Rohingya report needs a road map for repatriation

Iwas eagerly waiting for Bob Rae’s assessment and report on the Rohingya refugees and their repatriation to Myanmar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Rae, a former premier of Ontario, as Canada’s Rohingya envoy on Oct. 23.

He has been tasked with engaging in diplomacy to address the ongoing violence and advising the prime minister on how Canada should support aid efforts in the region. Rae is, therefore, the point man for the federal government on the Rohingya crisis. His report and recommendations will form the basis for future policy and actions by the Canadian government and, additionally, are expected to mobilize international opinion and support to finding a just solution for the Rohingyas.

Unfortunately, Rae issued an interim report largely focusing on the nature of the issue without any road map for resolving this massive humanitarian crisis. A final report will be submitted only after another round of discussion and dialogue with Bangladesh, Myanmar and regional and international partners in January. The interim report summarizes his views and observations on the crisis, based on his visits to Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, joint meetings with Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar, and finally meetings with officials at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The report focuses on three important areas. First is the humanitarian crisis resulting from the recent exodus of close to 800,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar into Bangladesh and another 120,000 in abusive camp life in Rakhine state. Second is the need to ensure the return of refugees to their homes with full political and social rights denied to them by the largely Buddhist state. Finally, a proper and credible investigation of what happened, through systematic gathering of evidence of wrongdoing by the Myanmar state, will be needed.

The report underscores the need to inquire into the ethnic cleansings and slaughtering of close to 7,000 people, including children, according to the aid group Doctors Without Borders. It is laudable that Rae recommended an independent assessment into allegations of crimes against humanity. Every survivor of the atrocities by the military crackdown has harrowing memories of death, rape or fire. The interim report drew particular attention to the plight of women and their accounts of sexual violence and abuse at the hands of the Myanmar military and security forces.

While the recent bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar for repatriation of refugees is a positive first step, this will not be enough for voluntary repatriation of the refugees due to lack of basic protection, security and human rights for Rohingyas in Myanmar. The international community must be involved and engaged in addressing the issues and create safer conditions for repatriation. Rae rightly observed that there is no room for a quick fix or rapid repatriation.

The interim report describes in greater details the squalid conditions in the makeshift refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The camps are deplorably overcrowded and pose threats to human health and well-being. The refugees need proper shelter, clothing, food, medicine and other social infrastructure and support services in the camps. The level of international support and resources are totally inadequate. To date, Canada has pledged $25 million in humanitarian assistance, contributing to the UN’s appeal for $434 million before February. Canada indeed can and should do more to deal with this humanitarian crisis.

Canadians expect more from Rae in this challenging mission. First, Rae should involve and engage countries like China, India, Japan and other regional and international partners to put pressure on the military and security services in Myanmar. Second, if the Myanmar regime is unwilling to allow international investigations, Rae should strongly recommend to the Canadian government revoking Aung San Suu Kyi’s honorary Canadian citizenship. Third, he should work for more Canadian and international aid and support for refugees in Bangladesh. Fourth, he should recommend strongly to the government of Canada for Rohingya refugee resettlement in Canada on humanitarian ground and submit, in collaboration with the UNHCR, plans for refugee resettlement. Finally, in his final report, Rae should recommend both short- and long-term road maps for repatriation of refugees in Myanmar with dignity and honour.

Mohammad Zaman is an international development and resettlement specialist who lives in Vancouver.