Dhaka, Bangladesh: Phae Thann Oo, the Burmese ambassador in Dhaka, has asked the Bangladeshi authority to provide strong evidence of Rohingyas’ Burmese citizenship, while addressing a discussion meeting on Bangladesh-Burma relations yesterday.
“We will think of rehabilitating them if Bangladesh provides strong evidence that they are citizens of Myanmar,” the ambassador said.
Foreign minister (FM) Dipu Moni told the meeting that during her recent visit to Burma, she had requested the government there to take back the Rohingya refugees and Burma had requested Bangladesh to provide the latest list of refugees and agreed to take them back.
“The concerned departments of the Bangladeshi government are preparing an updated list of the refugees, which will be soon handed over,” said the Foreign Minister.
Ashfaqur Rahman, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Study, and Brig Gen (retd) Salim Akhtar presented two papers focussing on the economic and political dimensions of the relations of the two neighbours. One of the papers mentioned that the repatriation of Rohingya refugees was a major irritant in the bilateral ties between two neighbours in the national seminar on Bangladesh-Burma relations in its auditorium yesterday, organized by The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.
Major Gen Sheikh Md Monirul Islam delivered a welcome speech to the gathering.
The repatriation of Rohingya refugees was a ‘three-decade-old crisis’ and an attempt was made to solve the problem through diplomatic channels, under an agreement signed on 9 July, 1978, after the first influx of Burmese nationals into Bangladesh, the Foreign Minister said.
After the second influx in 1991-92 of some 3, 00,000 Rohingyas into Bangladesh, the government repatriated some 2, 36,600 Rohingya Muslims to Burma, with the assistance of the UNHCR. There has been no progress for the last three years in the repatriation of the remaining 22,000 refugees, living in the two camps of Nayapara in Teknaf and Kutupalong in Ukhia, the Minister said at the seminar.
“In addition to this, a large number of Myanmar refugees are living outside the camps illegally. Estimates of their number range from 2, 00,000 to 4, 00, 000,” Dipu Moni added.
“In the spirit of good neighbourly relations, Burma should take the refugees back after creating a friendly atmosphere, so that once the refugees are repatriated, they will be encouraged to stay on in their country,” she added.
“I also offered my government’s cooperation in this regard to Burmese authorities. They assured us that their door is open for the refugees after their Burmese identity is ascertained,” she added.
During the 14th ASEAN summit, Rais Yatim, Malaysia's Foreign Minister said ASEAN wants Myanmar to promise "not to persecute them when they go back". The Burmese military junta had agreed.
A refugee urged the Burma neighbouring countries to grant political asylum to the Rohingya. "They are victims of systematic, persistent and widespread human rights violations," said Zaw Min Htut. Zaw became the first Rohingya to be granted refugee status by Japan in 2002.
