29 March 2024

ERC expressed concern over ‘premature’ Rohingya repatriation

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File photo: Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar - Photo Desk

The European Rohingya Council (ERC) in a statement issued on Monday expressed deep concern about ‘premature repatriation’ of 3540 Rohingya scheduled for August 22, 2019.

“ERC is appalled by Myanmar’s deceptive and dishonest approach of repatriation”, said the statement.

Referring to Aug. 16, 2019 announcement by Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay, the statement added: “Myanmar has so far failed to present to Rohingya community a clear, transparent, strategic and genuine plan of repatriation of nearly one million Rohingya survived from Myanmar’s genocide.” 

Terming this repatriation move as premature the statement said: “Repatriation is impossible while there is still genocidal persecution of Rohingya inside Rakhine State such as restriction of movement, livelihood and education. Hundreds of Rohingya are still locked up in Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs).” 

The ERC urged the government of Bangladesh, UNHCR and all other stakeholders to make sure that repatriation of Rohingya is sustainable.

“Sustainable repatriation begins with dismantling IDPs and allowing Rohingya to return to their original places; removal of movement restrictions; giving Rohingya access to internet, education and livelihood; reinstating citizenship and coming up with transparent, genuine, and well-informed repatriation plan”, said the statement.

Without simultaneously fulfilling all the above processes any repatriation move means nothing but a new trap, the statement said. 

“We also urged Rohingya to be united and not to fall in the trap of Myanmar’s fake repatriation program,” it said.

Reuters said in a report last week that a total of 3,540 refugees have been cleared for return by Myanmar from a list of more than 22,000 names recently sent by Bangladesh, officials from both countries told Reuters.

“The first group of refugees would return to Myanmar next week, providing any agree to go back”, said the report.

"We have agreed to the repatriation of 3,540 people on Aug 22," Reuters quoted Myint Thu, a spokesman for Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying over telephone.

Kamruzzaman   


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