KALADAN NEWS

Dated- Mon June 02,2003

704 ROHINGYAS REPATRIATED IN MAY

Cox’s Bazar, June 02: A total of 704 Rohingya refugees

belong to 121 families were repatriated to their homes

in Burma from Ukhiya and Teknaf camps in May,

according to BSS of Cox’s Bazar.

Sources in UNHCR and local officials said this is the

largest group of refugees who went back since in

August 1997.

UNHCR officials said nearly 250,000 Rohingya refugees

fled from Burma to Bangladesh in late 1991-1992 to

escape the reported widespread human rights abuses at

the hand of military and the Nasaka forces.

So far, 234,007 Rohingya refugees belonging to 46,776

families have been repatriated to their motherland,

while 21,197 are still remaining in the two refugee

camps waiting their turn.

The refugee repatriation process step up after meeting

with Burma’s director general of immigration last May

18-22, the Bangladesh authorities requested Burma to

set up the repatriation process.

Despite of clear record of discrimination towards

Rohingyas and un-congenial atmosphere in Arakan by the

Government of Burma, the office of the UNHCR has

stepped up repatriation efforts in an attempt to phase

out its responsibilities to the 21,000refugees

residing in camps in Bangladesh.

“ It is clear that camp officials to coerce refugees

to return to Burma. Methods of coercion such as

insufficient food supply, forced relocation within the

camps to poorer housing, beatings, and, most commonly,

threats of and actual jail sentences,” said RI.

“ I have only two choices: I go to jail, or I go back

to Burma. Going to jail is better than going to

Burma,” one refugee told to our correspondent.

The refugees who do not want to return cannot stay in

refugee camps. The Government will send them back even

if they do not want to go. Bangladesh is a poor

country and cannot take care of this situation.

There is also the issue of the 16,000 refugees whom

the government of Burma has not yet approved for

repatriation.

Some refugees have chosen to leave the camps and live

illegally in hiding in surrounding towns.

Editor

Kaladan Press Network

E-mail: [email protected]