Rohingya suspicious as Myanmar touts repatriation plan

Al Jazeera

by Joshua Carroll
 30th July 2019

Refugees in Cox's Bazar question Myanmar motives amid Rakhine unrest, but some see 'breakthrough' in repatriation talks.

More than 700,00 Rohingya were forced to flee northern Rakhine in Myanmar following a brutal military crackdown in 2017 [File: Anadolu/Masfiqur Sohan]

Yangon, Myanmar - When a team of top Myanmar officials met Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar over the weekend, they handed out flyers aimed at persuading members of the persecuted minority to return home two years after fleeing a brutal military crackdown in 2017.

With its happy cartoon figures and its promise of a return "to normal life," the brochure paints a rosy picture for refugees who agree to be repatriated to Buddhist-majority Myanmar on the government's terms.

Rohingya reject Myanmar's 'foreign citizen' offer

AA

By SM Najmus Sakib 

29.07.2019 

DHAKA, Bangladesh

With Myanmar officials considering calling Rohingya “foreign citizen,” the persecuted people are demanding full citizenship, ethnic rights, and international protection before repatriation.

Myint Thu, Myanmar’s foreign affairs permanent secretary, said at a meeting with Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh that Myanmar’s government will consider the Rohingya “foreign nationals,” local daily The Daily Star reported on Monday.

Myanmar to consider Rohingyas as foreigners

The Daily Star
July 29, 2019
Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

 

Myanmar foreign affairs permanent secretary tells reporters in Cox’s Bazar

The Myanmar government will consider Rohingyas as foreign nationals, said Myanmar Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Myint Thu to reporters after a meeting with hindu Rohingyas at the Kutupalong D-4 camp in Cox’s Bazar’s Ukhia yesterday. 

Detailing his government’s position on the issue of Rohingya repartition from Bangladesh, Myint Thu said there were three types of citizenships in the Myanmar Citizenship Act 1982.

According to it, whoever has been living in Myanmar for three generations would be entitled to get “naturalised citizenship”.

Rohingya tell Myanmar they won't return without recognition as ethnic group with right to citizenship Reuters

thejapantimes
Reuters
Jul 29, 2019 

Myanmar's permanent foreign secretary, U Myint Thu, speaks during a meeting with representatives of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sunday. Thu led a 10-member delegation for the weekend talks in refugee camps to discuss creating conditions for the safe repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, officials said Sunday. | AP 

DHAKA - Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh refuse to return to Myanmar unless they are recognised as an ethnic group in their home country, leaders told visiting Myanmar officials on Sunday as fresh repatriation talks started.

Bangladesh hands list of 25,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar for verification

bdnews24.com
29 Jul 2019

Bangladesh has handed over a fresh list of 25,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar for verification as the repatriation process lingers.

With the new list, Bangladesh has so far handed over names of around 55,000 Rohingyas to the Myanmar authorities following singing the deal two years back soon after the massive exodus in August 2017.

Myanmar Delegation Holds Repatriation Talks With Rohingya in Bangladesh

VOA
By Agence France-Presse

July 27, 2019 

Members of the Myanmar delegation team arrive at the airport in Cox's Bazar, southern Bangladesh, July 27, 2019, ahead of meetings with Rohingya leaders to inform them of measures they have taken for their return to Rakhine state

KUTUPALONG, BANGLADESH — A top-level Myanmar government delegation began repatriation talks with Rohingya leaders in a Bangladesh refugee camp on Saturday, an official said, with many of the Muslim minority fearing for their safety if they return home.

Myanmar delegation holds repatriation talks with Rohingya in Bangladesh

Saudi Gazette
July 27, 2019

Members of the Myanmar delegation team arrive at the airport in Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh on Saturday, ahead of expected meetings with Rohingya leaders to inform them of measures they have taken for their return to Rakhine. Security at Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh was tightened for the visit of a high-level Myanmar delegation this weekend for repatriation talks, officials said. — AFP

KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh — A top-level Myanmar government delegation began repatriation talks with Rohingya leaders in a Bangladesh refugee camp on Saturday, an official said, with many of the Muslim minority fearing for their safety if they return home.