Why Is the World Ignoring Repatriation of Rohingya Refugees?

THE I DIPLOMAT

By Asif Muztaba Hassan
October 25, 2021

Refugee camps in Bangladesh have become a source of business for vested interests.

The Rohingya refugee crisis, which entered its fifth year in August, is showing no signs of winding down. Repatriation of refugees is nowhere in sight, even as management of the large number of refugees that Bangladesh is hosting is getting increasingly complex for its government.

On September 29, Mohibullah, an influential Rohingya community leader, was assassinated by unidentified men near his office in Lambasia in the Kutupalong camp, just a few hundred feet away from two police stations.

World Bank clarifies its position on Rohingya repatriation

Dhaka Tribune

Tribune Desk
August 3rd, 2021

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas who have fled their homeland in Rakhine State after being persecuted by their own country Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

The global lender recently sent a letter to ERD attaching a document detailing Rohingyas' freedom of movement, birth certificate, educational and employment opportunities, and infrastructure

The World Bank reviews its refugee policy framework every three years before mobilizing funds under the International Development Assistance window.

The international lender recently solicited input on its current policy review from 16 refugee-hosting nations, including Bangladesh.

Rohingya repatriation: Beijing to act as bridge for early results

Dhaka Tribune
UNB
June 25th, 2021

File Photo: Nearly one million Rohingyas are living in Bangladesh now since fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state in 2017 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

Myanmar coup caught everyone by surprise, says the Chinese envoy in Dhaka

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming has said China will continue to serve as a “bridge of communication” and try its best to facilitate early results as Bangladesh seeks swift repatriation of Rohingyas to Myanmar.

“We fully understand the keenness of Bangladesh to start repatriation, and our determination to help the two friendly neighbours resolve this long-standing issue will never change,” he said while speaking at an online symposium hosted by the Cosmos Foundation.

UK stresses Sundarbans’ protection, assures support over Rohingya repatriation

Financial Express

FE Online Report 

Published: April 14, 2021

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, British state minister for Foreign Affairs for South Asia and the Commonwealth, has underscored the importance of protecting the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, from the adverse impacts of climate change.

He made the observation during a discussion with Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

What lies ahead for the Rohingya repatriation process after Myanmar’s military coup?

moderndiplomacy

Sourav Ghosh
February 12, 2021

A young Rohingya girl holds her brother outside a youth club in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. © UNHCR/Vincent Tremeau

With much hope and greater expectations, Myanmar resumed its democratic journey in 2011, ending more than half a century of military rule. However, within just a decade, the military has once again overthrown a democratically-elected government and seized power marking the end of democratic normalcy. Myanmar’s military coup happened on February 1, 2021, the same day when the parliament was scheduled to reconvene following the general election that took place in November last year. In the election, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party scored a landslide victory in both the houses of the Parliament. The coup took place just as Suu Kyi’s party, the League for National Democracy, was prepping up to form a new government. Finally, since Myanmar is engaged in trilateral talks with Bangladesh and China on the Rohingya repatriation issue, the military coup raises the question on what does the future hold for Rohingya repatriation process now?

US hints at looking into Rakhine genocide, Rohingya repatriation: FM

Prothum Alo------  

UNB
Dhaka
Published: 26 Jan 2021, 

Migrants who were found adrift at sea in a boat are repatriated across the Bangladesh-Myanmar border at Ukhia on the outskirts of Cox's Bazar on June 8, 2015. AFP

Bangladesh on Tuesday said there are indications that the new US administration under President Joe Biden will look into the issue of genocide of Rohingyas in the Rakhine State and hopefully will proactively take action for their safe return to Myanmar.

"It's good news. There are indications," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said, adding that Rohingya problem was created by Myanmar and its solution also lies with them.

He said Bangladesh is thankful of USA’s principled stand and steadfast humanitarian and diplomatic support to Bangladesh in dealing with the Rohingya crisis since August 2017.
                                                                             

Biden to review whether Rohingya persecution genocide

AA

Michael Gabriel Hernandez 

WASHINGTON 

20.01.2021 

Incoming president's pick to lead State Department says he would oversee process should he be confirmed by Senate 

Antony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to lead the State Department 

 

The incoming Biden administration will launch an interagency review to determine whether Myanmar's persecution of its Rohingya minority amounts to genocide, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to lead the State Department said Tuesday.

