Editorial
A final push to stalled repatriation needed
The UNHCR chief's visit good augury
It is a pity that repatriation of some 27,000 Rohingya refugees encamped on our soil to Myanmar remains an unfinished agenda since 2006. In terms of the 1992 trilateral agreement among Myanmar, UNHCR and Bangladesh for voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas, 2,37,000 of them returned to Myanmar up to 2006. Altogether 2,58,000 ethnic Rohingyas had trekked to Bangladesh in 1991 fleeing persecution from the Myanmar military junta.
The residual 21,000 who awaited repatriation at that time increased through child-births while there is reason to believe that a large number of unregistered Rohingyas continue to live in southern Cox's Bazar without access to official facilities.
Refugees doubtless evoke humanitarian concern; but they can also have economic and social ramifications for the host country. It also remains an avoidable thorn in the relationship between two neighbouring countries. That is why it is imperative that the predicament be ended through repatriation to their homeland, if necessary under international auspices, should the bilateral avenues of solution need to be complemented. Let's not forget that repatriation process continued from Bangladesh to Myanmar for a long time resulting in assimilation of the vast majority of the refugees in their homeland. Why must the fate of the residual number of refugees remain undecided?
Against this backdrop, it is heartening to note that Bangladesh government and the UNHCR during the visit of Antonio Guterres, the high commissioner for refugees, have agreed to reestablish the trilateral mechanism to create conditions for voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.
The high commissioner has spoken of taking advantage of a 'better environment' for dialogues to carry forward the repatriation process. Probably, a reference is drawn towards Bangladesh's empathy for the cyclone victims in Myanmar, her quick despatch of relief teams to the country and the Myanmar authorities' positive approach to help from neighbouring Bangladesh. Practically speaking though, revival of the repatriation process will involve effective intercession from the UNHCR.
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