Rohingya refugees rally in Bangladesh, demand safe return to Rakhine

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh held a mass rally demanding a safe return to Rakhine state. The protest highlighted stalled repatriation efforts and deep fears over security in Myanmar.

In Short

• More than one million Rohingya refugees remain in camps across Cox's Bazar
• Previous repatriation attempts failed as refugees cited unresolved security fears
• Bangladesh disputes Myanmar's refugee figures and rejects the label Bengali

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh held a rally on Tuesday, demanding a safe return to Myanmar's Rakhine state and asking the international community to ensure security there. The gathering marked what they called the "Ninth Anniversary of Rohingya Genocide Day".

More than 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's ethnic and religious minority now live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district. Most fled in a mass exodus in 2017 after Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country, launched a crackdown in Rakhine following an attack by a Rohingya Muslim insurgent group.

Bangladesh has tried at least twice to begin repatriation, but the efforts did not succeed because none of the refugees was willing to return, citing security concerns. Bangladesh has said it will not force anyone back. Earlier this month, Myanmar's military-backed government said more than 300,000 Rohingya refugees in camps in Bangladesh were former residents of Rakhine and would be accepted back once security conditions improved. Bangladesh, however, has disputed Myanmar's figures and its continued refusal to use the term "Rohingya", saying that calling them "Bengali" is an attempt to deny their identity.

In January, the International Court of Justice held hearings in a case accusing Myanmar of genocide against the Rohingya in Rakhine in 2017. Over three weeks, the court reviewed documentary evidence, expert testimony and private witness statements on mass killings, systematic sexual violence and the destruction of villages. The scale, organisation and ferocity of the operation led to accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide from the international community, including the United Nations. Myanmar told the court that its military campaign against the Rohingya was a legitimate counter-terrorism operation and did not amount to genocide.

After the 2017 crackdown, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh on foot and by boat amid shelling, indiscriminate killings and other violence. Bangladesh opened its border and eventually allowed more than 700,000 refugees to take shelter, in addition to more than 300,000 Rohingya who had already been living in the country for decades after earlier violence by Myanmar's military and other forces. In recent years, the security situation in Rakhine has become more volatile, with the insurgent Arakan Army, which is fighting Myanmar government forces, taking control of the state.

Rohingya refugee leader Sayed Ullah said on Tuesday, "Whether it is the Arakan Army or the Myanmar military, as long as they continue playing this double game, the situation in Arakan, or Rakhine, will not become safe. Does that mean we are expected to remain here for another 50 years," using the old name for Rakhine. He added, "We cannot stay here for 50 years. Given the current situation in Arakan, we need to determine how an environment conducive to peace can be created." The rally underlined the refugees' continued demand for a safe return, even as repatriation efforts remain stalled and conditions in Rakhine stay uncertain.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends