Will A Pilot Project Ensure Rohingya Repatriation? – OpEd
EVEN though the repatriation of Rohingyas has made no substantial progress in the last five years, a delegation of Rohingya refugees travelled to Myanmar on May 5 to see new facilities erected in preparation for the resurrection of the long-stalled plan. Officials have expressed optimism that repatriations will resume later this month.
Over one million Rohingya are currently residing in the world’s largest refugee camps in Bangladesh, and the vast majority of them fled a 2017 military offensive in Myanmar that is currently under investigation by the United Nations for genocide. Repatriation of Rohingya refugees is currently the main concern for Bangladesh, and there have been difficulties with overpopulation, instability, and violence in the refugee camps.
When it comes to helping the Rohingya, Bangladesh has already gone above and beyond. Bangladesh is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. As a result, Bangladesh is not required by law to house any refugees on its territory. However, for humanitarian reasons, Bangladesh has provided Rohingyas with shelter.
Previous futile attempts
IN JANUARY 2018, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed the Physical Arrangement Agreement. In accordance with its terms, Myanmar was supposed to make all necessary preparations for their return, and from the date the repatriation begins, they would finish it within two years. Since then, unfortunately, little progress has been made, and the United Nations has repeatedly warned that conditions are not suitable for their repatriation.
Following the widespread exodus of the Rohingyas from Myanmar’s Rakhine state to Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar in 2017, two unsuccessful repatriation attempts were made in 2018 and 2019, respectively. In both instances, the Rohingyas refused to return to their homeland out of fear of further persecution and a hostile resettlement environment. With the military takeover of Myanmar in 2021, the junta, liable for mass murders and genocide against the Rohingyas, was consolidating its power, uninterested in resolving the crisis despite Bangladesh and other allies’ efforts and initiatives.
Why is repatriation stalling?
THE primary causes of the impasse in the repatriation process are Myanmar’s reluctance, the Covid pandemic, and the military coup in Myanmar. In June of last year, the Rohingyas staged a massive demonstration and expressed their desire to return home. The primary obstacle lies in figuring out how they are going to return.
Growing threats
IN ORDER to establish 34 settlements in the Ukhia and Teknaf regions, Bangladesh had to endure enormous ecological damage. There are now over 12 million Rohingya residing there. Every year, there are 35 thousand births. Once-forested land covering 4,500 acres has been completely destroyed. In addition, funding for Rohingya refugees in 2022 has decreased substantially compared to the two previous years, which has alarmed humanitarian organisations and the Bangladeshi government.
The situation in the Rohingya refugee settlements is deteriorating because Western countries have shifted their focus to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Multiple global crises have exacerbated the condition. In 2022, only 43 per cent of the required amount of $881 million under the Joint Response Plan was funded, according to reports. In 2021, 72 per cent of the required $943 million was disbursed.
Sudden appearance of ‘pilot project’
ON MAY 5, a delegation of approximately 20 Rohingyas and seven Bangladeshi officials, including a border patrol officer, were sent to visit the two model villages constructed for the pilot return project. According to Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, the new facilities for returning refugees include a market, hospital and reception centre.
Officials anticipate that the repatriations will commence later this month, prior to the annual monsoon season. Previously, a list of more than 880,000 Rohingyas was sent to Myanmar, where the identities of approximately 70,000 were verified by them. As previously stated, approximately 1,100 individuals were verified in the initial phase as a pilot initiative for their return. Later, Myanmar objected to the inclusion of 429 individuals on the list.
Compulsive reactions of NGOs
WHILE Bangladesh is trying heart and soul to repatriate the Rohingyas to their birthplace, the NGOs are not doing enough for the most persecuted community of our time. While Bangladesh and Myanmar are preparing their returnee lists and facilitating the repatriation, INGOs and NGOs are expressing concerns over the plan. The UNHCR and other NGOs are only maintaining the camps. Due to other emerging crises and donor fatigue, these NGOs are also reducing their efforts in every aspect after six years. Recently, the World Food Programme reduced its monthly per capita ration from only $12 to $10, citing a fund shortage.
Advocacy networks such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International failed to create effective pressure on Myanmar. Like the NGOs, the great powers also failed to pressurise Myanmar effectively. As a result, Bangladesh is carrying the burden alone. China’s involvement and the junta’s willingness can therefore be seen as burden-sharing for Bangladesh. And Bangladesh, which has not seen any results in the last six years, cannot help but explore the option. The declining fund, deteriorating camp conditions, growing insecurity, and adverse impact of the refugees on the host community have made Bangladesh a desperate host looking to reduce the burden, where its international partners are only performing their formal duties within a set boundary.
Moreover, the ‘conducive environment’ debate is also a politically biased one. As the junta is repatriating, it is guaranteeing their safety. The other stakeholders in Rakhine and Myanmar, the Arakan Army and the National Unity Government, have already recognised the Rohingya. Furthermore, as China is backing the deal, it also has the responsibility to provide an external guarantee for the Rohingya’s safety upon repatriation. Therefore, it may not be unsafe to explore the possibilities of repatriation with the Junta. It seems the NGOs are driven by their own compulsion to lengthen ‘projects’ and squeeze their donors, displaying the plight of the refugee community. Thus, INGO and NGO politics must be avoided in this regard.
Impact of pilot project?
HOW beneficial would the pilot repatriation be for Bangladesh and the Rohingya people? The answer could be positive. The programme may be viewed as the beginning of a long-overdue repatriation, which may inspire greater repatriation in the future. Bangladesh has a severe dilemma regarding how to handle this refugee crisis for years to come, including questions of national security, funding, administration, and the treatment of refugees and host populations. Due to the Ukraine conflict, the Rohingya humanitarian crisis has already lost its urgency for the international community.
The pilot repatriation project offered by Myanmar may pave the way for the early repatriation of 1.1 million Rohingyas.
We can consider the pilot project the beginning of the long-overdue repatriation, which might inspire the Rohingyas to return to Myanmar from Bangladesh in the future. Rohingyas should go back to their homeland, Myanmar, now, as the whole population cannot spend years in another country in refuge. Rohingyas have the right to go back to their own nation, their own territory, and their own homes, where they can exercise all of their civil rights and strive towards constructing a better life and future for themselves and their offspring.
Bangladesh’s government and the majority of its citizens share the Rohingya’s humanitarian concerns. We cannot, however, provide refuge for this enormous population for very long. Although our nation is small, it has a sizable population. In the Rohingya camps, extortion, murder, rape, and the sale of arms have all been documented. Internal anarchy is growing. The decision to provide asylum to the Rohingya was an act of humanitarianism.
The international community now has a duty to help repatriate them. The international community actively participate in ensuring an early repatriation of the Rohingyas. Myanmar must ensure that the return of Rohingya Muslims is continuous, dignified, and sustainable.
This article was published at New Age Bangladesh