Diplomacy failure to send back Rohingyas

Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
It is ironic that as of now Bangladesh did not succeed to send back Rohingya to Myanmar in spite of good relation with India and China since both the countries have best of relation with Myanmar while United Nations described Rohingya as most persecuted human being in the world and UN High commissioner for refugees appealed for sustained support for Rohingya refugees and thanked the government of Bangladesh for leadership and making important strides in refugees. The appeal was made on 25 May in 2022. As of now neither China nor India has made any significant efforts to convince the military junta of Myanmar to take back persecuted Rohingya to resettle in Rakhine state from where they came from.
In fact, Rohingya has been residing for generations in Arakan now renamed as Rakhine state. Historically Rohingya has been there since 1750 but the government of Myanmar cancelled their citizenship in 1982. Rohingyas were citizens of Burma who voted and elected their representatives, served in the government and in the military and police as well. Estimated 750,000 Rohingya fled over the border of Myanmar to Bangladesh during 2017 following crackdown by Myanmar military junta and Police. The United Nations described them as most persecuted minority of the world.
It is ironic that as of now ASEAN to whom Myanmar is a member did not assert the administration of Myanmar to take proactive approach to address the crisis and refrained from direct accusation of mass atrocities committed against the Rohingya population by the military junta of Myanmar while ASEAN was criticized by Human rights groups. It seems to notice that Bangladesh has good relations with both India and China, but not succeeded in pursuing these countries to pressure Myanmar to take back their citizens.
Apart from China and India, the United Kingdom has the responsibility to assist Rohinngya to resettle in Rakhine since the Rohingya had assisted the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Japan with whom Bangladesh has in fact maintained good political and economic relations did not attend any meeting in the United Nations relating to the Rohingya issue while Japan and Myanmar government priorities business relations instead. Here too Bangladesh has failed to convince Japan on the issue of Rokingya. On the other hand, China has built about 3,00o houses in Rakhine state for prospective Rohingya refugees.
Having best of relation with Bangladesh Japan as a matter of fact did not recognize Rohingya as the most persecuted minority of the world. Besides, Japan and Myanmar has been maintaining best of relation since Second World War when Japan occupied Burma from United Kingdom. It is ironic to note that the Japanese government as of now has shown indifferent with regard to the Rohingya since Japan has refrained from attending all Myanmar related resolutions in the United Nations. On the other hand, Japan has been an important economic partner of Myanmar. Japan has become sixth largest investor while third largest importer of Myanmar and seventh largest exporter to Myanmar. As of now it seems that Bangladesh has failed to convince hard core supporters of Myanmar to take back Rohingyas to Myanmar. If no effort is succeeded to send back Rohingyas to Myanmar the building constructed by China in Rakhaine state will ultimately be occupied by the Tatmadaw of Myanmar. Repatriation of Rohingyas will never resolve as long as Tatmadaw remain in power.

(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of Nova Toastmaster International Club of America, writes from Falls church, Virginia).