Repatriation stalls as Rohingyas refuse to go back to Myanmar from Bangladesh camps

After days of preparations following nearly a year’s efforts, a plan to start repatriating the Rohingya people from Bangladesh to Myanmar has stalled as the refugees are refusing flat to go back to their homeland.

Six buses were ready on Thursday morning with food and other essential aid supplies for three days at the Unchiprancg shelter of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar to take the first batch of 150 refugees to a transit camp near the Ghumdhum border in Bandarban’s Naikkhyangchharhi. 

Officials at Bangladesh’s Refugee Repatriation and Relief Commission waited throughout the day, but no-one agreed to make the journey back to Myanmar.

Thousands gathered at the refugee shelter and shouted “Na Jayum” (won’t go) in unison.

They say they do not want to go back until Myanmar grants them citizenship with access to basic rights such as health and education and ensures security through the United Nations.

“We tried until the afternoon. Myanmar also kept the gate open. But the Rohingyas do not think Myanmar is safe for them as yet,” Refugee Repatriation and Relief Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told bdnews24.com on Thursday night.

“As the refugees showed no interest in going back, we could not repatriate them today. We can’t force someone to leave,” he added.

"To be honest, Bangladesh is weak in following the physical arrangements," said Myint Thu, permanent secretary at Myanmar's foreign affairs ministry, at a media briefing, according to a Reuters report.

"We will accept them according to the agreement signed by the two countries. Whether they come back or not is their own decision," Thu added.

A shelter building constructed at a Rohingya repatriation centre is seen in Gunndum near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, November 14, 2018. Reuters

The UN has welcomed Bangladesh’s decision to stick to the principle of a voluntary return for the Rohingyas.

“The UN actually welcomes the commitment of the government of Bangladesh to stick to the principle of voluntary repatriation, which has been demonstrated today,” Mia Seppo, UN resident coordinator in Dhaka, told reporters on Thursday after Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali briefed the diplomats about the progress of the repatriation process.

Ali said Bangladesh will not force Rohingya refugees back to Myanmar.

“There have been campaigns that the Bangladesh government is sending them forcibly,” the minister pointed out.

“From the beginning we have been saying that it will be a voluntary return. There is no question of forcible repatriation. We gave them shelter, so why should we send them back forcibly?” he argued.

The US, which is vocal against the atrocities by the military of China’s close ally Myanmar,
said it supports the efforts of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, in enabling Rohingya refugees visit their villages of origin before the start of the repatriation.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration Richard Albright during his Nov 10-15 visit emphasised the value of “go-and-see” visits, as recommended by UNHCR, the US embassy in Dhaka said.

He also welcomed the Bangladesh government’s “continued commitment to informed, voluntary, safe, and dignified returns and to giving UNHCR the lead in the repatriation process.”

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees shout slogans as they protest against their repatriation at the Unchiprang camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh November 15, 2018. Reuters

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW?

Though the process did not start on Thursday as planned, the Bangladesh repatriation commissioner does not agree to say that the return of the refugees has been postponed.

"We’ve never said it’s been postponed. It’s right that we could not start the process. But we won’t bear the responsibilities if they (Rohingyas) cannot trust Myanmar’s words,” Kalam said.

“We’ve made all the preparations. Our camp is open six days a week other than Friday. And Myanmar keeps open theirs five days barring Saturday and Sunday. If any family agree to go back, we are ready to repatriate them,” he said.

The UN resident coordinator also said it is Myanmar’s “responsibility” to make sure Rohingyas have “enough trust to return to their homeland and to have enough trust to believe that what have happened to them would not be repeated”.

“To some extent, it is important to clarify where the responsibility lies. It’s not the responsibility of the government of Bangladesh to create conditions conducive for return to Myanmar. That’s the responsibility of the government of Myanmar,” Seppo said.

She welcomed “small improvements” Myanmar had made so far and hoped that the international community and everybody else can work on making more progress on that so that the refugees are able to exercise their rights to return.

Hundreds of Rohingya refugees shout slogans as they protest against their repatriation at the Unchiprang camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh November 15, 2018. Reuters

More than 700,000 Rohingyas have crossed the border to join around 400,000 refugees in Bangladesh after Myanmar launched an army operation against the minority Muslims on Aug 25 last year after insurgent attacks on security posts.

The UN has dubbed the operation ‘ethnic cleansing’ and found Myanmar military’s ‘genocidal intent’ in the crackdown on the Rohingyas.

Following pressure from the international community and widespread criticism, Myanmar signed an agreement with Bangladesh in the beginning of this year to take back the recently displaced Rohingyas, but the process was delayed for different reasons.

The UNHCR earlier this year signed agreements with both Myanmar and Bangladesh to ensure voluntary, safe and dignified return of the refugees.

Finally on Oct 30, the two countries agreed to start the process in mid-November.

The UN, however, has urged Bangladesh to scrap the plan of starting the repatriation now, saying conditions in Myanmar are not yet safe for the Rohingyas, in part because the Buddhists in the country have been protesting against the repatriation.