Rohingya repatriation to be completed within reasonable time: FM
Dhaka: Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Saturday said the repatriation process of displaced Rohingya people will be completed within a reasonable time starting in the next two months.
"We hope that the process of return will commence within two months.... and it'll be completed within a reasonable time," he said.
The minister came up with the remarks while briefing reporters at the Foreign Ministry over the 'Arrangement on Return of Displaced Persons from Rakhine State' signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the latter's capital on Thursday last.
The foreign minister said the important matter is that Myanmar wanted to take the displaced persons back. "The main target is to send back them to their homeland in safety and security, and with honour. We're working on this target."
Under the agreement, the repatriation of residents of Rakhine state who took shelter in Bangladesh before October 9, 2016 will also be considered separately upon the completion of the present arrangement, he said adding that within the present arrangement, the Myanmar will take back the displaced persons from Rakhine state, who entered Bangladesh after October 9, 2016 and August 25, 2017.
The minister said Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to take assistance from the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, in the process of repatriating the displaced Rohingyas to their homeland. "Myanmar will engage UNHCR in the repatriation process in appropriate time when needed," he said.
"The signing of the arrangement is an initial step....there are more steps. Both sides agreed to take assistance from the UNHCR in the Rohingya repatriation process. Myanmar will take its assistance as per their requirement," he said.
He said Myanmar government agreed to take assistance of China and India over setting up prefabricated houses for the returnees.
"Most of the houses have been torched....where will they stay after going there...Before my visit to Myanmar, I talked, requested Indian government and China government to supply prefabricated houses for the returnees and both countries agreed to extend their cooperation," said the foreign minister.
The minister said when he informed the Myanmar authority that India and China are ready to help in this regard, Myanmar Union Minister Kyaw Tint Swe said Myanmar is agreed and will talk to India and China in this regard.
Mahmood Ali said both Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed that a Joint Working Group will be established to oversee all aspects of return within three weeks of signing of this arrangement. The Terms of Reference of the Joint Working Group is to be agreed by both sides.
He said a specific instrument on the physical arrangement for the repatriation of returnees will be drawn up upon agreement in a speedy manner. Both parties may agree on further instrument(s), as needed, for successful completion of return.
He said the displaced Rohingyas will be taken back through a verification process and if any problem arises in the process, Bangladesh and Myanmar will try to resolve the problem through negotiation.
Replying to a question whether 'a reasonable time' mentioned in the agreement is a vague term, the minister said it's obviously a vague term. "There is no benefit practically giving a specific timeframe as well."
On November 23 2017, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Myanmar Union Minister Kyaw Tint Swe signed the bilateral instrument 'Arrangement' on Return of Displaced Persons from Rakhine State' on behalf of the respective governments in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar.
As per the instrument, Myanmar has agreed to take necessary measures to halt the outflow of Myanmar residents to Bangladesh, to restore normalcy in northern Rakhine and to encourage those who had left Myanmar to return voluntarily and safely to their own households and original places of residence or to a safe and secure place nearest to it of their choice.
Bangladesh will provide whatever data it can obtain on the displaced persons from Myanmar following the August 25, 2017 and October 9, 2016 attacks. Subsequently the two sides will quickly engage to find out details of their relationship in Myanmar, prior to their taking shelter in Bangladesh.
Based on the list of returnees or information provided by Bangladesh, Myanmar government will accept all persons along with their family members after verification.
According to the criteria for eligibility for return, mentioned in the agreement, the returnees must be residents of Myanmar and voluntarily wish to return to Myanmar, and both parents of additional offspring born in Bangladesh must be residents of Myanmar.
Two other criteria are the member of split families and their left behind members, and orphans need to be certified by a court of Bangladesh, and children born out of unwarranted incidents are to be certified by a court of Bangladesh.
UNHCR and other mandated UN agencies as well as interested international partners will be invited to take part, as appropriate, in various stages of return and resettlement.
After completion of return, the two governments shall cooperate for the prevention of the illegal crossings of the borders and both governments will refrain from granting relation or citizenship to such illegal migrants.
In the agreement, both parties reaffirmed their desire to maintain and promote the existing friendly and good neighbourly relations.
Besides, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a protocol finalised in 2007 over redrawing the permanent boundary of Naf River and exchanged an 'instrument of ratification', an agreement signed in 1998 over the northern land demarcation of Naf river, Mahmood Ali said.
During his visit, he also handed over three ambulances to the Myanmar's minister for social welfare, relief and rehabilitation as the gift of Bangladesh for Rakhine state.