Antony Blinken said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that if confirmed, he would oversee the process.

Tripartite meeting for Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh on January 19- Foreign Minister Dr. A K Abdul Momen

DD News
13-01-2021

A tripartite meeting between Bangladesh, Myanmar and China for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees will be held on January 19 in Dhaka.

This was announced by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr. A K Adbul Momen in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The tripartite meeting will take place at the Secretary level. Dr. Momen said that he retains high hopes of a positive outcome of the meeting, reports the official news agency BSS. He informed that the meeting was scheduled to be held this week but it was deferred to January 19 as the Chinese foreign minister is scheduled to visit Myanmar in the meantime.

Rohingya Repatriation: Bangladesh-Myanmar-China tripartite talks Jan 19

daily sun 

UNB
13th January, 2021

Bangladesh, Myanmar and China will hold a tripartite meeting on Rohingya repatriation in Dhaka on January 19 as Dhaka finds their repatriation to Myanmar as only solution to the crisis.

"We hope it would be a fruitful meeting," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told reporters on Wednesday about the tripartite talks. He said the meeting will be held at secretary level while such tripartite meeting was last held on January 20 last year.

The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh has handed over a list of 8,40,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar for verification.

"Myanmar has verified very few people. They're very slow. They verified only 42,000 people. There is serious lack of seriousness," said the Foreign Minister.

Japan wants start of Rohingya repatriation process next year: envoy

The Daily Star

UNB, Dhaka
December 24, 2020 

 

Photo courtesy: UNB

 

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki today said they want to see the start of Rohingya repatriation process next year.

"We would like to see the start of repatriation process next year. Japan will continue to help," he told diplomatic correspondents at DCAB Talk at Jatiya Press Club.

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) hosted the DCAB Talk with its President Angur Nahar Monty in the chair. DCAB General Secretary Touhidur Rahman also spoke.

The Japanese Ambassador said they are communicating directly with top military officials and at the government level on the Rohingya crisis.

The importance of land rights to Rohingya repatriation

Farhaan Uddin Ahmed
25 September 2020

The Pinheiro Principles and justice for the displaced

Given widespread confiscation of Rohingya land, it is essential that Myanmar instate changes in property rights to encourage the voluntary return of its displaced Rohingya Muslim community, Farhaan Uddin Ahmed writes.

In August 2017, Myanmar’s military – the Tatmadaw – and other actors backed by it initiated a brutal violent campaign of ethnically cleansing the Rakhine state of Myanmar’s Rohingya community. The atrocities forced more than 800,000 Rohingya people to flee Myanmar, leaving behind their homes and livelihoods and seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Dhaka suggests engaging foreign civilian observers for Rohingya repatriation

Dhaka Tribune
September 12th, 2020

Photo: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Bangladesh foreign minister is seeking support from ARF partners

Dhaka on Saturday suggested Myanmar to engage non-military civilian observers from its friendly countries in Rohingya repatriation process to reduce trust deficit among the forcibly displaced people for returning to their land of origin in Rakhine with safety and security.

“In order to decline trust deficit and build confidence, we suggested Myanmar to engage non-military civilian observers from their friendly country like ASEAN, China, Russia, India or other friends of their choice,” said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

ROHINGYA REPATRIATION ATTEMPTS: RESULT ZERO

The Daily Star

Porimol Palma
August 25, 2020

Myanmar doing little while Bangladesh facing financial, ecological and security challenges

When Bangladesh continues to bear the brunt of sheltering more than a million Rohingyas, Myanmar is doing little for their repatriation amid silence of global powers though the Southeast Asian country faces a genocide case, experts and officials said. 

About 750,000 Rohingyas -- injured and starved -- fled a brutal military crackdown since August 25, 2017, leaving their homes burnt and relatives killed. Bangladesh generously opened the border and sheltered them, but is now facing tremendous financial, ecological and security challenges.

