Myanmar delegation in Teknaf to observe Rohingya repatriation preparation

Staff Reporter :
As part of the repatriation process, a delegation of 22 officials from Myanmar arrived in Teknaf on Wednesday to verify the information of the enlisted Rohingyas.
Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission (RRRC) sources said that the delegation will be working with Bangladesh authorities for four to five days to identify and verify the Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh over five years ago.
The verification process is seen as a crucial step towards the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar.
However, many of them remain skeptical about the process and have called for guarantees of their safety and rights if they return.
The RRRC said that Bangladesh submitted a list containing the names of more than 800,000 Rohingya individuals who are to be repatriated.
Out of the names on the list, information on 1,140 Rohingya was initially confirmed as verified. Myanmar has given their consent for the return of 711 of these Rohingyas, but has raised objections to the repatriation of another 429 individuals.
The 22-member delegation has arrived in Bangladesh with the purpose of verifying the information regarding these 429 individuals, RRRC said.
Following the verification process, the Myanmar delegates, led the foreign ministry’s regional district for Maungdaw Aung arrived in Teknaf’s Chowdhurypara transit jetty around at 9:45 am on Wednesday.
Mirznur Rahman, Commissioner of the RRRC, welcomed the delegation in Teknaf.
“The delegation has arrived in Teknaf for the verification of the enlisted Rohingyas. They will continue the process for four to five days,” Shamsud Douza told the New Nation on Wednesday.
He also said the delegation would work on gathering information and documentation of children recently born in the camps adding that during the verification process, the officials will interview the Rohingyas and check their documents.
There are more than 1.25 million Rohingya individuals registered in 33 camps located in Ukhia and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar. Out of these, 800,000 arrived in Bangladesh after 25 August 2017.
Over the last five and a half years, the Bangladesh government has been unable to repatriate a single Rohingya individual back to their country of origin, Rakhine state in Myanmar.
The Rohingya population currently residing in the camps have consistently stated that they will not agree to return to Myanmar until they are granted citizenship status.
The Myanmar government has promised to repatriate the Rohingyas, but the process has not been commenced yet when the persecuted Rohingyas expressed concerns about their safety if they return to Myanmar.
The Myanmar government has faced international criticism for its treatment of the Rohingya, with the United Nations describing the violence against them as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
Several attempts were taken for the repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland, but the process has not been started due to the negligence of Myanmar government.
The Rohingyas said as the Myanmar government has sent the delegation for their verification, the process may start this time.
Recently diplomats from a total of 11 countries, including Bangladesh, India, China, and other Asian nations, visited various locations in Rakhine for two days on Wednesday and Thursday to observe the situation in Rohingya repatriation.