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Refugee roundup

Little chances of smooth repatriation

By Nadeem Qadir, Guest Correspondent, back from Cox’s Bazar
As Bangladesh and Myanmar continued their talks on repa trtatlng more than 250.000 Rohingya refugees crammed tn 14 camps, the process Itself seems to have little chances of succeeding under present conditions.
The major obstacle is Yangon’s stand not to permit the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to be present on the Myanma?-sidc of the border during repatriation in an effort to build confidence among the Rohingyas that all Is safe and well at home.
In Geneva, the UNHCR on May 15 reiterated its refusal to support any repatriation of the refugees tn Bangladesh until it is allowed onto Myanmar terri toiy.
Spokeswoman Silvana Foa. according to reports reaching here, said so far the Myanmar authorities have said they would not be calling upon the refugee organisation unless they feel a need to.
The UNHCR is telling the refugees that ft is not present in Myanmar and that It would inform them when it is safe to return, she added.
On the other hand, most of the 250.000 refugees have shown little Interest in going back home and Instead contln ued to demonstrate against repatriation plans. "Wc are ready to die here, but we will not go home with out safety guarantees." Abul Khair. a 5O-year-old refugee from Myanmar's Maungdu township and now sheltered in Balu Khali camp said.
Balu Khali saw the first violent clashes between refugees and Bangladesh officials on May 14 and the camp continued to remain tense amid tightened security. The incident left one refugee dead.
Versions of Oie Incident
vary with two sides blaming the other, but the crux of it is that the issue Is repatriation and officials want them to return while Rohingyas refuse to budge to the regular gospels of ‘all is right at home now".
•Without the UNHCR, it makes the whole process uncertain and even the small number agreeing to go were backing out because of propaganda by some aid agencies,' one camp official said.
Local refugee commis stoner. Khandaker Shaheedul Islam, said "We cannot say for certain when the repatriation will start, but hope to set a date in our next meeting with Myanmar on May 25.'
I le said the authorities believed that even if one small group returned home voluntar tly It would have a "snowballing* effect on the others, but added "that the whole process is difficult and is like walking a tightrope "
Islam added: "After we (Myanmar and Bangladesh) agree on a list, wc will then ask who was willing to go... no one will be forced to return."
A senior foreign ministry official said the refugees car Iter demanded only guaranteed safety on their return, >ut now they want Yangon to handover power to • pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi before returning home.
'Bangladesh Is not responsible for such Internal political matters... let them go and settle their political problem in their own country," he added
Three days after the UNHCR refused to take part in the repatriation process because conditions were not yet safe for the Rohingyas to return, an official of the organisation told some 17,000 refugees at Dhoa Palong camp May 16 that "We wish to say that anybody who wants to go back voluntarily should be free to do so and no person should stop him."
He, added that "You will go back only when the UNHCR Is convinced that your return to Myanmar will be safe." The official, whose identity was not available from UNHCR offices in Cox's Bazar and Dhaka. Also urged the Rohingyas to steer clear of "any movement" that would lead to their breaking the laws of the country which has given them sanctuary.
"We cannot tell you when to go back, and wc depend on you tell us when you want to go back," he said.
Sources said this was in line with Dhaka's request to the UNHCR to four camps to explain what voluntary return meant and assure Rohingyas that they would not be forcibly repatriated.
Omar Faruquc, the Chittagong Division Commissioner,
warned that demonstrations would not be tolerated and said "1 want to warn you demonstrations or any actions against Bangladeshi laws will not be tolerated and you will suffer If you don't trust us.”
He said Bangladesh was for Bangladeshis and Myanmar was the home of Rohingyas.
Meanwhile, security and camp officials also criticized private aid organisations, saving "even the small number agreeing to go are backing out because of propaganda by some aid agencies."
One official said most were religious organisations which were "brains" behind irecent anti-repatriation demonstrations.
They also implicated the
UNHCR and the Mcdlclns Sans Fronticrcs (MSF or doctors without frontiers).
A UNHCR spokeswoman in Dhaka refused to comment on the allegations.
The major Muslim aid agencies Include the Saudi Arabia-based Rabita and Pakistan-based Islamic Relief Association (ISRA).
Residents and officials also charge the Islaml Chhatra Sh-ibir, the student wing of fundamentalist Jamast-e-lslami parly, of instigating the refugees not to return.
The Jamaat. earlier linked to such allegations, had said it only "kept tn touch" with the Rohingyas as Muslim brothers." Several refugees said lo-
cal students had helped them write their placards.
Refugee Commissioner Islam said he was aware of the allegations against the aid agen cies and would . investigate them.
Wild rumours spread by unidentified quarters were also creating panic among the refugees.
Officials said with aid money only trickling In. it was difficult for this impoverished South Aslan country to bear economic burden for long.
A UNHCR spokeswoman said of the 27.5 million aid ap peal made by the High Commissioner Sadako Ogata for the refugees, only 13.9 million had so far been committed.