Rohingya Repatriation: UNDP, UNHCR, Myanmar extend MoU

THE ASIAN AGE

11 May 2020

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Monday agreed with the government of Myanmar to extend the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for activities in Rakhine State amid no repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

The MoU aims at helping create a conducive environment for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh as well as supporting recovery and resilience-based development for the benefit of all communities living in the three northern townships of Rakhine State.

Int’l community’s stronger role sought for Rohingya repatriation

UNB 

February 18, 2020

UNB News
Dhaka

Speakers the panel discussion titled ‘Rohingya: The Need for Justice and Rights in Rakhine 2020’ at the Brac Centre Inn on Tuesday, Feb 18. 2020. Photo: UNB

Speakers at a programme here on Thursday urged the global community to play a stronger role for the sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine state of Myanmar.

While addressing the panel discussion titled ‘Rohingya: The Need for Justice and Rights in Rakhine 2020’ at the Brac Centre Inn, they also called for imposing strict economic sanctions on Myanmar and putting pressure on its military to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Rohingya Repatriation: Bangladesh seeks Indonesia’s role through Asean

UNB 

February 16, 2020

UNB News
Dhaka

Indonesian investment sought to remove trade imbalance with Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has urged Indonesia to remain pro-active in the Asean platform to convince Myanmar for creating a conducive environment for a safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Foreign Minister DR AK Abdul Momen discussed the issue when Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh Rina Prihtyasmiarsi Soemarno met him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.

Dr Momen suggested that an Asean-led observer team may be deployed in Rakhine State to oversee the repatriation process.

Myanmar lacks 'will' to repatriate Rohingya and hasn't dismantled refugee camps, Bangladesh says

 
NEWS 
AFP-JIJI 

Rohingya refugees attend a ceremony organized to remember the second anniversary of a military crackdown that prompted a massive exodus of people from Myanmar to Bangladesh, at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladeshm Aug. 25. Some 200,000 Rohingya rallied to mark two years since they fled a violent crackdown by Myanmar forces, just days after a second failed attempt to repatriate them. | AFP-JIJI 

DHAKA – Bangladesh on Thursday accused Myanmar of lacking the “will” to repatriate the Rohingya, as the spat between the countries grew over the recent failed attempt to return the stateless minority to their homes.

China Proposes Meeting with Bangladesh, Myanmar over Rohingya Repatriation

BenarNews

Kamran Reza Chowdhury
Dhaka
2019-08-29

 

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen briefs Dhaka-based diplomats and representatives of international agencies on efforts to repatriate Rohingya refugees, Aug. 29, 2019.

HO/Bangladesh Foreign Ministry 

 

Beijing has proposed a fresh tripartite meeting with Bangladesh and Myanmar to jumpstart the repatriation of Rohingya Muslims, Bangladesh’s foreign minister said Thursday, as pressure mounted for the two neighboring countries to find a solution to the refugee crisis.

Officials: Myanmar, Bangladesh Working to Repatriate 3,450 Rohingya Refugees

Radio Free Asia
2019-08-16

A Rohingya man and children appear outside a makeshift home at a refugee camp in Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar district, July 7, 2019. BenarNews

Bangladesh and Myanmar said Friday they were working on the first repatriation of Rohingya refugees since members of the ethnic minority fled a massive military crackdown in Rakhine state two years ago, amid confusion over how the process would unfold.

“Myanmar has given clearance to about 3,450 people [to return from refugee camps in Bangladesh],” Mohammad Abul Kalam, chief of Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

India wants Bangladesh to start Rohingya repatriation again

bdnews24.com
Senior Correspondent bdnews24.com
04 Aug 2019

India wants Bangladesh to start the Rohingya repatriation again in August, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said.

 

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Momen said he met his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar at the Asean meeting in Bangkok last week and discussed the issue.

“He told me to start sending them whatever the number is. Start the process this month, preferably in mid-August,” Momen said, adding that "India is also ready to support in this regard".