Bangladesh has urged Myanmar to fully concentrate on implementation of its obligations and commitments necessary for a durable solution to the Rohingya problem.
“The government of Myanmar should seriously consider a comprehensive engagement of the international community in creating an environment conducive to their return as well as monitoring the repatriation and reintegration process in Myanmar,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here in a press statement on Sunday.
The statement said accusing Bangladesh of non-cooperation in the repatriation effort by a party who is fully responsible for the protracted crisis is baseless, ill-motivated and totally unacceptable.
The government of Bangladesh maintains its principled position of “not preventing anyone, regardless of one’s ethnic and religious identity, who intends to return” to Myanmar anytime.
In view of Myanmar’s repeated claim that they are prepared to receive the displaced people and the recent interactions of a high-level delegation from Myanmar with the representatives of Rohingyas at camps in Cox’s Bazar on July 2019 27-28 to convince the displaced people to return, Bangladesh agreed to facilitate the commencement of repatriation on August 22, said the ministry.
In line with its commitment to the principle of voluntary return, the government of Bangladesh handed the list of 3,450 individuals so far verified by Myanmar to UNHCR through the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Dhaka on August 8 to ascertain whether these people are ready to return voluntarily to northern Rakhine under the present circumstances.
The government of Bangladesh has ensured all the necessary arrangements on Bangladesh side, including security and logistics, for the voluntary return of Rohingyas to northern Rakhine, says the media release.
Out of the list of 3,450 Rohingyas provided by Bangladesh, UNHCR interviewed 339 families comprising 1,276 individuals as of August 22.
In the interview process, all the available information and the fact-sheets provided by the government of Myanmar were shared with the families concerned.
Besides, adequate measures, including security arrangements, were ensured so that the people concerned could freely express their intents.
“Unfortunately, none of the families interviewed agreed to return in the present circumstances, as they consider the security situation and overall environment in Rakhine not yet conducive for their return,” MoFA said.
Almost all the families interviewed expressed their deep concern over the security situation in Rakhine.
Overwhelming majority of the families underscored the “lack of progress” in addressing justice and rights related issues, including citizenship, freedom of movement, and land-use rights.
The Foreign Ministry said all the families interviewed have reaffirmed their desire to return, once their concerns are reasonably addressed by the government of Myanmar.
