Myanmar commission starts interviewing Rohingyas
Bangladesh
Myanmar Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) has started interviewing around 200 Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday morning.
The interviewers aim to collect evidence of human rights violation in the Rakhine State of Myanmar by questioning the Rohingya witnesses.
“The team came to Cox’s Bazar mainly as an advance team. Another team named ‘Evidence Collection and Verification' will visit the camps after them”, said Md Abul Kalam, Cox’s Bazar Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner.
He said the safety issues of the Rohingyas who will give the interview would remain a big concern.
However, the delegation team has assured that the safety and security of the respondents will be kept in mind, he added.
The delegation team held a meeting on Monday with the local administration at the Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s Office.
Officials of Cox's Bazar district administration, police, Refugee and Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRRC) and representatives from various organizations were present at the meeting.
“The team held the meeting with us on various issues, including the security of the Rohingyas,” said ABM Masud Hossain, superintendent of Cox's Bazar Police.
The Myanmar government has formed the team to probe into the repression on the Rohingyas. The delegation of the commission came to Bangladesh on a four-day visit on Saturday.
Former Japanese Ambassador Kenjo Oshima is leading the Independent Commission of Enquiry team. The other members of the team are – Prof Ong Tun Khet, Prof Eushihiro Nakanishi, Lina Ghosh and Khin Miu Miat Sow.
Since August 25, 2017, nearly one million Rohingya have crossed the border to reach Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh to save their lives following a brutal crackdown by Myanmar security forces.
Around 3540 Rohingyas are scheduled to return Myanmar on August 22.
Both Bangladesh and Myanmar failed to repatriate a selected number of Rohingyas despite having extensive preparation on November 15 last year.
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