Foreign diplomats back Bangladesh's plan to relocate Myanmar Rohingyas to Thengar Char

Bangladesh has won the backing by the foreign diplomats for its plan to relocate Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees from Cox’s Bazar to Thengar Char, an island in the Bay of Bengal.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 5 Feb 2017, 03:51 PM
Updated : 5 Feb 2017, 03:52 PM

The foreign ministry on Sunday said in a statement that when the foreign minister sought their support in a briefing, the representatives of the diplomatic community “in general expressed their readiness to help the government implement its relocation plan as and when it is finalised”.

Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali updated the Dhaka-based diplomats and representatives of different international organisations about the relocation plan at the state guest house Padma and the situation of the Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh.

He particularly sought their support in the relocation plan “by providing assistance in developing the island and in transporting them to the new place of their residence”.

More than 400,000 Myanmar nationals, including the newly arrived 69,000, are living mainly in Cox’s Bazar in two registered camps and makeshift settlements after fleeing persecution and communal violence in the Rakhine State.

Such a huge population in the district has created “formidable challenges” for the authorities to manage humanitarian assistances for them, the foreign minister said while arguing for the government’s relocation plan.

They also created “a number of adverse effects on the overall socio-economic, political, demographic, environmental, and humanitarian and security situation of Cox’s Bazar and adjacent districts and also negatively affecting the eco-tourism prospects”.

Citing the "vulnerable" nature of this population, the foreign minister added that “networks have emerged in this area for the purpose of human trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs”.

He also explained that arranging shelters for the new arrivals has become “a new challenge” for the authorities since the accommodation arrangements in the Cox’s Bazar district are "already over-stretched".

In order “to ensure humanitarian assistance” for them, the government has decided to relocate them to Thengar Char, the minister said.

He hoped that it would help the Myanmar refugees including undocumented Myanmar nationals “to have better access to the humanitarian assistances”.

A view of the Thengar Char island in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, February 2, 2017. Picture taken February 2, 2017. Reuters

He said the government plans “to build necessary infrastructure including shelter, schools, hospitals or health centers, mosques, roads to make the place habitable” and that the relocation would take place “only after the development activities are completed”.

Mahmood Ali would also take the diplomatic community to a visit around the site once the infrastructure is in place.

The foreign ministry said the diplomats expressed their hope that “this will bring improvements in the living condition of this population”.

Ali, however, reiterated Bangladesh’s position that this would be a “temporary arrangement” for them.

“Bangladesh will like the international community to take meaningful measures for repatriation of this population to their homes back in Myanmar.”

He also referred to the “successful” repatriation of around 236,599 Myanmar refugees through an agreement negotiated during 1991-92 in which he had been “deeply” involved in his official capacity at the foreign ministry.

The representatives recognised that the ultimate solution lies in the repatriation of these refugees to their homeland and also pledged their full support, according to the foreign ministry statement.

About 60 representatives including ambassadors and high commissioners of various diplomatic missions and representatives from the Office of UNRC, IOM, UNHCR and other UN agencies attended the briefing.

Prime Minister’s Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque were also present, among others.

Bangladesh has been giving shelter to thousands of Myanmar nationals who are fleeing violence in Rakhine State for decades. Myanmar denies them citizenship.

The issue came to the fore again after a new influx following a fresh wave of violence in the Muslim-majority State. The government said 69,000 arrived since October.

A UN human rights office report said Myanmar's security forces had committed mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya Muslims and burned their villages since October in a campaign that probably amounts to crimes against humanity and possibly "ethnic cleansing".

The Brazilian ambassador who is the dean of diplomatic corps, the US ambassador, the Saudi ambassador, and UNRC “highly praised” Bangladesh government and its people for hosting this population during the briefing.

The Saudi ambassador particularly referred to the presence of Myanmar population in the kingdom and explicitly stated his government’s support to Bangladesh.