Photos: Salahuddin Ahmed/ Dhaka Courier
Bangladesh and Myanmar, after lengthy negotiations, have signed a document on ‘Physical Arrangement’ which will facilitate repatriation of the Rohingya refugees who fled and now remain encamped in the southern-most reaches of Bangladesh.
The ‘Physical Arrangement’ stipulates that the repatriation would be completed preferably within two years from the commencement of repatriation.
More than 650,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar’s military launched a brutal crackdown in August following attacks on police posts by a militant group.
Though Myanmar’s army claimed it was a clearance operation against the terrorists, the United Nations, United States and others have said the operations were “ethnic cleansing” to remove the Rohingya from the country.
“It’s good progress. We can view it very positively,” an official told UNB expressing satisfaction over the outcome of the first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the return of the displaced Rohingyas from Rakhine State, held on Monday-Tuesday in Nay Pyi Taw.
Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and Myanmar Permanent Secretary Myint Thu led Bangladesh and Myanmar delegations in the meeting respectively and signed the document on ‘Physical Arrangement’.
The signed ‘Physical Arrangement’ is guided by the earlier understanding and principles under the signed “Arrangement on return of displaced person from Rakhine State” and the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the joint working group (JWG).
Verification and return of Rohingyas will be based on considering the family as a unit. The two countries also finalised the “form” for verification.
Initially, some 1500 Rohingyas will be sent back every week and gradually the number will be increased, said a diplomatic source.
Modalities for repatriation of orphans and children born out of unwarranted incidence have been incorporated in the said arrangement, according to Foreign Ministry here.
Under the ‘Physical Arrangement’ Bangladesh will establish five transit camps from which returnees would be received initially in two reception centers on Myanmar side.
Myanmar will shelter the returnees in a temporary accommodation at the Hla Pho Khung and expeditiously rebuild the houses for the returnees to move in there.
It will also consider resettling the people staying at the zero line on a priority basis.
The government has reiterated its commitment to stop outflow of Myanmar residents to Bangladesh.
Both countries agreed to form two Technical Working Groups, one on verification and the other on return. The ‘Physical Arrangement’ has included modalities of the relevant aspects of the return.
On November 23, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed ‘Arrangement’ on Return of displaced Myanmar persons sheltered in Bangladesh.
Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali signed the bilateral instrument and Kyaw Tint Swe, Union Minister signed the instrument on behalf of the respective governments at the State Counsellor’s Office.
The ‘Arrangement’ stipulates that the return shall commence within two months. However, it is not yet clear whether the repatriation will start by this month.
A top Myanmar official said a camp to house Rohingya Muslim and Hindu refugees who return from Bangladesh will be ready by its promised deadline next week.
The UN refugee agency said it is not involved in the process but is willing to play a “constructive role” in the process if allowed, specifically in registering the refugees and helping determining whether they are returning to Myanmar voluntarily.
“Our involvement in the process and our full access to areas of return in Myanmar can help to build confidence for all concerned, including the refugees,” reports AP quoting Vivian Tan, UNHCR’s senior regional communication officer.
In the November agreement, Myanmar’s civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, pledged to take measures to halt the outflow of Rohingya to Bangladesh and restore normalcy in the region. The U.N and rights groups have urged the Myanmar government to ensure the safe and voluntary return of the Rohingya refugees.
Many have questioned whether Rohingya would return voluntarily to Myanmar under the current circumstances. Japan’s foreign minister on a visit to Myanmar last week urged Suu Kyi’s government to guarantee the safe and voluntary return of the refugees.
State-run media in Myanmar reported Monday the 124-acre Hla Po Khaung camp will accommodate about 30,000 people in 625 buildings and that at least 100 buildings are to be completed by the end of the month. It would be the first camp built in the repatriation process.
Children at risk
The health and safety of more than 520,000 Rohingya children living in overcrowded camps and informal settlements in the district face possible greater risk in the upcoming cyclone and monsoon seasons, Unicef warned on Tuesday.
“As we get closer to the cyclone and monsoon seasons, what is already a dire humanitarian situation risks becoming a catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands of children are already living in horrific conditions, and they will face an even greater risk of disease, flooding, landslides and further displacement,” said Unicef Representative in Bangladesh Edouard Beigbeder.
