Rohingya crisis: Myanmar accuses Bangladesh of delaying repatriation process

Myanmar on Wednesday accused the Bangladesh government of delaying the repatriation of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees, Reuters reported.

More than six lakh Rohingyas have fled violence in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state since August 25, after security forces launched an operation in response to attacks allegedly carried out by militants. Most of them have crossed the border into Bangladesh, where they now live in crowded refugee camps.

Zaw Htay, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s de-factor leader Aung San Suu Kyi, said the country was ready to begin repatriation based on an agreement about the return of the Rohingya to Myanmar in the 1990s, but Bangladesh had not yet accepted those terms.

Zaw Htay, who is the Director-General of the Ministry of the State Counsellor’s Office, also hinted that Bangladesh may be delaying the process till it gets more international aid to build refugee camps.

“Currently they have got $400 million,” he was quoted as saying by local media. “Over their receipt of this amount, we are now afraid of [them] delaying the program of deporting the refugees. They have got international subsidies...We are now afraid they would have another consideration as to repatriation,” he said. He added that Dhaka has not yet given Myanmar a list of Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh since August 25.

A senior Bangladesh foreign ministry official denied Myanmar’s charges, according to AFP. The official said that the two countries were trying to settle the differences in the repatriation agreement. Myanmar “were themselves not prepared”, the official added.

Rohingyas have been denied citizenship in Myanmar and are classified as illegal immigrants. The community has been subjected to violence by the Buddhist majority and the Army in Myanmar, though the country has repeatedly denied this claim.