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Myanmar ready to 'welcome' Rohingya, says Thu

Dhaka provides second list of 25,000 for return


FR Report | July 30, 2019 00:00:00


Myanmar is ready to welcome the Rohingya, but it is the latter who would take the decision by themselves on going back, said its foreign secretary on Monday.

"We've provided them with all information regarding our preparations for repatriation. We hear their voices, we hear their concerns," said U Myint Thu.

"Actually we have provided explanations to the key issues, and I think time is right for them to consider by themselves whether they should go back or not," he added.

Mr Thu, who led a 15-member joint delegation of Myanmar and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), was talking to reporters after the delegation's meeting with foreign ministry officials at the state guest house Meghna in the city.

"We are ready to welcome them, we are ready to receive them. But the only thing is that they have to decide by themselves whether they will go back or not" he said.

The Myanmar minister pledged that they would continue their engagement with the Rohingya and would continue their dialogue with the Bangladesh government and the ASEAN to accelerate the repatriation process.

The minister noted that during their two meetings with the representatives of the Rohingya community in Cox's Bazar on Saturday and Sunday, they have provided them with a fact sheet, which contained information about the preparations for repatriation.

Access to justice, access to education and health, access to social services and issues related to citizenship are included in the fact sheet, he noted.

"We have come here to build trust among them," he added.

Asked what was the reaction of the Rohingya, the minister said, "They all were smiling."

Bangladesh foreign secretary (Bilateral) Kamrul Ahsan said the Myanmar delegation's visit is a move towards positive direction as far as the repatriation process is concerned.

Bangladesh has provided with a second list of 25 thousand people of 6,000 families to Myanmar this time, he noted.

Previously, a list of 30 thousand people of 8,000 families was handed over to Myanmar for verification.

Asked whether the repatriation could start in September as the Bangladesh foreign minister had earlier mentioned,

Mr Ahsan said it can be done if the Rohingya are convinced.

Representative of the ASEAN delegation Annel Capili said they have prepared a need assessment survey in Northern Rakhine for the repatriation.

"A series of more expanded and comprehensive survey is down the lane" he added.

The voices of Rohingya need to be heard and "we want to listen to them", Mr Capili said.

The delegation arrived in Bangladesh on Saturday.

They had meetings with Rohingya refugees, including representatives from the Christian and Hindu community.

They had also meeting with the representatives of the UN organisations who are working in the Rohingya camps as humanitarian response.

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