting question, 05:09.295 --> 05:12.410 I mean I think what I would say to you with regard 05:12.410 --> 05:16.660 to this particular crisis, in Burma and Bangladesh, 05:18.331 --> 05:21.070 is that this is a crisis that was 05:21.070 --> 05:24.070 generated by the government of Burma 05:24.344 --> 05:27.594 and its mistreatment of its population, 05:27.753 --> 05:30.100 declaring them not citizens of the country, 05:30.100 --> 05:33.453 not giving them basic civil and human rights, 05:33.453 --> 05:37.592 and a significant amount of oppression and atrocities 05:37.592 --> 05:40.759 committed by the Burmese armed forces. 05:44.427 --> 05:47.760 The U.N. has done a fact-finding mission 05:47.798 --> 05:50.517 and put out a report on those atrocities, 05:50.517 --> 05:53.102 the United States has also published a report yesterday 05:53.102 --> 05:55.018 that's not the subject of my discussion here today, 05:55.018 --> 05:58.960 but it's online that we published this report yesterday 05:58.960 --> 06:02.877 documenting some of the atrocities committed by 06:04.468 --> 06:07.031 the government against this population. 06:07.031 --> 06:11.281 So our focus here is working with the government of 06:12.396 --> 06:15.646 Burma to improve the conditions for the 06:21.653 --> 06:24.704 Rohingya population as well as all of its minority 06:24.704 --> 06:27.787 populations to enable those people to 06:28.893 --> 06:31.221 return in safety to their homes, 06:31.221 --> 06:34.554 I mean that's what most displaced people 06:34.734 --> 06:37.076 and most refugees want, is to go home, 06:37.076 --> 06:40.159 and so we're trying to keep the focus 06:40.343 --> 06:43.025 on the government to create those conditions, 06:43.025 --> 06:46.260 and we're also very concerned about accountability 06:46.260 --> 06:48.662 for those people who committed these 06:48.662 --> 06:51.162 crimes against the population. 06:53.104 --> 06:54.428 - [Interviewer] A couple of questions, 06:54.428 --> 06:55.628 to begin with, first of all, 06:55.628 --> 06:58.499 how much money would be dispersed? Who'd handle this money? 06:58.499 --> 07:01.499 U.N., other agencies, U.S. directly? 07:03.633 --> 07:08.466 - So, very good question, these funds we are distributing- 07:08.696 --> 07:10.623 and some we've already distributed- 07:10.623 --> 07:13.373 to our key humanitarian partners. 07:14.482 --> 07:18.073 We're talking about the U.N High Commissioner For Refugees, 07:18.073 --> 07:22.490 the International Organization For Migration, UNICEF, 07:23.153 --> 07:25.736 these are the key partners that 07:26.977 --> 07:31.447 we work with on crisis response and humanitarian assistance 07:31.447 --> 07:33.721 and I should say the World Food Program, 07:33.721 --> 07:38.554 so that's kind of the fourth major partner and through the 07:43.081 --> 07:44.594 International Organization For Migration 07:44.594 --> 07:47.344 we're also supporting a number of 07:47.404 --> 07:51.305 non-governmental organizations that provide assistance 07:51.305 --> 07:56.138 to the refugees as well as to populations inside of Burma. 07:56.204 --> 07:57.383 - [Interviewer] Would this amount be 07:57.383 --> 08:01.723 on top of the amount already placed, or would (mumbles)? 08:01.723 --> 08:04.385 - So these funds would be counted as part of 08:04.385 --> 08:08.468 the U.N. appeals, the humanitarian response plan, 08:09.337 --> 08:12.004 so as those funds are dispersed, 08:12.981 --> 08:15.595 they will start showing up in the 08:15.595 --> 08:18.678 U.N.'s documentation for the funding. 08:19.754 --> 08:21.054 [Interviewer]- Thank you so much 08:21.054 --> 08:23.148 for the generosity, but, one question. 08:23.148 --> 08:25.006 What about granting refugee status 08:25.006 --> 08:27.256 to some of these Rohingyas? 08:29.112 --> 08:32.531 - Well, I think one thing that is happening right now, 08:32.531 --> 08:36.698 is that the government of Bangladesh and UNHCR are 08:40.955 --> 08:43.493 doing a verification exercise in which they are 08:43.493 --> 08:46.410 providing identity documents to the 08:46.416 --> 08:48.065 Rohingya who are in Bangladesh. 