For repatriation to be successful, it must be voluntary, and it is good to see that Bangladesh has done the right thing by not forcing Rohingya refugees to go back to Myanmar at this point.
It should come as no surprise that no one from the initial list of 2,260 Rohingyas showed up for the first stage of the repatriation process on November 15.
Considering the immense trauma experienced by the roughly million Rohingya refugees currently residing within the borders of Bangladesh, Myanmar would have to do a lot more than simply agree to take them back into the homeland.
The Rohingya have seen their houses burned down, their families murdered, their mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters raped at the hands of the Myanmar army, and so have good reason for not trusting the Myanmar regime to treat them right.
This is the same homeland where they have been treated as nothing more than second class citizens, and witnessed systematic efforts to wipe out their population.
The situation has only been worsened by Myanmar’s unwillingness to own up to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people, and making no believable guarantee that the violence has ended.
The Bangladeshi people have shown their humanity and generosity when they opened their borders to the fleeing Rohingya, and they continue to do so by providing the Rohingya with shelter and aid until the Rohingya themselves feel it safe to return to Rakhine.
It is now Myanmar’s turn to do the right thing. But how much longer will it take?