THE governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar have signed three instruments since November 23, 2017, for return of Rohingyas sheltered in Bangladesh after October 2016, as the Rohingya exodus from Rakhine State continued. But there is no visible progress in this regard till the date.
The UN agencies were also involved with this process to ensure voluntariness of the returnees and to facilitate safe and dignified return to Rakhine.
Majority of the international community, including most of the UN Security Council members excluding China and Russia, were also asking for making persons responsible for persecution of Rohingyas accountable in addition to return of the victims to home. The International Criminal Court asked Myanmar to provide observation by July 27 over jurisdiction of the court in hearing a case on the alleged deportation of Rohingya minorities to Bangladesh.
The Myanmar government seems to be in no hurry to take back the Rohingyas who are enjoying the warmth of Bangladesh. It does not take one year to compile databases regarding the Rohingya. And if the Myanmar government does not have any such database then it is not the fault of Bangladesh.
British State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mark Field also said after visiting Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday that violence committed by the Myanmar military against persecuted Rohingya people was horrific. We think, Russia, China, and India need to put more economic pressure on Myanmar like the EU and the US to ensure that they do the right thing.
We hope, Bangladesh government will take proactive diplomatic measures to send back the Rohingyas to their home land.
