Bangladesh government recently announced the arrangements to repatriate 3,450 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar this month (tentatively 22nd August).
Despite assurances of the Bangladeshi authorities that the repatriation would be on a voluntary basis and safe, the majority of the Rohingyas are worrisome and a few handfuls are excited.
A refugee named MD Younus believes that clearance operation conducted by the Myanmar government in 2017 is not only designed to drive the Rohingya from their motherland, Arakan but also to destroy them as people.
Another refugee named Hamid from Leda camp stated, “This time we want feasible repatriation through a durable solution. We don’t want to remain as a permanent refugee. This repatriation process is not the first one. There were two previous repatriations and yet the Myanmar government continued their heinous oppression against the Rohingyas”
“The reason why we are still living as refugees in Bangladesh today is that the Myanmar government did not change its attitude toward the Rohingyas since Ne Win’s military coup and continues in committing atrocity crimes against us. If our citizenship is not restored before returning to our homeland, we might face comparatively more vicious oppression from Myanmar military in near future and we will be forced to become refugees again in Bangladesh,” said a refugee named Nur Begum.
Despite all the controversy and debates, now, Rohingyas can only pray for voluntary repatriation to their homes that will ensure safety and sustainability.
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