THE World Bank and the Bangladesh government will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to run a rehabilitation project worth $400-500 million as grants for Rohingyas staying in Bangladesh camps. About 7,00,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and aged people, entered Bangladesh fleeing murder, arson and rape during ‘security operations’ by Myanmar military in Rakhine, what the United Nations denounced as ethnic cleansing and genocide, beginning from August 25, 2017.
The two governments 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.
Bangladesh and Myanmar governments signed two memorandums of understanding with UN agencies 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.
In this regard a proactive diplomatic policy is essential.
