Human Rights Watch (HRW) has rightly said the Rohingya repatriation deal signed by Bangladesh and Myanmar needs to be elevated to a tri-partite agreement involving the UNHCR to fully protect the right to safe return of Rohingyas to their country. The deal signed by Bangladesh and Myanmar is a bad one that should be rewritten involving international humanitarian agencies as monitors in the ground on both sides and supervisors of the entire process.
We have been pointing out the issue since the signing of the deal that the Human Rights Watch now says, because we know Myanmar is not a party; which can be trusted and willing to take back Rohingyas. Despite tremendous diplomatic support by international community and UN resolutions in support of Rohingyas except opposition from China, Russia and India to protect the rights of the Rohingyas, the point is that repatriation is not still making any progress while it suffers the biggest setback in absence of interest of Myanmar government.
The draft MoU that Bangladesh signed under certain reported duress from supporters of Myanmar to save it from mounting international pressure for genocide has no safety clause for the refugees in the first place. Its tuning with Myanmar’s illogical plan to resettle refugees in make shift camps is equally illogical and not acceptable. Human Rights Watch has therefore raised the very crucial issue that Bangladesh and Myanmar should invite UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) to join in the drafting of a new tripartite agreement with it as a third party to make effective repatriation possible in safety and dignity. The international community is watching the situation and such demand shows they don’t believe Myanmar’s honesty any way.
Most importantly, the agreement by Bangladesh and Myanmar stipulates to begin returning of Rohingyas by January 23 next year. It says of voluntary repatriation, which is however totally unrealistic in the present situation in Rakhine State. The Myanmar government is doing nothing to stabilize the situation to suggest they are not serious to create the safe environment for return of the refugees.
Human Rights Watch officials believe Bangladesh-Myanmar deal is an international public relation stunt from Myanmar side to quickly close the Rohingya chapter from global stage than undertaking a sincere repatriation of Rohingyas to their abandoned homes.
It is exactly here on this point that Bangladesh, UNHCR and the international community should engage Myanmar to redraft the accord in line with UN demands for repatriation in full compliance of international standards. With the aid of high-tech technologies and satellites the world can more than comprehend what the Myanmar army has done in the Rakhine State and what is happening in the ground right now. The international involvement can only make repatriation possible with full safety and national right to the refugees.
