Better times lie ahead for the Rohingyas

It is heartening that Bangladesh and Myanmar have signed a memorandum of understanding on the return of the Rohingya people who had been herded out of the Rakhine region of Myanmar as refugees in extreme poverty and deprivation in the wake of a military crackdown. At least 6,00,000 Rohingyas had fled Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh since the army started an operation in August last following an attack by Rohingya militants. India too was an affected country to which thousands had fled and there were intelligence inputs and apprehensions that the Rohingyas posed a threat to India’s security since some of them had been engaged by Pakistani terror groups. Bangladesh wanted a time frame for the beginning and end of repatriation which Myanmar did not agree to. Dhaka also sought the involvement of UN agencies in the verification process, which too was rejected by the other side. In the light of these, India would have to watch with a hawk eye how the repatriation process, that is to start in a few weeks, progresses. Since most Rohingya houses had been torched, the process of rebuilding would have to be taken up on priority before they can be settled there.

It is not unnatural that concerns have been raised about the process of resettlement including where the minority will be resettled after hundreds of their villages were razed, and how their safety will be ensured in a country where anti-Muslim sentiment is surging. The cold reality is that the Rohingyas were systematically oppressed by the government, which stripped the minority of citizenship and severely restricted their movement, as well as their access to basic services before their exodus began. On Wednesday, the US called the military operation in Rakhine "ethnic cleansing” and threatened targeted sanctions against those responsible for it. While some sinister forces may have infiltrated the ranks of the Rohingyas, it cannot be denied that Fate has given most of them a very raw deal. Among the refugees are women and children who have been the victim of adverse circumstances. While India must lend all support to Bangladesh in sending back the Rohingyas, those who came into India must also be moved back to their original area and a strict watch must be kept on mischief-mongers who may try to use some of them for subversive activities against this country.