Bangladesh urges Myanmar to ease Rohingya’s return

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Bangladesh has urged Myanmar to ensure the basic rights of Rohingya returnees and to take positive steps towards a “well-defined time-bound pathway” to citizenship that would encourage them to return voluntarily.

The suggestions were made Friday at the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group on the repatriation of displaced Myanmar residents which was held in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw.

Mahbub Uz Zaman, secretary (Asia & Pacific) at Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, and U Myint Thu, permanent secretary at Myanmar’s foreign ministry, led their respective countries at the meeting, according to a statement from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.

Bangladesh particularly stressed the need to remove legal and administrative barriers to ensure the rights of the returnees, including freedom of movement and guaranteeing their safety and security, said the statement.

The two sides also agreed to speed up the verification process of the Myanmar nationals.

Bangladesh also emphasized the need for allowing greater engagement of the international community -- including ASEAN and interested partners -- in improving the situation on the ground in Rakhine state and proposed an appropriate mechanism for the coordination of actions among those actors to create greater confidence.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury told the local Dhaka Tribune daily that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and both sides were positive.

Myanmar also appeared to be receptive to Bangladesh’s proposal for a visit by a team from Naypyidaw to the Rohingya settlements in Cox’s Bazar to speak to them directly about the conditions in Rakhine, the daily added.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

According to Amnesty International, more than 750,000 Rohingya refugees, mostly women and children, have fled Myanmar and crossed into Bangladesh after Myanmar forces launched a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

Since Aug. 25, 2017, nearly 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed by Myanmar’s state forces, according to a report by the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA).

More than 34,000 Rohingya were also thrown into fires, while over 114,000 others were beaten, said the report, titled "Forced Migration of Rohingya: The Untold Experience."

Some 18,000 Rohingya women and girls were raped by Myanmar’s army and police and over 115,000 Rohingya homes were burned down and 113,000 others vandalized, it added.

The UN has also documented mass gang rapes, killings – including of infants and young children – and brutal beatings and disappearances committed by Myanmar state forces.

In a report, UN investigators said such violations may have constituted crimes against humanity and genocidal intent.