YET again Myanmar has shown Saint Martin’s Island of Bangladesh as of its part in the official map. Protesting it, Dhaka on Thursday summoned Myanmar Chargé d’affaires and handed over a strongly worded protest note also expressing serious dissatisfaction over repeating such false claim, and demanded immediate corrective measures. Director General (South-East Asia Wing) of the Foreign Ministry said that Myanmar envoy pledged to discuss the matter with his government and convey Dhaka’s concerns.
Foreign Office said, it has been noticed with great concern that the advanced interactive map section of the website of the Department of Population under the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population of Myanmar (www.dop.gov.mn) continuing various Geographic Information System (GIS) data on Myanmar still show the similar data gradients (population, land type, etc) for the Saint Martin’s Island of Bangladesh as those of Myanmar. Furthermore, the Statistical Information Services of Myanmar shows the Saint Martin’s Island with the same colour as that of Rakhine State, while a different colour has been used for other parts of Bangladesh. We think, Myanmar’s this undiplomatic attitude is nothing but an audacious act of its military-backed government.
Last year, Myanmar did the same. At that time, demanding immediate corrective measures Dhaka had sent a formal protest on October 6. After that, Myanmar officially informed Bangladesh on October 21 that all links in the websites had been removed which falsely mentioned Saint Martin’s Island as the Myanmar’s territory.
No doubt, showing Saint Martin’s Island as Myanmar’s territory is a provocative step of Nay Pyi Taw. Probably, it wants to divert the global attention when Myanmar military has been kept busy against ethnic Rakhine rebels. Myanmar’s troubled western Rakhine State has seen a series of clashes in the last few weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army, a Buddhist armed group fighting for more autonomy. Earlier, over 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims have taken shelter in Bangladesh being driven out by the military.
What’s it open like the daylight that Myanmar is deliberately trying to create a chaos in this region apparently to hinder repatriation process of Rohingya refugees staying in Bangladesh. Our Foreign Ministry should have to deal with the issue delicately.
