Bangladesh must “immediately suspend” a pilot repatriation
project for Rohingya refugees to return to Myanmar, where they
face “serious risks” to their lives and freedom, a UN-appointed
independent rights expert said on Thursday.
Tom Andrews, the UN
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar,
insisted that current conditions there were “anything but
conducive” for the return of Rohingya refugees.
Death trap
He stressed that the very generals who had launched “genocidal”
attacks against the Rohingya, causing hundreds of thousands to
flee the country, were now in power and “attacking
civilian populations while denying the Rohingya
citizenship and other basic rights”.
According to Mr. Andrews’ statement, Bangladesh officials have
been planning to send back to Myanmar, potentially very soon,
an initial group of 1,140 Rohingya
refugees, using a combination of threats and financial rewards.
Confined to ‘designated area’
The returnees would reportedly pass through “transit” centres in
Rakhine state before being resettled in a “designated area of 15
newly constructed villages” which they will “not be
allowed to leave freely”.
“The return of Rohingya refugees under these conditions would
likely violate Bangladesh’s obligations under international law
and expose Rohingya to gross human rights violations
and, potentially, future atrocity crimes,” Mr. Andrews
said.
In March, Bangladesh authorities facilitated two visits by
Myanmar junta authorities to the Bangladesh camps, said the UN
rights office OHCHR.
According to reports, at least some of the refugees
were coerced into participating in so-called
‘verification’ interviews with junta officials.
Bangladesh and the military regime’s officials also coordinated a
‘go see’ visit to Rakhine State for some Rohingya refugees.
Bangladeshi officials said the refugees had expressed “general
satisfaction” with the arrangements being made for their return,
but these assurances were contradicted by reports that those who
participated in the trip had unequivocally rejected the
repatriation plans, OHCHR said.
“I implore Bangladesh to immediately
suspend the repatriation pilot programme,” Mr.
Andrews said.
Stand with Rohingya
“I also urge the international community to stand with Rohingya
refugees in both word and deed”, he added.
“This must include reversing the failure to provide a
humane level of support for Rohingya refugees in
Bangladesh who are unable to pursue livelihoods, continue to face
hunger and malnutrition, and whose children have very limited
educational opportunities”.
Tom Andrews and other independent human rights experts are
appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, in
Geneva, under its Special Procedures.
They are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic
issues or country situations. They are not UN staff and do not
receive a salary for their work.