08:48.065 --> 08:52.232 This will take some time, it's a large population, 08:53.081 --> 08:57.081 but they're very carefully verifying the people, 08:57.496 --> 09:00.057 and giving them identity documents, 09:00.057 --> 09:02.673 and that gives them a basic form of protection 09:02.673 --> 09:04.432 inside of Bangladesh that's recognized 09:04.432 --> 09:06.682 by the Bangladeshi authorities. 09:06.682 --> 09:07.960 - [Interviewer] Does that mean that you will 09:07.960 --> 09:09.396 consider granting them- 09:09.396 --> 09:12.146 - Well their status is determined 09:12.228 --> 09:14.068 by the Bangladeshi government. 09:14.068 --> 09:17.735 Uh, it's not our status determination, it's- 09:18.047 --> 09:18.880 - [Interviewer] What I'm trying to say is that 09:18.880 --> 09:20.371 - [Interviewer] many of them are fleeing already, 09:20.371 --> 09:21.204 - Yes. 09:21.772 --> 09:22.625 - [Interviewer] different directions, 09:22.625 --> 09:25.170 Pakistan for example, India, Saudi Arabia, 09:25.170 --> 09:27.401 why don't the U.S. grant some of them, 09:27.401 --> 09:29.901 even as a gesture of goodwill- 09:32.447 --> 09:34.055 - You're referring to resettlement 09:34.055 --> 09:36.623 of people into the United States. 09:36.623 --> 09:39.816 - Alright, that's...the U.S. has a long-standing 09:39.816 --> 09:42.787 refugee resettlement program, we resettle more refugees 09:42.787 --> 09:46.954 in our country than any-than any other, generally, 09:48.604 --> 09:51.687 refugee resettlement starts to happen 09:52.058 --> 09:55.141 for a population after several years. 09:59.497 --> 10:03.372 Settlement in a third country is not generally the focus 10:03.372 --> 10:05.742 in a newly displaced population, 10:05.742 --> 10:07.649 and this population has-most of them. 10:07.649 --> 10:11.140 I mean, I recognize some of the Rohingya have 10:11.140 --> 10:14.110 been in Bangladesh for several years, 10:14.110 --> 10:18.610 but the big flow of people came just under a year ago. 10:20.347 --> 10:24.700 So, for the time being, the focus is on emergency response, 10:24.700 --> 10:26.839 and also working to try to create 10:26.839 --> 10:29.551 the conditions for them to return home. 10:29.551 --> 10:31.726 Most of the refugee resettlement that 10:31.726 --> 10:34.163 occurs around the world occurs in populations that have been 10:34.163 --> 10:37.112 displaced for longer periods of time. 10:37.112 --> 10:38.088 - [Interviewer] So no plan? 10:38.088 --> 10:41.421 - Not immediately. It's also based on... 10:42.988 --> 10:46.488 UNHCR makes referrals of individual cases, 10:48.895 --> 10:50.983 usually vulnerable cases, who are 10:50.983 --> 10:52.783 particularly in need of resettlement, 10:52.783 --> 10:55.783 because that's the only alternative. 10:56.628 --> 10:59.545 So that's usually the third durable 11:01.049 --> 11:03.549 solution that UNHCR seeks out. 11:04.508 --> 11:09.008 - [Interviewer] Okay, one last question, on sanctions. 11:11.245 --> 11:15.828 Would you be able to talk a little bit about sanctions? 11:16.958 --> 11:18.726 - The only thing I can say for you on that is, 11:18.726 --> 11:21.842 I mean, we have imposed some sanctions on some... 11:21.842 --> 11:22.675 - [Interviewer] Six individuals. 11:22.675 --> 11:25.342 - Six individuals. So, you know, 11:25.897 --> 11:27.676 there could be other measures coming, 11:27.676 --> 11:29.393 but I don't have anything for you on that. 11:29.393 --> 11:30.485 - [Interviewer] Can you honestly 11:30.485 --> 11:33.068 place sanctions on individuals, 11:33.473 --> 11:35.179 I mean they're not in the U.S., 11:35.179 --> 11:39.262 so are these symbolic? Do they carry any meaning? 11:39.289 --> 11:42.539 - I think we have to look at, you know, 11:44.385 --> 11:47.222 those are the actions that we've taken so far, 11:47.222 --> 11:48.658 that doesn't mean that we're finished, 11:48.658 --> 11:51.491 and we are, you know, we published 11:51.758 --> 11:53.982 the documentation report yesterday, 11:53.982 --> 11:57.482 and I think that there's great interest in 11:58.263 --> 12:00.888 developing further information on 12:00.888 --> 12:04.638 the atrocities that occurred inside of Burma, 12:07.732 --> 12:10.988 and looking at the whole issue of accountability. 