24 Aug
Myanmar experienced the second round of repatriation failure of displaced persons from Bangladesh as scheduled on 22 August 2019.
Union Minster for Labour, Immigration and Population U Thein Swe and Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye, Deputy Minister for State Counsellor Office U Khin Maung Tin and Deputy Minister U Soe Aung and officials explained the unrealized repatriation programme at the headquarters of Rakhine State government in Sittway as they met with the personnel from the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), and the ASEAN-Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar was informed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh on 19 August 2019 that the Government of Bangladesh has undertaken all necessary measures to smoothly conduct the repatriation of displaced persons from Bangladesh, which is scheduled to start on 22 August 2019.
In referring to this information, the Myanmar government invited ASEAN representatives to witness the repatriation programme. Without hesitation, the bloc dispatched six representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the ASEAN Secretariat and the AHA Centre.
These personnels were waiting to see the returnees on the scheduled date. But they found no returnees as expected.
Similar failures occurred on 15 November 2018 although Bangladeshi government officially informed Myanmar for readiness of reacceptance. After signing bilateral agreements for the repatriation programme, Myanmar has been ready for this since 23 January 2018. There were some successful stories of repatriation since 1993.
The Union Ministers also expressed thanks for the visit of ASEAN representatives to the Reception Centre.
In the Preliminary Needs Assessment for Repatriation in Rakhine State, ASEAN suggested three potential areas of collaboration, namely: enhancing capacity of reception and transit centres; strengthening information dissemination; and support to the provision of basic services.
A technical working group has been established with the representatives from ASEAN, the Office of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine (UEHRD), and the relevant departments.
Mr Ky Anh Nguyen, Director of ASEAN Secretariat expressed thanks for the invitation of Myanmar to witness the repatriation programme, and reaffirmed readiness of the bloc to continue their support, and to implement recommendations in the Preliminary Needs Assessment for Repatriation in Rakhine State, especially socio-economic developments and fundamental services in Rakhine State.
He also pledged to coordinate with ASEAN Plus 3 countries China, Japan and Korea.
He also confirmed that they have witnessed the preparedness of the Myanmar government for the repatriation programme, although Bangladesh side failed to realize it as informed.
He concluded the representatives see the tour was helpful as they could discuss the future helps. — MNA (Translated by Aung Khin)
