Myanmar delegation to interact with Rohingyas in camps Saturday
A Myanmar delegation will visit Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday to interact with Rohingyas amid mounting pressure on the neighbouring country to expedite the repatriation process removing "trust-deficit" among its displaced nationals.
Myanmar Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Myint Thu will lead the delegation which will have officials from its Social Welfare Ministry and the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine.
"They’ll mainly have interaction with Rohingyas," Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Abul Kalam told UNB.
He said the team will also have a meeting with the members of repatriation taskforce on the same day (Saturday).
The Myanmar delegation members will brief Rohingyas about steps they are taking for safe return of Rohingyas, officials said.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen urged the Myanmar side to come and give assurance to Rohingyas living in Cox's Bazar camp. "There’s a trust deficit (among Rohingyas). You need to remove the mistrust."
The Foreign Minister said Myanmar, after Bangladesh's extensive discussions with China, is showing a kind of willingness regarding repatriation. "They (Myanmar) also invited me. I said I’ll surely visit," he said adding that he will visit to see the people who will be repatriated in the first batch.
Expecting to see the commencement of Rohingya repatriation before September, Bangladesh has urged the UN to work more in Rakhine State of Myanmar to help create a conducive environment there so that Rohingyas can get back confidence to return to their place of origin.
Dr Momen hoped that the first batch of Rohingya repatriation will begin before September or before the UN General Assembly but things depend on Myanmar as they created the problem.
"It's my belief. But all depend on Myanmar who created the problem. Solution lies in Myanmar," he said indicating that Myanmar wants to avoid criticisms in the UNGA.
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation deal in November 2017.
The first batch of Rohingyas was scheduled to return on November 15 last year but it was halted amid unwillingness of Rohingyas to return amid lack of conducive environment in Rakhine State.
