UN agency and Bangladesh begin survey of Rohingya over return to Myanmar

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine for neighbouring Bangladesh; many refuse to go back as they fear more violence with "genocidal intent" by the military.

In this picture taken on July 23, 2019, children pose as Rohingya youth Mohammad Rafiq takes their photos with a mobile phone at the Kutupalong refugee camp. Rafiq, 19, is one of 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its "Storytellers" project to record the daily lives of nearly 1 million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh.
AFP

In this picture taken on July 23, 2019, children pose as Rohingya youth Mohammad Rafiq takes their photos with a mobile phone at the Kutupalong refugee camp. Rafiq, 19, is one of 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its "Storytellers" project to record the daily lives of nearly 1 million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh.

The UN refugee agency and Bangladesh authorities on Tuesday started to consult more than 3,000 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to determine if any want to return home, officials said, as a fresh repatriation bid was launched.

More than 730,000 Rohingya fled Rakhine for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military-led crackdown on August 25, 2017 that the UN said was perpetrated with "genocidal intent", but many refugees refuse to go back, fearing more violence.

Myanmar cleared 3,450 people to return from a list of more than 22,000 provided by Bangladesh, authorities said.

"The intentions surveys are beginning today," said Louise Donovan, a UNHCR spokeswoman in the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh.

"Together, the government of Bangladesh and UNHCR will ask these refugees to come forward and discuss the option of repatriation."

The agency will hold a second confidential interview with those who express a wish to return, she added, to discuss their intentions and ensure the decision is voluntary, she said.

"They will be asked to complete a voluntary repatriation form."

A representative of Bangladesh's refugee relief effort will also attend the interviews, a government official said.

"The UN refugee agency has started interviewing the Rohingya on the list," said Mohammad Abul Kalam, the country's refugee relief and repatriation commissioner.

"Transit centres, transport facilities … everything is ready to start the repatriation on Thursday," he added.

The UN Security Council is set to discuss the latest repatriation plan behind closed doors on Wednesday, at the request of Belgium, Britain, France, Germany and the US, diplomats said.

Last week, Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said officials had interrogated the list of refugees to determine whether they had lived in Myanmar and had been involved in attacks on the military.

The 2017 crackdown was preceded by attacks on security forces by insurgents calling themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which Myanmar has classified as a terrorist organisation.

Previous attempts at persuading Rohingya to return to Rakhine have failed due to opposition from refugees. An effort in November sowed fear and confusion in the camps and finally failed after refugee protests.

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