12:10.988 --> 12:13.552 And that's not just something that the U.S. is looking at, 12:13.552 --> 12:15.219 as you know, there's the fact-finding mission, 12:15.219 --> 12:19.219 the U.N., other countries are looking into that. 12:21.501 --> 12:24.385 - [Interviewer] Yesterday, the Malaysian government came out 12:24.385 --> 12:28.218 and spoke about helping refugees, IDPs I mean, 12:28.828 --> 12:31.661 resettled also partly in Malaysia. 12:32.175 --> 12:35.518 Since Myanmar, sorry, I'm using the current moniker- 12:35.518 --> 12:36.768 - Good for you. 12:37.293 --> 12:40.025 - [Interviewer] Since Myanmar is part of the ASEAN 12:40.025 --> 12:44.358 community, would the U.S. like ASEAN to do anything? 12:45.134 --> 12:49.717 - Well, there are Rohingya who have fled to other ASEAN 12:53.576 --> 12:57.751 countries, a significant number, over 100,000, I think, 12:57.751 --> 13:02.751 and we certainly appreciate those countries' efforts to host 13:03.038 --> 13:07.205 these people who have fled, and give them shelter, 13:07.912 --> 13:11.245 and provide access to services for them, 13:12.470 --> 13:16.637 and that's a good thing and it's very commendable. 13:17.012 --> 13:18.065 - [Interviewer] One question, 13:18.065 --> 13:20.648 it's a bit political in nature, 13:21.387 --> 13:24.436 to what extent are you willing to exercise 13:24.436 --> 13:29.019 some kind of pressure on Aung San Su Kyii to speak out? 13:29.470 --> 13:32.470 She's been conspicuously very quiet. 13:36.340 --> 13:39.271 - Look, I can't comment on the internal dynamics within, 13:39.271 --> 13:42.604 you know, within the Myanmar government, 13:44.420 --> 13:47.551 but I mean, we have been very consistent 13:47.551 --> 13:50.468 in our messaging to everyone there, 13:52.487 --> 13:55.501 whether it's officials in the military 13:55.501 --> 13:58.838 and civilian government, up and down the line, 13:58.838 --> 14:01.921 about our concerns for what happened, 14:02.422 --> 14:04.427 our concerns about accountability, 14:04.427 --> 14:06.757 our concerns about improving the conditions 14:06.757 --> 14:09.662 for this population so that people can return 14:09.662 --> 14:12.328 in safety and dignity and security. 14:12.328 --> 14:13.979 - [Interviewer] But there's a certain limit 14:13.979 --> 14:16.725 to which the U.S. is willing to go, 14:16.725 --> 14:21.576 considering that it might upset the balance of power within 14:21.576 --> 14:24.326 Myanmar, although she is de facto 14:25.419 --> 14:28.919 the leader of Myanmar, her hands are tied. 14:33.463 --> 14:36.249 - I mean, all I can say to you is that we are very 14:36.249 --> 14:39.082 clear about what our concerns are, 14:39.717 --> 14:42.217 and what our expectations are, 14:42.968 --> 14:45.043 and this is a matter that we continue 14:45.043 --> 14:46.737 to work with the government to 14:46.737 --> 14:51.070 improve these conditions and address these problems. 14:55.013 --> 14:55.846 - [Interviewer] May I talk one more time? 14:55.846 --> 14:56.679 - Sure. 14:56.728 --> 14:59.088 - [Interviewer] What concern that we in Bangladesh have 14:59.088 --> 15:02.921 is the rising extremism in the Rohingya camps. 15:03.111 --> 15:05.298 There are many in the camps who 15:05.298 --> 15:07.798 are believed to be extremists. 15:10.072 --> 15:11.859 And one complaint that Myanmar had about this 15:11.859 --> 15:15.355 whole thing is about the role of (mumbling). 