Skip to main content

Repatriation after stability?

Image
By
June 16, 2013

MYANMAR would start repatriation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh but only after the situation in that country became stable. The conditional assurance came at the latest round of foreign office consultations held in Myanmar, between June 14 and 15.

There are presently 25,045 registered Rohingya refugees residing in two camps at Kutupalong and Noyapara waiting to be repatriated to Myanmar. Of them, around 9,000 were cleared by the Myanmar government in 2005. Although Bangladesh had never been for forced repatriation of refugees, we fail to see the reason of the foot dragging by the government of Myanmar even after lapse of eight years after according clearance. And the issue of ‘stability’ is a new caveat after the assurance given to the Bangladesh PM during her visit to Myanmar in December 2011to take back the Rohingyas.

For Bangladesh, the latest statement means little since the repatriation is predicated on the situation being stable in Myanmar. We feel that keeping stability in Myanmar is the sole responsibility of the government of Myanmar. And no international commitment should be made conditional to a situation whose description is highly subjective.

For a long time the issue of Rohingya repatriation to their country has been stalled on some excuse or the other by Myanmar, and the latest condition is apparently yet another ploy to dither on the issue. Not only should Myanmar start the process of repatriation immediately, it must also address the underlying causes for the problem, starting with the restoration of Rohingya citizenship.
Labels:

Comments

humactdoc said…
The Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities discussions about what to do with Rohingya are akin to rushing to kick a soccer ball into the opposite goal rather any true consideration for human beings who have faced generations of brutal persecution from overt killing to slow smoldering starvation in both countries. The Myanmar government is entirely responsible for the instability created that directly drives Rohingya to flee into the horribly cruel but only close choice of Bangladesh.
17 June 2013 at 15:10
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention

By
Amnesty International's T. Kumar to Speak at the Islamic Society of North America's Convention  Advocacy Director T. Kumar to Speak on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma)  Contact: Carolyn Lang, clang@aiusa.org, 202-675-8759  /EINPresswire.com/ (Washington, D.C.) -- Amnesty International Advocacy Director T. Kumar will address the Islamic Society of North America's 49th Annual Convention "One Nation Under God: Striving for the Common Good," in regards to the minority community of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday, September 1, at 11:30 am at the Washington DC Convention Center. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Iran Ready to Dispatch Medical Teams to Myanmar

By
TEHRAN (FNA)- Head of the Basij Organization of Iran's Medical Society Mohammad Rayeeszadeh voiced the society's readiness to dispatch medics, nurses and relief and rescue forces to help Myanmar's Muslims who are under the daily attacks of the majority in the Southeast Asian country. "The Basij (volunteer) organization of the Medical Society is prepared to dispatch emergency teams of physicians, nurses and rescue workers to Myanmar," Rayeeszadeh told FNA on Saturday.
Post a Comment
Read more

2,600 tonnes of aid delivered to Myanmar Muslims

By
Khalifa Foundation has distributed urgent aid totalling 5,200 tonnes Gulf News  March 04, 2013  Burma: The Khalifa Bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation (KZHF) has distributed another 2,600 tonnes of food aid to Myanmar Muslims, completing its third and last phase of the urgent aid totalling 5,200 tonnes of relief items among 850,000 beneficiaries. As per directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the assistance was purchased from the local markets of Myanmar in cooperation and coordination with the Embassy of Kuwait to be shipped by sea to “Rakhine (Arakan)” for distribution among the affectees there. 
Post a Comment
Read more