Myanmar expecting to take back first batch of Rohingya very soon: Minister Aye

Myanmar’s social welfare minister has said they are expecting to take back the first batch of Rohingyas “very soon”.

Win Myat Aye, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, spoke to reporters after his meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at state guesthouse Padma on Thursday.

He is the first minister to meet refugees in Bangladesh after the latest exodus of Rohingyas began on Aug 25 last year. He spoke to them at Cox’s Bazar camp on Wednesday.

The United Nations terms the attacks on Rohingya as "ethnic cleansing" by the Myanmar army.

The Myanmar minister said the meeting was “very fruitful”.

“Our main purpose was to talk to the displaced people in the camps and also to discuss with the authorities in Bangladesh, mainly with the minister of foreign affairs and minster for home affairs,” he said.

“We had fruitful discussion. Now we can overcome many difficulties and I am very sure that we can start repatriation process as soon as possible.”

Asked if they would give back Rohingyas the right to live as citizens, Aye said according to the Myanmar law, as soon as they get national verification card, they can apply for citizenship. So, they need to enter the national verification process 

He said previously the verification was “very slow”.

“Now we have speeded up the verification process,” he said.

The minister said they had discussed with the UNHCR and UNDP and already proposed a MoU. “We can finalise it very soon,” he said, adding that they would allow UN agencies to visit the Rakhine State.

But the Myanmar law does not acknowledge them as Rohingyas. Asked about that, he did not have a clear answer.

“If they get the citizenship, they get the chance of same rights in Myanmar. If not, [it’ll be] according to their status,” he said.

Asked about the trial of perpetrators, he said now they have a new president and “we clearly declare that we must have the rule of law. We emphasise that we have the rule of law. According to the rule of law, we can take action if they break rule of law.” 

The foreign minister said the meeting was “excellent” and held in a “friendly and cooperative” atmosphere. He thanked the Myanmar minister for visiting Cox’s Bazar.

“We discussed problems and impediments regarding the repatriation process,” Mahmood Ali said, adding that “goodwill” was needed from both sides for the process.

“We have agreed to use a form for expeditious verification. We are going to introduce the form soon. It’s now agreed between us,” he said.

“We underscored the need for rebuilding the villages. The Myanmar minister assured us. The work has already been undertaken with the help of number of countries,” he said.

He said Myanmar has currently completed the negotiations with the UNHCR and the UNDP, and an agreement between them would be signed very soon.

“Now we have also agreed that the returnees should not stay for more than a few days in the transit camps. The Myanmar side told us that many new ideas have been taken up so that the returnees not only go back but also earn the livelihood.

“They should be able to improve the quality of life which they had before coming here.” Mahmood Ali also requested the Myanmar side to directly consult Dhaka should there be any doubts or misgivings.

“We have also suggested that Myanmar send volunteers to encourage refugees to return to the place of origin,” he said.

Home Minister Kamal said he highlighted the problems Bangladesh is currently facing for hosting the Rohingyas.

“We requested them to transfer the displaced people who are in the zero line. This is a very easy task for them. [Myanmar minister] agreed to take them back.”

Aye will leave Dhaka on Thursday night.