Thailand can 'do more' for Rohingya

Bangkok Post
Thana Boonlert
5 Nov 2019

Muhammad Faruk Khan, chairman of Bangladesh's parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, shares his views on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees in light of the 35th Asean Summit and Related Summits in Bangkok and Nonthaburi, which ended on Monday, in an exclusive interview with the Bangkok Post.

What was the outcome of the meeting with the Thai government on the Rohingya crisis?

I was very happy to meet with the [Thai] foreign affairs committee. I am looking forward to meeting with the chairman of the Senate and the parliament speaker. I am happy that they have a good understanding of the Rohingya issue. I know that Thailand had the same experience more than 30 years ago, when people from Myanmar took shelter in Thailand. You have been housing them for 35 years. Thailand understands what Bangladesh is facing.

What do you think Thailand, as the current chair of Asean, can do to facilitate the repatriation of Rohingya?

I will not use the word "repatriation", because it is a technical word. I will use the word "return": the return of Myanmar's citizens to Myanmar. We look forward to Thailand impressing upon Myanmar that this is a situation they must try to solve. Thailand can tell Myanmar [because] Thailand has people from different religions and ethnic groups living together in peace, which brings development and respect from all over the world.

Do you think Thailand is making enough efforts to facilitate the return of Rohingya refugees?

I will not say that, because every country has their own internal and external interests. Keeping those things in view, Thailand is doing its best, but we look forward to Thailand doing even more.

The 35th Asean Summit will take stock of improvement that has been made and take further action to solve problems immediately. I know that Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai discussed the issue at the UNGA [in September]. 

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What should Myanmar do to build confidence and trust among displaced Rohingya?

Myanmar has to do a lot. First, it should start taking back its own citizens. To facilitate that, they should organise a "go and see" visit to Myanmar for displaced Rohingya so that they can see what arrangements have been made by Myanmar.

Second, I feel that Myanmar should allow international bodies to see the plight of other Rohingya still living in Myanmar. Asean should also send civilian monitoring teams to see what arrangements have been made. Once Rohingya return, Asean should see how they are treated.

Lastly, Myanmar should start discussions with the Rohingya to make the return sustainable. They have some political problems. Let them sort out those problems themselves.

How are negotiations on returning the refugees between Myanmar and Bangladesh going after the second attempt stalled in August?
We are happy and not happy. We are happy in the sense that, after the Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, we talked to Myanmar. It accepted that its citizens were tortured by the army. After the discussion, Myanmar instituted an investigation and some military personnel were punished. We are also happy because Myanmar will take its citizens back and resettle them.

However, Myanmar is yet to make it clear what arrangements have been made. At the UNGA, Bangladesh and Myanmar sat down to discuss the return of displaced Rohingya under the auspices of China. We have recently had another meeting. I hope that these will yield positive results.

Bangladesh plans to relocate thousands of Rohingya refugees to Bhasan Char island in the Bay of Bengal. However, human rights groups are concerned that the island is vulnerable to monsoons.
Bangladesh has not decided to relocate anybody. The government realised that their place [of residence] is very congested, so we thought that 100,000 of them could be relocated to a new place with better facilities than they have now. If they are willing to go, they will go. If they are not, we will not force them. In the meantime, we have also shown the island to the international community. Many of them think it is a good place. But it is up to [the Rohingya].
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Link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1787449/thailand-can-do-more-for-rohingya