As we enter the seventh year since the Rohingya crisis began, in which Myanmar’s systematic persecution of their own Rohynga minority group saw more than a million people seek refuge in Bangladesh, it has become abundantly clear that Myanmar has absolutely no intention to make good on its long heralded repatriation schemes.
We have long been of the opinion that the only way to get Myanmar to cooperate is through pressure from its development and trade partners, one of the most influential being China. And now, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent diplomatic visit to China, we hope the nation heeds our PM’s call for assistance regarding the safe and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya refugees back to their homeland.
China has been at the nexus of repatriation attempts for some time now, with the nation. About a year ago, China was part of a supposed trilateral agreement, also involving Myanmar and Bangladesh, to allow the repatriation process to finally commence. While there have been next to no reports regarding this arrangement since then, it is high time for such schemes to finally pan out.
It has been far too long that the Rohingya have been denied basic human rights by their own government in barring them from safely and securely returning to their homeland, with the country’s recent violence and instability further dampening hopes for the million-plus refugees currently living in squalid camps.
Repatriation has been the only solution to this mess -- a mess that Myanmar created when it began its ethnic cleansing operations in Rakhine almost seven years ago -- that much has been known for a long time. As one of Myanmar’s most important trade partners, China is in a position of advantage where it can apply the necessary pressure over Myanmar to cooperate and ensure the safe and secure return of the Rohingya.
We have long been of the opinion that the only way to get Myanmar to cooperate is through pressure from its development and trade partners, one of the most influential being China. And now, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent diplomatic visit to China, we hope the nation heeds our PM’s call for assistance regarding the safe and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya refugees back to their homeland.
China has been at the nexus of repatriation attempts for some time now, with the nation. About a year ago, China was part of a supposed trilateral agreement, also involving Myanmar and Bangladesh, to allow the repatriation process to finally commence. While there have been next to no reports regarding this arrangement since then, it is high time for such schemes to finally pan out.
It has been far too long that the Rohingya have been denied basic human rights by their own government in barring them from safely and securely returning to their homeland, with the country’s recent violence and instability further dampening hopes for the million-plus refugees currently living in squalid camps.
Repatriation has been the only solution to this mess -- a mess that Myanmar created when it began its ethnic cleansing operations in Rakhine almost seven years ago -- that much has been known for a long time. As one of Myanmar’s most important trade partners, China is in a position of advantage where it can apply the necessary pressure over Myanmar to cooperate and ensure the safe and secure return of the Rohingya.
