Rohingya repatriation: Myanmar delegation wraps up week-long verification

Diplomatic Correspondent :
After a week-long verification process, the 22-member Myanmar delegation has wrapped up their task of verifying the enlisted Rohingyas in Teknaf on Wednesday in a bid to commence the repatriation of the persecuted Muslims to their homeland in Myanmar.
The delegation, however, did not make any comment to authorities of Bangladesh, about the verification and identification of 480 Rohingyas including women and children whom they have verified the Rohingya Repatriation and Refugee Commission (RRRC) sources said.
The RRRC said that the delegation may inform about their findings to the Foreign Ministry later.
On the other hand, the RRRC and other Bangladeshi authorities who were present during the verification, scheduled to have a meeting with the Foreign Ministry on March 27.
“The Myanmar delegation has wrapped up their verification and returned Myanmar on Wednesday. They have verified 480 Rohingyas including women and children,” Commissioner of the RRRC Mizanur Rahman told the New Nation on Wednesday.
Asked about whether the delegation has informed anything to them, he said, “They did not tell us anything. Now we have to wait until they inform to our Foreign Ministry about their findings”.
He, however said, “We have a meeting with the Foreign Ministry on March 27. We will inform to the ministry about our observation there”.
Asked about the process of starting the repatriation, he said, “We are optimistic that the repatriation process will begin. But we don’t know when”.
The delegation’s task was to verify the identities of 480 Rohingya, including women and children, and the results of their findings
could have significant implications for the future of the Rohingya crisis, sources said.
The Rohingya crisis has been a major humanitarian issue, with Rohingyas fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
The international community has been pressursing Myanmar to take necessary steps to address the crisis and ensure the safe and voluntary repatriation of the persecuted people.
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.
This time China assured Bangladesh that they will cooperate health the repatriation efforts.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Sunday said that the process of sending 1,100 Rohingya to Myanmar with the cooperation of China is underway.
“It is not that these Rohingyas can be sent back immediately. The situation needs to be assessed thoroughly before the repatriation process can begin,” he said while talking to the journalists in the Foreign Ministry.
During a courtesy call with Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban in December last year, the outgoing Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming had hinted that the repatriation of Rohingyas could begin at the start of this year.