Japan wants guarantee of Rohingya safe return

Japanese’s foreign minister has urged Myanmar’s civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to guarantee the safe and voluntary return of Rohingya Muslims who have fled violence in troubled Rakhine state.

The Japanese government announced a grant of £2.2 million to Myanmar’s government to help facilitate the repatriation of the Rohingya during foreign minister Taro Kono’s visit.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement on the repatriation of Rohingya refugees on 23 November.

Myanmar said it would start the process by 23 January. The extent of the repatriation remains unclear.

Mr Kono’s three-day visit to Myanmar includes travelling to Rakhine state. Humanitarian groups are prohibited from travelling to the area freely.

More than 650,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape a brutal crackdown in which security forces have been accused of systematic abuses tantamount to ethnic cleansing.