What is
your take on the plan to relocate Rohingyas to Bhashan Char?
The
plan to relocate forcefully-displaced Rohingyas to Bhashan Char appears to have
been made due to the overcrowding of the camps in the Cox’s Bazar area. Keeping
them in an isolated location may have been a significant factor also. Whatever
the intention may have been, I am afraid there could be some unintended
consequences to relocating them to the island. Further, the relocation of
Rohingyas to the island may play into the hands of the extremist elements in
Myanmar that are opposing the repatriation process.
Are there risks involved with relocating the
Rohingya to Bhashan Char? Also, do you think there is an alternative to
relocating the Rohingya to the island?
The
major risks of relocation are multifold, with various political and
humanitarian consequences. There are short-term risks and long-term risks. The
short term ones are, of course, natural disasters, particularly during the
monsoon season. Even a relatively low-category cyclone can wipe out the entire
population of the island which is sitting barely above sea level and is in the
general path of tropical cyclones.
Another
issue is when and how the emergency response will come in the case of such a
natural disaster, which can trigger a major health and food or water crisis. I
do not believe they are equipped for this. The long-term risk is that the
presumably short-term stay of the refugees on the island may gradually lead to
permanent settlements on the island. This is a truly long-term risk if they are
not repatriated to Myanmar within a reasonable amount of time. Establishing
roots by the temporary inhabitants on the island is also something that the
anti-Rohingya extremist elements in Myanmar would like to see happen.
To my
knowledge, the general consensus in the Rohingya refugee community is not in
favour of relocation to the island for these obvious reasons. The real option I
can see is where the Rohingya are given temporary shelters until they can
return to their original homes in Arakan. The present makeshift camps are not
ideal ones, but they are still in close proximity to their native homeland of
Arakan, which is very important. If the authorities in Bangladesh would like to
keep them in relatively more confined areas on the mainland, it can be done
without having water around them. The refugees are there temporarily, and there
is no other option but returning them to where they belong – that is, their
original villages in Arakan.
Do you
believe the island will be able to offer dignified living conditions, safety
and security for Rohingyas?
When
you see the firm cement housing structures on the island, you might think that
those shelters are habitable. Living in firm cement structures is one thing,
but an array of inevitable challenges could likely emerge from beyond these
firm shelters, in the long run, with regards to sustainability. Transforming a
barren inhabitable island into a fully-functional community will not be an easy
task logistically. Building living structures is not the solution, and
therefore it is not likely viable.
Do you
think relocation to the island will hamper freedom of movement, plus the
ability of refugees to earn a living and participate in decisions affecting
them?
Freedom
of movement on the island may not be a serious issue if the means are there,
but travelling to and from the island may be a big challenge, with possible
restrictions by design. It could take years for them to become solely
self-sustaining, if it happens. Launching minimal economic infrastructure for
them to make a living will be a monumental task and will take a significant
length of time. In the meantime, they [the Rohingya] will have to rely on
humanitarian relief for years; and education for them and the future of the
youngsters is something we have to think about seriously.
Participation
in decision-making may have very little or no effect on their lives. The devil
is in the details, and also there are so many unknowns currently that are not
in the equation regarding the island issue. We are talking about human lives
here, and hundreds of thousands of innocent people who have been a peaceful
community in their own country, who now have to languish in camps or on an
island.
Do you
have any suggestions for Bangladesh’s government regarding the relocation plan?
What
the people and government of Bangladesh have done in this crisis is way beyond
noble. Saving the lives of over a million Rohingya men, women, and children is
highly commendable. The global community has expressed tremendous appreciation
to the Bangladesh government for providing them refuge and effectively handling
this manmade disaster.
My
suggestion to them is not to rush into relocating the Rohingya refugees to the
island. The government should continue to focus on the process that it has
already undertaken; that is, the safe and dignified return of the forcefully
displaced Rohingya to their original homes in Arakan.
Bangladesh
should continue to engage with Myanmar – along with UNHCR, UNDP, the Red Cross,
the Red Crescent, the WFP and other international agencies – for more
aggressive implementation of the agreement signed with the government of
Myanmar. Heavy involvement of international agencies in the repatriation
process is crucial because of the assistance that all the displaced people will
need from them in reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Rebuilding
homes in their villages ahead of the repatriation must be the centrepiece of
the preparation on the ground in Arakan. There is no need to send the returnees
from the camps on one side of the border to camps on the other side in Myanmar.
Those transit camps in Myanmar may not turn out to be real transit camps after
all, but possibly semi-permanent or permanent internment camps – an another
likely quagmire.
I
cannot see any reason why the displaced Rohingya would not want to go back if
they were allowed to return to their villages with their rights and security.
The very fabric of socio-economics, culture and identity of the Rohingya in
Myanmar has been almost completely broken down, but these people are very
resolute, and they will rebound and resume their lives relatively quickly once
they can safely return to their country.
Source:
Dhaka Tribune