2 weeks ago
Bangladesh Challenges Myanmar Rohingya Data, Seeks Faster Repatriation
Bangladesh and Myanmar disagree about how many Rohya refugees came to Bangladesh.
Myanmar checked a list of 828,824 names and said fewer people could be confirmed as former residents of Rakhine.
Bangladesh said Myanmar used incorrect numbers and asked it to check the list more quickly.
Bangladesh also wants Myanmar to include children born in refugee camps and people who left Rakhine after 2017.
Myanmar says people cannot return until Rakhine is safer.
Fighting is continuing there between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army.
Earlier efforts to send refugees back in 2018 and 2019 did not return anyone.
Bangladesh says refugees should return only when the process is safe, voluntary and respectful.
The two sides are still discussing how to verify the refugees and begin repatriation.
Bangladesh said Myanmar’s statistics on the Rohingya population and displacement are erroneous.
Myanmar said it verified 426,545 of 828,824 names submitted by Bangladesh, identifying 308,797 as former Rakhine residents.
Myanmar reported that 113,507 identities could not be verified and alleged 4,241 people were involved in terrorist activities.
Bangladesh urged Myanmar to include camp-born children and people displaced from Rakhine after 2017 in the verification process.
Myanmar says repatriation depends on improved security in Rakhine, while Bangladesh calls for a safe, dignified and voluntary return.
- Who
- Bangladesh and Myanmar, concerning Rohingya refugees.
- What
- Bangladesh challenged Myanmar’s refugee statistics and urged faster verification and repatriation.
- Where
- The discussions took place in Dhaka and concern refugees from Myanmar’s Rakhine State living in Bangladesh.
- When
- The dispute was raised on Wednesday, after Myanmar’s August 15 statement; the submitted list covered data through July 31.
- Why
- Bangladesh wants the figures corrected and the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingyas; Myanmar says repatriation requires improved security in Rakhine.
Bangladesh’s position
Myanmar’s position
Refugee population figures
Bangladesh’s position
Bangladesh said Myanmar’s figures are based on erroneous statistics and that UN-registered data more accurately reflects the Rohingya population.
Myanmar’s position
Myanmar disputed the scale of displacement and said only 308,797 of the 828,824 submitted names had been verified as former residents of Rakhine.
Verification process
Bangladesh’s position
Bangladesh asked Myanmar to speed up verification and include children born in refugee camps and people forced to leave Rakhine after 2017.
Myanmar’s position
Myanmar said it remained committed to expediting verification so repatriation of verified Rohingyas could begin.
Conditions for repatriation
Bangladesh’s position
Bangladesh said the sustainable solution is the safe, dignified and voluntary return of Rohingyas to Rakhine.
Myanmar’s position
Myanmar said repatriation can begin only after security improves in Rakhine and described the process as a bilateral matter.
Key facts
- Names submitted by Bangladesh
- 828,824 refugees, as of July 31
- Names verified by Myanmar
- 426,545 individuals
- Verified former Rakhine residents
- 308,797 individuals
- Unverified identities
- 113,507 individuals
- People Myanmar alleged were involved in terrorism
- 4,241 individuals
- UN displacement estimate
- More than 700,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh after the 2017 crackdown
- Previous repatriation attempts
- Attempts in 2018 and 2019 resulted in no refugee returns
Sources
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