Thousands of Rohingya at refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeast coast of Cox's Bazar held large rallies on Sunday, calling on the international community to make arrangements for their safe return to Myanmar. Just a day before World Refugee Day, Rohingyas staged demonstrations under the banner “Let’s go home” with 19 points of demands, including their speedy and dignified repatriation to Myanmar and the involvement of international organisations in the repatriation.
Reportedly, their demands include rapid repatriation to their home country of Myanmar as full citizens, amendment of the Citizenship Act-1982, the inclusion of the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, ASEAN, and other international communities in the repatriation process, repatriation to their respective villages in Myanmar, ensuring their rights, dignity and safety in Myanmar, and stopping the persecution of the innocent people of Myanmar.
Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through peaceful negotiation and the country expects similar reciprocity from Myanmar and international community. Our government launched its diplomatic efforts to send them back and signed deals with Myanmar. But five years on, even a single Rohingya have not returned to their motherland in fear of being persecuted upon their return.
In order to make voluntary repatriations
happen, Myanmar has to ensure that Rohingya
refugees will not be persecuted upon their return
We have done the best we can to ensure Rohingya repatriation through peaceful negotiation but nothing has gone in our favor so far.
It needs no emphasising that voluntary repatriation of the Rohingyas is the most viable and durable solution to the crisis. However, it is worth mentioning that repatriation attempt failed twice in November 2018 and August 2019 amid Rohingyas' lack of trust in the Myanmar government.
In order to make voluntary repatriations happen, Myanmar has to ensure that Rohingya refugees will not be persecuted upon their return.
To this end, the international community and UN should exert their influence on Myanmar to create a conducive environment so that the Rohingya refugees can return to their homeland with safety, security and dignity. We expect a more vigorous role of the international community on the diplomatic front to compel Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas.