On Saturday, a 19 member government delegates of Myanmar led by Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Myint Thu visited Rohingya camps at Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. The team held a meeting with the government officials and talked to a group of Rohingyas consisted of seven females and 28 males. The delegates didn’t attend the media.
During the meeting, they discussed repatriation with Rohingya community leaders over several hours, said Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam. He said, “Both parties seemed positive about it and the discussion will continue tomorrow [Sunday].”
One of the Rohingya leaders who were present in the conversation said, “We hope this discussion will be fruitful. We told them that we won’t return unless we are recognised as Rohingya in Myanmar.”
The delegates did not assurance the Rohingyas any citizen rights nor freedom of movement.
Rohingyas of Extension Camp-4 staged a peaceful demonstration during the visit of Myanmar delegation to Ukhiya Kutupalong camp. They carried play cards with their demands. Members of the Myanmar team observed the protest but made no comments.
Some 740,000 Rohingya fled a 2017 genocidal crackdown by Myanmar’s military and are living in unendurable conditions in Bangladesh refugee camps.
The two countries signed a repatriation deal in November 2017 but so far Myanmar did not create a safe and sustainable condition so that the Rohingyas can return.
Furthermore, the government is completely changing the Rohingyas legal status as foreigners by forcing them to accept the NVC card.
Photo: www.banglanews24.com
