Bangladesh, Myanmar ministers sit in Beijing as China starts mediating Rohingya repatriation

[Homo Sapiens]

https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/201...-china-starts-mediating-rohingya-repatriation

Bangladesh, Myanmar ministers sit in Beijing as China starts mediating Rohingya repatriation
Senior Correspondent bdnews24.com

Published: 2018-07-08 17:06:36.0 BdST Updated: 2018-07-08 17:06:36.0 BdST

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China believes that starting the Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh is the “most urgent” issue right now.




Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed during an informal meeting in Beijing that they should try to improve the situation in the Rakhine State in three steps – to stop violence, to start repatriation as soon as possible and to promote local development, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Zuo said on Sunday.

Myanmar’s Union Minister for the State Counsellor's Office Kyaw Tint Swe and Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali met in the last week of June.

Apart from the individual bilateral meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a meeting with both of them.

China, which has very close economic and diplomatic ties with Myanmar, has been maintaining that it wants to play a ‘constructive’ role to resolve the crisis after the Aug 25 military crackdown last year in Rakhine State following which over 700,000 Muslim Rohingya fled into Bangladesh.

China, however, vetoed in the UN Security Council to prevent any resolution against Myanmar.

The ambassador earlier said China has ‘no personal interest’ in the Rohingya episode and was making a “genuine effort” to help Bangladesh and Myanmar solve the problem.

The Chinese foreign minister also visited Bangladesh after the exodus.

Ambassador Zhang Zuo said the “informal” meeting in Beijing was “fruitful”.

On the basis of the Bangladesh-Myanmar agreement, he said, “China will try to promote the negotiation process between Myanmar and Bangladesh to find a common solution to the Rohingya crisis.”

This is “good” for the relations of Bangladesh and Myanmar and also “good” for the security and peace of the region, he said replying to questions after a media workshop at the embassy in Dhaka on Sunday.

“The second is that the most urgent issue is right now is to start repatriation,” he said, emphasising practical steps in early repatriation.

China is willing to provide help and assistance for the improvements of situation in the Rakhine State including humanitarian assistance and also construction of different structures, said Zhang Zuo.

Both countries should make full use of their respective advantages to cooperate in the development of border areas and the livelihood of the local people, he said.

The envoy also called upon the journalists to give a “comprehensive view” of the relations between Bangladesh and China and Bangladesh and Myanmar of “misinterpretation” because of one particular issue.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu was present as chief guest at the workshop attended by editors and senior journalists.

 

[Sugarcane]

Interesting that meeting is not happening in capital of Universal Super Power who claim South Asia (Minus Pakistan of course) as her exclusive matter.

 

[bluesky]

“The second is that the most urgent issue is right now is to start repatriation,” he said, emphasising practical steps in early repatriation.

A repatriation is not sustainable unless the Rohingyas are given Burmese nationality. A repatriation without such a clause will only cause recurrence of forced exodus of the Rohingyas by the Burmese government troops. They must be given equal rights accorded to other non-Rohingya citizens.

One can note the three parties are not talking about citizenship. To me, it is just another superficial diplomatic talk without much essence. Or is it just a get-together party?

 

[asgur]

As long as this issue is not resolved, bullies will use this as leverage. There will be no winner here neither MM nor BD except some ego boasting ans chest thumping.
In the meantime we won't have chance to look beyond ourselves because we are too busy fighting with each other. This is what they want.

I am sure both BD and MM govt are interested in better future for their people.
Let us come to a peaceful solution and let's focus on bullies.

#far bigger chaos ahead

 

[Species]

A repatriation is not sustainable unless the Rohingyas are given Burmese nationality. A repatriation without such a clause will only cause recurrence of forced exodus of the Rohingyas by the Burmese government troops. They must be given equal rights accorded to other non-Rohingya citizens.

One can note the three parties are not talking about citizenship. To me, it is just another superficial diplomatic talk without much essence. Or is it just a get-together party?

I don't think they will be given citizenship right away. The situation is quite complex out there because of the propaganda by the military and the monks.

The most important thing to do right now is the safe repatriation of the Rohingyas and ensure their basic rights like freedom of movement, education, employment etc. Presence of UN and other agencies in Rakhine will ensure that.

Citizenship will be a gradual process but today or tomorrow the Rohingyas will surely be granted Myanmar citizenship. The main obstacle is the Burmese military. We need to ensure that their influence in Myanmar's governance and society minimises and the civilian government becomes stronger. This is already under way after the evidence of atrocities committed by the military became public.

Suu Kyi is western educated so she must have certain liberal perceptions. She will start to advocate citizenship for Rohingyas once the influence of the military gets diminished.