Bangladesh should keep international options open
By Thedaily Star
Bangladesh is yet to respond to the International
Criminal Court (ICC) over exercise of its jurisdiction to investigate forced
deportation of Rohingyas. We understand that this has much to do with Myanmar's
request not to respond to ICC's call and settle the Rohingya crisis
bilaterally, which has been echoed by India, China and Russia.
We are all for a bilateral settlement of the issue that
would have the displaced Rohingya populace repatriated to Myanmar and even
signed a bilateral agreement to that effect. But the ground reality is that
Myanmar has not lived up to its end of the agreement and has come up with
excuse after excuse hindering any progress in the process of repatriation.
Bilateral solution has always been our first option.
Despite worldwide condemnation, China and Russia have
effectively blocked any meaningful UN resolution to bring the Myanmar
government to the docks for encouraging the systematic brutalisation and
violence that ripped through the Rakhine State last year. With over 700,000
Rohingyas stuck on our side of the border, we are baffled as to why some of our
friends continue to insist on a bilateral settlement without putting any
pressure on the Myanmar government to hasten the verification process of the
Rohingya refugees so that they can return to a safe environment in their own
land.
We would like to reiterate that Bangladesh has done its
part in trying to find an acceptable and just settlement to the Rohingya issue
bilaterally but it does not help when international powers do not exercise
their influence on the government of Myanmar to make that bilateral deal work.
We would like to see more meaningful engagement by our foreign friends in this area
so that the Rohingyas can return to their homes with full citizenship rights.
At the same time Bangladesh should keep its international options open.