Rohingyas again a no-show for repatriation

For the second time in a row, not a single Rohingya refugee showed up for fresh repatriation attempts on Thursday, despite necessary preparations taken by both Bangladeshi and Myanmar authorities.

The first 300 people from the batch of 3,450 Rohingyas were scheduled to return to Myanmar on Thursday.

Officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Bangladesh’s local administration and law enforcers waited at the transit camps in Keruntali and Ghumdhum from 9am to 4pm in the hopes that the first batch of Rohingyas would show up to return to Myanmar.

However, after 4pm, the officials decided to suspend repatriation attempts for the day and hoped to try again from Saturday morning.

At one point, UNHCR officials and Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Md Abul Kalam visited Rohingya camp 26 in Shalbagan, Teknaf to convince the refugees. However, many of them whose names had been published in the repatriation batch list had left their homes for the day, fearing forced repatriation.

This was the second attempt made by UNHCR, Bangladesh and Myanmar to repatriate the refugees, after a similar attempt failed November last year. No refugees volunteered to return last time, citing the same demands.

About 740,000 Rohingyas fled Rakhine and crossed over to Bangladesh amid a military crackdown on them in August 2017. Since then, they have been living in makeshift camps in Cox’s Bazar. The first repatriation agreement was signed on November 2017.

On January 16, 2018, a physical arrangement agreement was signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar, which stipulated that the repatriation process should be completed within the next two years. 

Although locals seemed disappointed by the failure of Thursday’s attempt, Rohingyas and NGOs working in the area seemed relieved.

“Not a single Rohingya has agreed to go back, but we will be continuing our arrangement and convince them,” said RRRC Kalam. “In the upcoming days, if anyone wants to go back, we will make arrangements for it after discussing with Myanmar.”

The RRRC informed that they, along with UNHCR officials, presented Myanmar’s promises — written in leaflets — to the Rohingya. The promises included providing safety and security, returning their lands, and ensuring justice.

However, the issue of citizenship — the main demand of the Rohingyas — was not clearly explained on the leaflet.

Rohingyas who have existing citizenship scrutiny card or national registration card, they can apply for citizenship. However, if they do not have either of these, they will be provided with a temporary national verification card (NVC), which they use to later apply for citizenship, the leaflet read. 

Rohingyas in possession of any of the three aforementioned cards are allowed to freely move inside Rakhine, in accordance with the regional instructions of the Rakhine State Government, the leaflet added.

Referring to this confusing and complex issue of citizenship, Kalam said: “Although many of the refugees may have had the cards, most were probably unable to bring them while fleeing the country.”

Unsurprisingly, the Rohingyas do not believe in any of the promises made by Myanmar — the country from where they had escaped genocide two years ago.

“If the Rohingyas believed Myanmar’s promises, then they would have showed up today,” Kalam added.

Rohingyas present on the spot said they would not go back unless their safety and security is ensured, citizenship restored, their homestead returned, and the atrocities they faced are investigated and the perpetrators punished.

Nur Bahar, Nurul Islam, and Nur Hasan, three Rohingya refugees residing at the Shalban camp, demanded full citizenship instead of the temporary citizenship options offered by Myanmar.

“We also demand the release of Rohingyas currently jailed in Myanmar,” they said, adding that they would not return until all their demands were met.

In an official statement, the UNHCR said: “The voluntary repatriation of refugees will require the continuous engagement of all concerned to build the trust of refugees, and is a process, not a one-off event.”

Many local and international NGOs and agencies have echoed the Rohingyas’ concerns that favourable condition for returning has still not been created in Rakhine, in terms of physical arrangements and security — both socioeconomic and physical.