Mashrur Siddique Bhuiyan :
The possibility of repatriation of the displaced Myanmar’s Rohingya to their country is fading day by day. Bilateral and global discussions on this issue have also stalled. In this context, the fifth anniversary of the Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh is observed today. On August 25, 2017, the last Rohingya refugees from Myanmar passed through Teknaf and Ukhia border in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. By this time over a million Rohingya refugees came to Bangladesh. In addition to this, on an average of 30,000 Rohingya children were born in every year Bangladesh. Therefore now the number of Rohingyas has increased to more than 1.2 million in 4 years. Despite various initiatives taken by the Bangladesh government to repatriate them to Myanmar, it is not possible due to various complications. It seems, the door to Rohingya repatriation is almost closed.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet visited Rohingya camps on August 16 and in a statement said that Rohingyas can return to their village homes in Myanmar. But it will be possible only if the situation is favorable. Unfortunately, the current situation at the border is not favorable for return. Repatriation must always be carried out in a voluntary and dignified manner and is only possible if a secure and stable situation prevails in Myanmar.
In such a situation, the UN Secretary General António Guterres’ special envoy for Myanmar Noeline Heizer arrived in Dhaka on Monday on a four-day visit. According to media reports, during the visit, Noelin Heizer will visit the camp to see the Rohingya situation on the ground. During the visit, Noeline Heizer will hold a meeting with Foreign Secretary Masoud Bin Momen. Special envoy will visit Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camp on Tuesday. She will talk to Rohingya refugees there. On the same day, she will meet with the Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner. Finally, she will speak marking the 5-year anniversary of the Rohingya crisis at the Foreign Service Academy.
However, Bangladesh has been praised by the international community for providing shelter to the Rohingya refugees. International organizations including the United Nations have not been able to persuade the Myanmar to negotiate regarding the Rohingyas to take them back to their own country. Despite the formation of a committee and several meetings between Bangladesh and Myanmar on Rohingya repatriation, sadly no repatriation has taken place till now and there is still no ray of hope regarding their repatriation in near future.
In needs to mention here that Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding on the Rohingya crisis on November 23, 2017. Bangladesh signed an agreement with Myanmar on January 16, 2018 regarding repatriation. According to the agreement, Myanmar will take back 300 Rohingya every day. In other words, 1,500 Rohingyas will return in a week. A ‘Joint Working Group’ (JWG) was formed at the Foreign Secretary level to initiate the repatriation in February the following year. The JWG held four meetings.
In fact, Rohingya repatriation depends on the role of China, Russia, US, UK and India. China and India have direct interests in Myanmar. Both countries are investing in Myanmar. They have business there. Among them, China has more influence. As a result, if China is serious about taking back the Rohingyas without making diplomatic complications, the repatriation of the Rohingyas will easily be possible. India is also on the same track. India also has geopolitical interests. Myanmar has a border and security agreement with India. Again, India is building a small port and road in Myanmar. As a result, India’s support is also important.
A few days ago, Chinese foreign minister paid a visit to Bangladesh. He said that China would help solve the crisis. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is going to visit India next month. She might discuss about Rohingya issue with her Indian counterpart. In fact, now we have to depend on China, India and the UN Security Council. It seems it will not be solved immediately.
The policymakers in Dhaka know the chemistry of China-Myanmar historical relations. Based on that account, they may have asked for Beijing’s cooperation to send the Rohingyas back. During the visit of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to Dhaka on August 7, the old expectation of Bangladesh was again reminded. But it has no impact at all. On the contrary, due to the relocation of Rohingyas from Cox’s Bazar to Bhasanchar, their hope of returning home has been shattered. Whether Dhaka has a roadmap to restore their morale, there is a doubt over that deep in the country and abroad.
Amid the situation, a piece of good news is that on July 22, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected Myanmar’s initial objections to the lawsuit that The Gambia had filed against Myanmar under the international Genocide Convention. The case centres on the alleged genocide committed by Myanmar against the ethnic Rohingya community in Rakhine State between October 2016 and August 2017.
Besides, Bangladesh has sought the pro-active support of Asean to kick-start their repatriation without any further delay. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen made this call at the Bangladesh-Indonesia bilateral meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Retno LP Marsudi in Jakarta on July 18.
He paid a diplomatic visit to Cambodia last month as he attended the Asean Regional Forum meeting on Aug 5-6. He raised the Rohingya issue again.
Since the beginning of the Rohingya influx, the international community, especially the United Nations, various international alliances including the European Union, various Western countries, and human rights organizations has been with Bangladesh. But repatriation has been attempted keeping the international community behind. Again, through the mediation of China, the two countries, Bangladesh and Myanmar could not settle the Rohingya repatriation date to implement.
The promise of a safe return for more than a million Rohingyas who left their homes making one of the worst humanitarian crises in 2017 is still unfulfilled nearly five years later. Now the question is, how long will Bangladesh continue to be a victim of a textbook example of evil ethnic cleansing by Myanmar Junta?
(The writer is a Dhaka based
independent researcher).
