Today (5 May) a 20-member Rohingya delegation team of Rohingyas accompanied by seven Bangladesh government officials is going to Myanmar’s Rakhine state to see if the field conditions are supportive for Rohingya return before the first round of repatriation begins to the Maungdaw region of the state.
This information was given by the Commissioner of Refugees, Relief and Repatriation Office (RRRC) Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.
The Commissioner for Refugees, Relief and Repatriation under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief is handling the overall responsibility of 34 Rohingya camps located at Ukhiya and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar district and Hatyar Bhasanchar in Noakhali.
Mizanur Rahman said that the Ministry of External Affairs is looking into the matter. The Rohingyas who are going to Rakhine on behalf of the delegation will play a major role there. If the Rohingya delegation is convinced that the environment in Rakhine is favorable, it will be conducive to repatriation.
According to related sources, the delegation went to Maungdaw city in Myanmar via Naf River in Teknaf district of Cox’s Bazar. 20 Rohingya community leaders living in Rohingya camps No. 24, 26 and 27 located in Leda, Nayapara and Jadimura areas of Hnila Union of Teknaf have been selected to go to Myanmar.
A refugee from Nayapara camp-26 said under the condition of anonymity that 20 block leaders from various camps have been brought at Camp in Charge office of Nayapara registered camp in the early morning of Friday. The general refugees were restricted to meet the gathered block leaders. It is being supposed that the all block leaders taken to Maungdaw region of Myanmar’s Rakhine state are strong collaborators of government who will hide the affective sides and disclose the good side of they find in inspection. In addition, they will convince the Rohingyas in Bangladesh to be repatriated ahead of ICJ hearing on 24 May.
“Myanmar’s military council also tactfully agreed to take Rohingyas ahead of ICJ hearing with the intention to lightening the pressure of International community. It is nothing except eyewash,” another Rohingya said.
Additionally, a delegation of 17 members from Myanmar came to Bangladesh via Teknaf on March 15 to check the list of Rohingyas given by Dhaka to Naypyidaw as part of the repatriation program of displaced Rohingyas. They stayed at Land Port Rest House in Teknaf for 7 consecutive days and spoke directly with 486 people from 147 Rohingya families and recorded their statements. On the morning of March 22, the delegation crossed the Naf River and returned to Myanmar. At that time, they were asked by Bangladesh to arrange for those Rohingyas who will be repatriated to see the overall environment of Rakhine before repatriation. Following this, the Rohingya delegation is going to Rakhine on Friday (March 5).
According to RRRC office sources, after the Rohingya influx started on August 25, 2017, in 2018, Bangladesh gave a list of 882,000 Rohingyas to Myanmar for repatriation. After sorting through the list, Myanmar finalized a list of only 68,000 Rohingya and sent it back to Bangladesh.
