Rohingya crisis: Japan conveys three messages to Bangladesh government

Japan has conveyed three messages to the government of Bangladesh as it wants to see a safe return of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

Visiting Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Iwao Horii said promoting repatriation of those displaced people was also needed form the humanitarian perspectives as the approaching monsoon raises their risk at crowded makeshift camps in Cox’s Bazar.

“I conveyed three points to the government of Bangladesh,” he said in a statement after his meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Wednesday.

These are as follows:

>> We highly appreciate Bangladesh government’s efforts for the displaced persons, and we welcome the dialogue with Myanmar.

>> The key is to realise steady and early repatriation in “safe, voluntary and dignified” manner. The involvement of the UN organisations is important. We also value the cooperation between the government of Bangladesh and UNHCR.

>> We hope that both governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar continue to communicate with each other closely and that the repatriation will be steadily realised.

The Bangladesh foreign ministry said the minister, Mahmood Ali, has sought the support of Japan for a peaceful solution of the protracted Rohingya crisis by their “safe” return to the Rakhine State.

The vice-minister arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday and would visit Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps on Thursday. The embassy said the primary purpose of his visit is “to further the repatriation process” of Rohingya refugees.

He will also visit Myanmar on Friday and Saturday.

His visit follows the instruction of Japanese foreign minister to support the repatriation process based on the agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar, the embassy said.

He said in Myanmar, he will encourage the government for “a much clearer guideline on securing the safety of the displaced persons after the repatriation, organising the environment of resettlement, verifying the citizenship and so forth by cooperating with UNHCR.”

He said Japan would “closely cooperate” with the international organisations so that $2.73 million it is currently processing through the international organisations will be “effectively” used for both the displaced persons and host communities.

Also, the government of Japan has been implementing assistance amounting to $1.9 million through the Japanese NGOs that have been working in the camps. Japan also decided to provide an additional $3.45 million to these NGOs on Mar 9.

“Japan will continue to assist efforts of both Bangladesh and Myanmar by closely working with them.”

The foreign ministry said the minister appreciated Japanese emergency assistance to support those people while describing historical background of the settlement of ethnic communities in Myanmar.

He briefed the Vice-Minister about the bilateral instruments signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar to start the repatriation process.

“Ali mentioned that if there are no life and livelihood options for the Rohingyas to go back to Myanmar, it would be difficult to implement the bilateral agreements”.

He suggested Japan may re-build the house in the Northern Rakhine State of Myanmar to facilitate the safe, secure and dignified return of the displaced people.