The Unicef official said unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene conditions can lead to cholera outbreaks and to Hepatitis E, a deadly disease for pregnant women and their babies, while standing water pools can attract malaria-carrying mosquitos. Keeping children safe from disease must be an absolute priority.
More than 4,000 suspected cases of diphtheria have been reported among the refugee population, with 32 deaths, including at least 24 children.
Unicef and partners have launched a diphtheria vaccination campaign, and are working to provide children and families with access to safe water and sanitation facilities, but overcrowding and the growing risk of extreme weather increases the risk of further outbreaks.
In addition to the increased threat of disease outbreaks, the cyclone season brings an increased risk of flooding and landslides, a direct risk to children’s lives.
Even a moderate storm could have a devastating impact, with little time to prepare ahead of the start of the cyclone season in March, according to Unicef.
Tropical cyclones generally strike Bangladesh in two seasons, March through July, and September through December, with the greatest number of storms arriving in May and October.
In May last year, Cyclone Mora barreled through the region, destroying approximately one quarter of the makeshift shelters in Rohingya camps and causing widespread damage. In addition, the regular monsoon rains starting in June could bring devastating landslides and floods. There is a serious risk that shelters, water systems, latrines and other infrastructure could be severely damaged in storms or floods, say the Unicef.
The government of Bangladesh has generously taken in more than 650,000 Rohingyas since August 25 already and has been working with Unicef to deliver lifesaving support to the most recent and previous influxes of Rohingyas as well as the host community in Cox’s Bazar.
Meet int’l standards in Rohingya repatriation
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has stressed importance of Rohingyas’ returns meeting international standards saying they are willing to be part of these discussions on repatriation.
“To ensure that the refugees are heard and their protection guaranteed in Bangladesh and on return in Myanmar, we are willing to be part of these discussions,” said UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic at a press briefing in Geneva.
Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday signed a document on ‘Physical Arrangement’ which will facilitate return of Rohingays to their homeland from Bangladesh.
The ‘Physical Arrangement’ stipulates that the repatriation would be completed preferably within two years from the commencement of repatriation.
Mahecic said UNHCR understands that discussions between Bangladesh and Myanmar focused on the modalities for the return of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
“In any refugee situation, UNHCR hopes that refugees will be able to return home when they themselves choose to,” said the Spokesperson.
Before considering return to Myanmar, Mahecic said, some Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have informed UNHCR staff that they would need to see positive developments in relation to their legal status and citizenship, the security situation in Rakhine State, and their ability to enjoy basic rights back home.
The UNHCR official said major challenges have to be overcome and these include ensuring that refugees are informed about the situation in their areas of origin and potential return and consulted on their wishes.
Their safety needs to be ensured throughout – on departure, in transit and on return; and that the environment in the areas of return is conducive for safe and sustainable return, Mahecic added.
UNHCR underscored the importance of the dialogue between the two States at the core of which is the right of refugees to voluntarily return home.
Mahecic said they have observed that the government of Myanmar has endorsed the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission (RAC) lead by Kofi Annan and reiterated its commitment in the bilateral Arrangement with the Government of Bangladesh.
“A comprehensive implementation of the Rakhine Advisory Commission recommendations is essential to ensure sustainable return,” Mahecic said.
“These stress the importance of ensuring peace and security for all communities in Rakhine State, reducing communal divisions, and achieving solutions for the legal and citizenship status of Muslim communities. We look to Myanmar to urgently implement these recommendations,” Mahecic said.
In Myanmar, the Spokesperson said, UNHCR and their partners need urgent, unhindered access in Rakhine State, in order to assess the situation and provide support to those in need who are still in Rakhine and to help with rebuilding efforts.
“While a few agencies have regained limited access in the northern part of Rakhine State, UNHCR staff are not currently authorised to travel outside Maungdaw town,” Mahecic said.
Over the weekend, UNHCR and their partners started relocating more than 9,400 refugees who had been living in isolated border locations in Bangladesh, to Kutupalong refugee camp.
These Rohingyas had initially chosen to stay near the border to remain close to their homes.
In the last two days more than four hundred of these Rohingyas have been taken by buses to Kutupalong camp where they underwent medical checks, and received hot meals, emergency relief items as well as shelter kits.