Repatriation of 1,176 Rohingyas may resume after rainy season

Repatriation of 1,176 Rohingyas, a pilot project, under the tripartite initiative led by China is likely to resume after the rainy season.

"The Chinese Asia Affairs Special Envoy Deng Xijun told us that Myanmar is interested in the repatriation," a senior official of the Foreign Ministry said.

The Chinese envoy has completed his three-day 'secret' visit to Dhaka on Tuesday discussing various issues including the repatriation of Rohingyas.

The Chinese Asia Affairs Special Envoy arrived in Dhaka on Sunday, conducted separate meetings with the Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen to re-start the process of Rohingya repatriation, a senior officials of the Foreign Ministry confirmed.

According to him, the Chinese envoy Deng Xijun arrived in Dhaka warping up his visit to Myanmar on Friday. He met with the Myanmar military ruler Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Friday. During the meeting they discussed Chinese cooperation in maintaining peace and stability in Myanmar and about the repatriation of Rohingyas who left Rakhine.

Deng Xijun also met with Ko Ko Hlaing, the Myanmar minister for international affairs, they discussed providing assistance for implementing the plan of repatriation of Rohingya people who were evicted from Rakhine.
 
"We told them that Bangladesh is interested in starting Rohingya repatriation, she has not backtracked from its policy to send Rohingyas to Rakhine, but it will be on the basis of 'voluntarily go back', the Foreign Ministry official said.

Bangladesh expects Rohingyas to maintain this policy on Rohingya repatriation. So Myanmar has to restore favourable environment in Rakhine to make Rohingya repatriation voluntary, safe and sustainable, he added.

During the meeting, the Chinese envoy admitted the repatriation has to be favourable and voluntary, the official said.

Meanwhile, this is the second visit of Deng Xijun within less than four months and held meetings with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.

However, the Western quarters are opposing repatriation initiated by China. Under such circumstances, Bangladesh is planning to cautiously start repatriation any time of this year.

Earlier, he held a tripartite meeting with representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar in Kunming and emphasised to start repatriation soon.

A number of Rohingyas have visited Rakhine after six years. At the beginning the team was interested in the repatriation process, later they declined to return.