Be Cautious, Be Very Cautious…
In an earlier blog I wrote about the leaders in Bangladesh and Thailand that were beginning to put pressure on the Government of Burma to discuss the out-migration of the Rohingya to Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia. It seems now that we may be beyond that point. Business Day recently reported that the Government of Bangladesh is seeking help to repatriate the Rohingya. While on the surface, this may seem like an answer to the problems in Bangladesh of resource scarcity, illegal migration, and population conflicts, we should all be cautious. This news doesn’t come at the heels of recent improvements in Burma to recognize the Rohingya as citizens and stop their persecution. Rather, these actions are motivated by a country overwhelmed with caring for refugees and migrants for over 18 years. We should be cautious and make sure this involuntary repatriation isn’t a sequel to the repatriation attempt after the initial influx of Rohingya in 1978. This has the potential to be refoulement, or “the expulsion of persons who have the right to be recognized as refugees,” and it could mean forcible repatriation to a country that continues systemic persecution and torture of the Rohingya. Any attempt of repatriation should be voluntary, certified by the UNHCR, and should not violate the principle of non-refoulement.
We should be vigilant…