(Lack of Transparency in MilitaryCouncil’s Readmission Process)

Narinjara News March 09, 2023

On March 8, the heads embassiesfrom ASEAN and neighboring countries to Myanmar reportedly visited the Maungdaw region of Rakhine state to assess the issue of accepting the return of Rohingya refugees fromRakhine to Bangladesh.

According to a report from themilitary council’s newspaper, a group of diplomats ledby U Ko KoHlaing, Deputy Chairman of the Rakhine State Stability and DevelopmentCoordination Committee 1 and Union Minister of the Ministry of InternationalCooperation, visited the Maungdaw region on March 8.

Thegroup included embassy heads and diplomats from ASEAN countries and neighboringnations, including China, India, and Bangladesh.

 During the group’svisit, they reportedly inspected the Nga Khu Ra reception center and theHla Pho Khaung transit camp inMaungdaw township, to observe the conditions of the repatriation process.

 U Maung Ohn, a formerrepresentative of Rakhine State Parliament from Maungdaw Township, expressed to Narinjara that theMilitary Council’s approach to refugee repatriationlacked transparency.

“ There is a lack of transparency. The previous government wasnot transparent, and I see that the current government is not transparenteither. The people have no information about the process. Even thelocal people are unaware of the nature of the programs and acceptance processthat willbe carried out,” he said.

 He also said that the readmissionissue was initiated by the NLD government and was viewed as a political game by the central government.

 U Maung Ohn further analyzed thatthe likelihood of readmission is minimal, because the Myanmar government isincapable of fulfilling the requirements of refugees coming from across theborder.

“ Until the plans are put into action, it’sunlikely that many people will return. This is due to the Myanmar government’sinability to address the needs of refugees coming from across the border"  he stated.

 According to U Tun Hla Sein, aformer representative of the Rakhine State Parliament from Maungdaw Township, the MilitaryCouncil has not provided any communication to residents, including former MPs from MaungdawTownship, regarding the recent visit of a group led by Union Minister U KoKo Hlaing on March 8.

“We have no knowledge of such a visit,” hestated.

Prior to their visit to Maungdawon March 8, a group of diplomats from ASEAN countries and neighboring countries, led byUnion Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing, convened with Rakhine Chief Minister U Htein Lin at theRakhine State guest hall in Sittwe.

The United Nations reports thataround 700,000 Muslims fled to Bangladesh as a result of the Myanmar military’sclearance operations during the conflict that took place in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaungtownships in 2016 and 2017.

Gambia has lodged a case againstMyanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that the country’smilitary forces committed ethnic atrocities against Muslims during theconflict.

Last year, the Myanmar governmentpresented four points to the ICJ, stating that the allegations were false, and requesting that ahearing not be held on the indictment. However, on July 22, 2022, the ICJdismissed all four points.

In early February, a delegation ofUnion Ministers, led by Union Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing, visited Sittwe and engaged in a two-day discussion with Rakhine Chief Minister U Htein Lin on thesubject ofsubmitting a counter-memorial to the Gambia’saccusations against Myanmar at the ICJ.