Myanmar delegation to visit Cox’s Bazar

International Desk: A Myanmar delegation plans to visit a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on Saturday in an effort to advance the repatriation process of displaced people from Rakhine, a senior Foreign Affairs Ministry official said.

Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary U Myint Thu will lead the delegation of officials from the Social Welfare Ministry and the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine.

“We will explain our implementation of the repatriation and encourage participation in the voluntary return,” a senior Foreign Affairs official said.

U Ko Ko Naing, a member of the delegation, confirmed the trip and said they would meet with refugee families during the three-day visit.

“We will give them details about what we are preparing for the returnees,” he said, adding that the delegation will give more details about the trip to Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation deal in November 2017 and agreed that the first batch of 2251 refugees from northern Rakhine State would return to Myanmar on November 15, but the refugees refused to participate over fears for their safety after returning.

The Myanmar government accused Bangladesh of failing to keep its side of the bargain, and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina blamed Myanmar for delaying the repatriation.

Source: Myanmar Times

 

risingbd/July 23, 2019/Mukul