15:15.355 --> 15:17.167 Where do you stand on that, I mean, 15:17.167 --> 15:22.167 is there a role that U.S. can play to stem this rising tide? 15:25.480 --> 15:27.765 - I mean, of course we're very concerned about extremism, 15:27.765 --> 15:31.182 we talked to the Bangladeshi authorities, 15:31.247 --> 15:34.330 I haven't seen significant reports of 15:35.152 --> 15:38.735 extremist activity emerging from the camps, 15:39.368 --> 15:41.198 I would also note that the population, 15:41.198 --> 15:45.031 you know, is predominantly women and children, 15:47.771 --> 15:51.324 but I think the security measures are good, 15:51.324 --> 15:54.324 but over the longer term, you know, 15:55.661 --> 15:59.494 it's important to provide people with not just 16:01.271 --> 16:04.176 immediate...taking care of their immediate needs, 16:04.176 --> 16:07.329 but providing education and livelihood, 16:07.329 --> 16:11.512 and the kinds of support and opportunities that give people 16:11.512 --> 16:13.138 a chance and hope for their future, 16:13.138 --> 16:16.388 and so that's a part of our programming 16:17.966 --> 16:20.633 and something we're continuously 16:20.643 --> 16:23.310 talking to the government about. 16:24.290 --> 16:25.150 - [Interviewer] It seems that many of them 16:25.150 --> 16:28.411 are not going back. Many of them don't want to go back. 16:28.411 --> 16:29.757 What happens to them if they stay 16:29.757 --> 16:33.840 back in Bangladesh for the next 10, 20, 40 years? 16:39.412 --> 16:42.579 - You know, a figure that I hear often 16:43.060 --> 16:45.727 from UNHCR, from the World Bank, 16:47.042 --> 16:50.042 is that the average stay of refugees 16:51.440 --> 16:54.724 in a country outside of their own is about 10 years. 16:54.724 --> 16:57.224 So, because people are fleeing 16:59.202 --> 17:01.511 complex crises and emergencies, 17:01.511 --> 17:04.011 and these situations take time 17:04.091 --> 17:07.508 to resolve, they don't resolve overnight. 17:07.760 --> 17:11.510 And so, that's why we need to look beyond the 17:13.860 --> 17:17.527 immediate life-saving assistance for these people, 17:17.527 --> 17:21.777 and ensure that they have healthcare and education, 17:21.930 --> 17:22.763 so that they can become good citizens, 17:22.763 --> 17:23.596 and they can contribute to the development 17:28.011 --> 17:30.594 of hopefully their own country, 17:31.700 --> 17:34.064 and so that they can also provide a 17:34.064 --> 17:36.676 positive impact on the countries 17:36.676 --> 17:38.851 that are hosting them if they have 17:38.851 --> 17:41.313 to stay there for longer periods. 17:41.313 --> 17:42.952 - [Interviewer] Alright, to summarize that, 17:42.952 --> 17:44.729 based on your comment, that you are expecting 17:44.729 --> 17:47.001 them to stay in Bangladesh for the next 10 years? 17:47.001 --> 17:47.972 And that you'll be committing 17:47.972 --> 17:50.440 yourselves to providing help to them? 17:50.440 --> 17:51.522 - Well, I can't tell you exactly 17:51.522 --> 17:53.440 how long they will stay in Bangladesh, 17:53.440 --> 17:56.607 but I can say that, you know, the U.S. 17:57.528 --> 17:59.319 and others in the international community 17:59.319 --> 18:03.319 will continue to provide assistance to refugees, 18:04.823 --> 18:08.240 and continue at the same time to look for 18:08.480 --> 18:10.521 durable solutions for these populations, 18:10.521 --> 18:12.630 just as we have in many other, you know, 18:12.630 --> 18:15.571 refugee situations around the world. 18:15.571 --> 18:17.481 - [Interviewer] Some are unresolved, by the way. 18:17.481 --> 18:21.898 - Many of them are unresolved, but some are resolved. 18:23.857 --> 18:25.186 - [Interviewer] (mumbling) 18:25.186 --> 18:27.214 - Well, we try to remain hopeful. 18:27.214 --> 18:29.797 Thank you. Thank you very much. 18:30.896 --> 18:34.146 - [Woman Off-Screen] Any last question? 18:34.520 --> 18:36.560 Okay, with that, thank you so much, guys, 18:36.560 --> 18:37.393 - Sure. 18:37.968 --> 18:39.407 - [Woman Off-Screen] for speaking with our group today, 18:39.407 --> 18:42.157 we will try to do the transcript, 18:42.562 --> 18:44.192 it will depend a little bit on 18:44.192 --> 18:46.515 what the secretary is doing today, 18:46.515 --> 18:47.824 and then send it out to you as soon 18:47.824 --> 18:50.491 as we have it available. Thanks. 18:51.561 --> 18:54.311 - Thank you. You're most welcome.