Debating the Future of Rohingyas: Return or Resettlement?

The issue of whether Rohingyas should return to their motherland Myanmar is a complex one, and the recent discussions about repatriation have sparked debate.

The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR has registered approximately 1 million Rohingyas who are currently residing in Bangladesh. A pilot project to repatriate over 1,100 Rohingya refugees is currently in discussion, with both Bangladesh and Myanmar seeking to start the repatriation before the monsoon season, mediated by China. However, the Rohingyas return is contingent upon whether Myanmar provides an environment supportive of repatriation.

According to media reports, the Rohingyas did not see a supportive environment for repatriation when they visited Myanmar. Nevertheless, Bangladesh is optimistic about the possibility of Rohingya repatriation. The Bangladesh foreign ministry has stated that upon their return, each family will be given a house in the model village, land for agriculture, fertilizer, and seeds. The model village of Mangdu offers better living conditions than the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, with hospitals, mosques, and playgrounds being constructed for them. The Rohingyas will also have the opportunity to work and do business independently. Myanmar authorities have stated that Rohingyas returning from Bangladesh will be kept at the Maungdu transit center for only three days before being transferred directly to the model village. There, they will be issued National Verification Certificates (NVCs) as citizens of Myanmar, with the National Identity Card (NID) being issued in phases if they can show the necessary documents as residents of Myanmar.

During the visit, some members of the Rohingya delegation opposed the NVC and demanded resettlement in Janmvita instead of NID and Model Village. However, most of the members of the Bangladesh delegation accompanying the Rohingya expressed satisfaction with the environment. They claimed that the environment and situation in Rakhine were good, and the Rohingyas roamed freely in Maungdoo city, busy with work. Bangladeshs Commissioner for Refugees, Relief, and Repatriation, Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, said that the environment was very good and that they were optimistic about starting the repatriation process as soon as possible.

While it is important for Rohingyas to return to their own country, it is also important to ensure that their civil rights are not further violated. An entire population cannot live as refugees of another country for years, deprived of their natural civil rights. Rohingyas have the right to return to their own country, their land, and their homes, where they will work with full civil rights to build a better life and a better future for themselves and their children. The programme may be seen as a start of the long-overdue repatriation process, which may build confidence for future repatriation in greater numbers. However, it is crucial to remember that it is only the beginning. If the initiative is successful, more Rohingyas will follow and return to their ancestral home.

Over 80% of the refugees in Coxs Bazar rely on external aid to survive. Every family gets a monthly food ration of Tk 1,030 per person. Rohingyas have repeatedly stated that running a family with this allocation is very difficult. The influx of refugees has also put immense pressure on the host communities and the environment in a densely populated country. The host communities in Coxs Bazar are highly vulnerable and at high risk of hunger like the Rohingyas, according to a WFP report.

The Rohingyas willingness to return to Myanmar is also a factor that must be considered. They may be afraid and unwilling to return if their rights will be violated further. Bangladesh will have to deal with this refugee crisis for potentially years to come, involving funding, administration, inclusive and equitable treatment of the refugees and host populations, and national security issues, among others.

Can the 'pilot project' that has been taken to resolve the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar provide any solution at all? This question is being voiced quite loudly now. Especially after the arrival of the delegation from Myanmar, there is no hope for the Rohingya repatriation in the light of what the Rohingyas have seen after going to Myanmar.

This 'pilot project' to take back the Rohingyas was basically accepted through the mediation of China. This is the third round of initiatives to repatriate Rohingyas.

In fact, the Rohingyas are expecting resettlement in their homeland Rakhine. If not, they are not interested in returning, will such an attitude solve the problem at all? Because of the Myanmar government where the Rohingya have been displaced. It is under pressure from China, but wants to take it back to Myanmar. In this case, both parties have to make concessions, isn't this the case? Absolute satisfaction in such situations is indeed relative. The problem that is not being solved even today, is not possible in a very short time. In this case, it is necessary to make a concession on the part of the Rohingyas in the case of starting repatriation. Again, this repatriation should not be pushed to the death of Rohingyas as before, it must be ensured.

It is difficult for us to shelter this huge population for very long. Therefore, it is essential to find a permanent solution to this crisis through repatriation and rehabilitation. However, it should be done in a safe, voluntary, and dignified manner with the full participation and cooperation of the Rohingyas themselves. Any repatriation initiative must address the root causes of the crisis and ensure that Rohingyas can live safely and with full citizenship rights in their own country. Until then, the international community should continue to support Bangladesh in providing essential services and protection to the refugees while also pressing Myanmar to create a conducive environment for their safe return. The repatriation of Rohingyas is not only a moral obligation but also a necessary step for regional peace and stability.

Despite being granted asylum on humanitarian grounds, the Rohingyas are now a burden for Bangladesh. The amount of foreign aid that came in at the beginning has also decreased. Meanwhile, the Rohingyas are prohibited from going out of the camp, but it cannot be controlled. They came out of the camp and were arrested while trying to go abroad using fake NID, fake passport. There were also incidents of casualties in terrorist attacks in the camp. Basically, the fact that the Rohingyas are sheltered in this country does not show in their lifestyle. It is also not possible to allow them to merge into the mainstream. As such, we want honorable rehabilitation of Rohingyas. In this regard, the Myanmar government is not sincere, it cannot be said unilaterally. Again, the issue of exemption from the Rohingyas must be confirmed. For this reason, sending back 1 thousand 176 Rohingyas as a 'pilot project' can be seen as experimental. But in fact, the crisis of trust is emerging as a major problem in this regard.

Because in 2018, Bangladesh gave a list of 882 thousand Rohingya to Myanmar for repatriation. After verifying that list, Myanmar finalized a list of only 68,000 Rohingya and sent it back to Bangladesh. Therefore, the sincerity of the Myanmar government can be questioned. In this case, despite the limited number of Rohingyas that the Myanmar government wants to take back, diplomatically there is no opportunity to ignore this sincerity. Despite this, since a large number of Rohingyas will remain in Bangladesh, diplomatic efforts must be maintained to take back the rest step by step in the future. That's why it is necessary to make sincere efforts of all parties to make this 'pilot project' successful at least in the first phase.

Sent in by Erina Haque

Erina Haque is a Researcher, analyst and freelance contributor and columnist.

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