Rohingya repatriation likely to begin on 23 Jan

Myanmar has agreed to commence the process of taking back its nationals on 23 January, according to UNB news agency.

As much as 650,000 Rohingyas fled the persecution by Myanmarese military and took refuge in Bangladesh since August last year. 

Myanmar wants to take back around 1,258 Myanmar nationals both Muslims and Hindus in the first batch.

UNB adds: Myanmar provided to Bangladesh detailed lists of 508 persons of Hindu faith and 750 persons of Muslim faith who have been verified as Myanmar residents and suggested the latter to include them in the first batch of repatriation, according to Myanmar information ministry.

A repatriation plan was signed on Tuesday that will allow the return of Muslims who fled to Bangladesh to escape conflict in Myanmar last year, following a meeting of the neighbouring countries in Nay Pyi Taw.

Myanmar would receive the returnees who fled Rakhine State five days per week, according to the statement released by Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The first meeting of the Joint Working Group on the Repatriation of Displaced Myanmar Residents from Bangladesh was held on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and continued on Tuesday.

Bangladesh delegation was led by foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque.

The Myanmar delegation was led by Myint Thu, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar.

The Physical Arrangement for Repatriation of Displaced Myanmar Residents from Bangladesh under the Return of the Displaced Persons from Rakhine State agreement was signed by the two sides.

According to the Physical Arrangement agreement, Myanmar will receive verified returnees at Taung Pyo Letwe reception centre for those who will be dispatched by land routes, and Nga Khu Ya reception centre for those who will be sent back by river routes.

Myanmar side will also use Hla Pho Kaung as transit camp for the returnees.

Bangladesh will establish five transit camps. Myanmar will receive the returnees five days per week.

Bangladesh will provide, in advance, the list of prospective returnees and duly filled verification forms to Myanmar side for smooth verification process, according to the agreement.

The meeting also deliberated on the current activities of ARSA terrorists.

Myanmar had already provided a list of over 1,000 ARSA ‘terrorists’ to Bangladesh at the BGP-BGB Central Meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw on 14 November 2017.

During the JWG meeting, Myanmar handed over the list to the Bangladesh delegation and requested that they be extradited in compliance with the Agreement on Border Arrangement and Cooperation (Border Ground Rules) signed in 1980.

Myanmar also spoke of preventive measures to be taken in anticipation of possible attacks by ARSA terrorists during the course of the repatriation process.