THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Myanmar puts onus on Bangladesh to resolve Rohingya crisis

Myanmar puts onus on Bangladesh to resolve Rohingya crisis

Just taking legal action against Myanmar and putting global pressure on Myanmar cannot settle the ongoing issue of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, Saw Htay, spokesperson at the Myanmar President’s Office, said.

Bangladesh should follow the repatriation process agreed to by both sides, Zaw Htay said.
“The international community is putting pressure on Myanmar regarding the repatriation process. The ICC [International Criminal Court] is suing Myanmar. The complex issue remains in Bangladesh,” Zaw said, adding, “Bangladesh should use a problem-solving approach. The problem can’t be settled by suing Myanmar. We will have to negotiate the problem with Bangladesh.”
Zaw Htay said Bangladesh should follow the repatriation process and cooperate with Myanmar according to the bilateral agreement. Our problem will continue as long as Bangladesh doesn’t cooperate. Bangladesh needs to understand this point,” said Zaw Htay.
There were those who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar in 1993. “Collaborative efforts resulted in success in the repatriation process. Cooperative measures are of great importance. The repatriation process remained deadlock as Bangladesh failed to cooperate. Only through collaborative efforts can the problem be solved,” Zaw Htay said.
“Bangladesh and Myanmar have twice carried out the repatriation process in the past. According to this knowledge, mutual cooperation can solve the problem and these were examples. Both sides have physical arrangements to implement the agreed points. Working groups have already been formed. The root cause of the unsuccessful repatriation process is that Bangladesh has failed to cooperate,” said Zaw Htay.
Myanmar and Bangladesh have met for discussions at the ministerial level to step up the repatriation process. “We  held tripartite discussions with the foreign minister of China acting as witness, said Zaw Htay. “And lastly, we held discussions at the UN General Assembly where the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Chinese representative, Union Minister Kyaw Tin Swe and the Bangladeshi minister attended and discussed the repatriation process. A promise on when to start the repatriation process was given in the presence of China. We thought it will be implemented. Our side well-prepared for this, but it did not come true,” said Zaw Htay.
Displaced persons returning to Myanmar from April 14, 2018 to November 14, 2019 totalled 415.
“Cooperation from Bangladesh is of great importance and Bangladesh needs have a sense of neighbourliness. If Bangladesh doesn’t have a sense of cooperation, the humanitarian crisis will become worse and worse. Who is responsible for the unsuccessful repatriation process depends on Bangladesh. Our side has already prepared for it,” said Zaw Htay.

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