The Rohingyas are neither safe inside the Rakhine (Arakan) state of Myanmar nor in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
The Rohingya refugees are untrusted in the Myanmar junta's repatriation moves which are an attempt to salvage the international reputation and to help the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which Myanmar faces a genocide case.
"We can't trust the Myanmar junta who have committed genocide against us but we are eagerly willing to go back to our homes, as early as possible," said an elderly educated Rohingya refugee on a video call.
The elderly Rohingya refugee said, "a voluntary repatriation is expected to happen within the first 6 months of 2023, we want to be ensured, our rights, safety, and security and must allow going back to our own homes".
To be ensured in advance👇
➡️MUST ensure Rohingya's rights.
Restoration of nativity rights must be ensured in advance
➡️MUST allow going back to their own homes.
The returnees must allow to go to their own homes - not to the camps which are prepared by the junta, to keep them as criminals.
Then the elderly man referred to the VOA Burmese news: https://bit.ly/418Ujna - saying read it well.
In this VOA Burmese newsletter, the liar, spokesman General Zaw Min Tun said "We are ready to accept them" and starts barking against Bangladesh, saying "they are not sending, even though both countries agreed on it."
The allegation against the host state of a million Rohingya refugees of Myanmar is intolerable. The home of the Rohingyas in Myanmar's Rakhine (Arakan) state is not conducive, according to international surveys, and existing Rohingyas inside Arakan state.
The Rohingyas inside the Arakan state are trapped between armed groups, Tatmadaw (Myanmar Military) & Arakan Army (AA - rebel), both are terrorist groups. Their views are the same on Rohingyas upon dissimilarity of faith. They are facing all kinds of restrictions, living in the open prison with a fear of life and modesty. "Just life as a human, 24 hours in fear of life and modesty," said a retired government servant.
Moreover, about 2 lakhs Rohingya Muslims in IDP camps in Arakan state (Sittwe & many other townships), are still in the death camps since the 2012 mass killings. Their properties including home yards were occupied by local Buddhists in the NLD period, and no one tried to solve the problem, even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during her reign.
Don't forget to read:
Why the Rohingyas don't trust AA?
Read more: https://mirsdq.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-rohingya-dont-trust-aa.html
What next for the Rohingya refugees?
Read more: https://mirsdq.blogspot.com/2021/10/what-next-for-rohingya-refugees.html
Security and safety are important issues in the Arakan state for the returnees (the Rohingyas). The world community and the govt of Bangladesh MUST rethink the important issues.
As for the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh; "It is unsafe, our life is unsafe and in danger, the modesty of our women are too unsafe here, as APBn (Armed Police Battalion - security in-charge of the camps) are derailed and destabilized the camps. Instead of taking the security responsibilities of the refugees, it becomes a big threat to ordinary and educated refugees. The radical groups are franker with APBn than innocent and educated Rohingya refugees. Armed radical groups and APBn are committing all kinds of heinous crimes together. Radical groups have more money, earning from drugs, APBn officers are partners with them in each radical activity, they can buy model arms, and automatic rifles and can use too (seems the government allowed them) which we never saw before" an elderly educated Rohingya refugee said. (Name hidden for security reasons).
Human trafficking is too uncontrolled in Rohingya refugee camps, as the camps are unsafe for men and women, large quantity of Rohingya refugees are fleeing through the grisly sea routes to find out better future as they are not seen any positiveness in the camps.
As for the upcoming repatriation plan, MUST be FINAL, and shall not be a refugee again, which is a big burden for Bangladesh. Therefore, a sustainable solution is a MUST otherwise new influx may occur again within a short time.
The Author: Mir Ahmed Siddiquee, a human rights activist, can be reached here on Twitter @mir_sidiquee