Rohingya repatriation may start in September: FM
FE Online Report | July 24, 2019
The much-awaited Rohiongya repatriation may start in September this year, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Wednesday.
“I am expecting that repatriation will start from this September. After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China, things get moving faster,” he told a group of reporters at his office.
Replying to another question, the minister said, “I have a gut feeling about it. We are getting positive feedbacks from all our friendly-countries who are engaged in this process.”
“And I think Myanmar will not want global criticism in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) over the issue. The UNGA meeting will be held in September,” Momen said.
“Myanmar has invited me to visit the country after the visit. But I told them that I will visit their country after the repatriation of first batch. I will go there to see the conditions of the repatriated Rohingyas,” the minister said.
Responding to a question, he said that a high level delegation will arrive in the city on July 27 mainly to hold discussion with the Rohingya refugees to encourage them to go back.
The first deadline for repatriation was set for November last year but that had failed as none of the selected Rohingyas was willing to go back to Myanmar, fearing fresh persecution by Myanmar authorities.
“There is a trust deficit among the Rohingya community. We have told Myanmar to remove this trust deficit. And the delegation will brief them about the steps taken in Rakhine to create conducive environment for their repatriation,” he added.
The minister said during his meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres in New York, he had requested UNSG to gear up the UN engagements in Rakhine so that a conducive environment can be created quickly.
“The UNSG told me that the UN had got some access to Rakhine and they are working to ensure a quick repatriation.” Dr Momen said.
