5 January
Displaced Persons Accepting and Resettlement Committee held its work coordination meeting at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement yesterday.
Speaking at the meeting, Chair of the committee Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye explained the duty to accept and resettle displaced persons who went to the other country from Rakhine State under the guidance of Central Committee for Implementation of Peace and Development in Rakhine State.
The Union Minister also dealt with the task of supervising the resettlement subcommittees formed by the Rakhine State Government. He said the work review should be submitted to the central committee. Two task forces have been formed to systematize the functions and they are the work committee to accept displaced persons and the work committee to resettle them. Functions will be effective only if the two work committees work in harmony. He said there are people who reenter the country of own volition and not under the agreement. The citizenship verification of returnees in line with the existing law is an important process that must be done in all seriousness. The Ministry of SWRR is providing food, clothing and household items. The task of the resettlement of internally displaced persons should be accelerated, and progress of work should be presented here.
The Union Minister said talks should be held on the resettlement task prioritized under UEHRD program. The seven priority tasks that may be supported by ASEAN countries of the accepting and resentment task that is being implemented in cooperation with the AHA Centre should be continued. Continued efforts should be made to implement the bilateral agreement soonest despite the challenges and difficulties. There are people who wish to return through the process that is not in accord with the bilateral agreement.
The meeting will seek means to solve the problems. The national strategy to resettle internally displaced persons and closing of temporary camps has already adopted. So the temporary camps can be systematically closed, and the different stages of work are being implemented under the strategy. Collective efforts are required to solve the problems of staff on the ground through accountability and responsibility. Public organizational campaigns should be made for public participation in the committee’s task, he said. Then the vice chair of the central committee, chairs of the work committees, joint chairs, secretaries and members discussed progress in checking the list for resettlement sent by Bangladesh, progress in the preparations to accept and resettle under UEHRD program and points to support, plans to resettle the returnees at the places which are the most suitable for them, accepting of the persons coming back on own accord in accord with the procedures, matters relating to medium term projects that should be included in the framework of the MoU signed between the government and UNDP/UNHCR, progress in implementing the ASEAN ERAT priority tasks in cooperating with ASEAN countries, connections with dialogue partners, and international organizations including UN. —MNA (Translated by TMT)
