DIPLOMATIC INTIATIVE UNDERWAY TO RESOLVE ROHINGYA ISSUES

By Shafiqul Bashar

DHAKA, June 30 (Bernama) -- Diplomatic initiatives are underway for a
permanent solution of the two-decade-old Rohingya refugee problem between
Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Rohingyas, belonging to an ethnic group of northern Myanmar, started
entering into Bangladesh territory from early 1980s for shelter due to
unfavourable social and political situation in their homeland Arakan province.

Over 250,000 Rohingyas, mostly Muslims, were registered as refugees between
1991 and 1992 and given shelter at camps in Bangladesh with the assistance of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Following negotiations between Dhaka and Yangon, over 230,000 Rohingya
refugees returned to their homeland in phases with the help of UNHCR.

However, over 20,000 refugees remained at the camps.

On June 27, Bangladesh minister for disaster management Abur Razzak met
UNHCR representative Pia Prytz Phiri in Dhaka and discussed the repatriation of
the Rohingya refugees.

"The Rohingya problem is an extra-burden for a disaster-prone country like
Bangladesh.

"This problem needs a quick solution and Bangladesh wants Rohingya refugees
to go back to their country," the minister said, adding that diplomatic
initiatives were underway to resolve the problem.

Praising Bangladesh for giving shelter to Rohingya refugees, the UNHCR
representative described the Rohingya problem as a regional problem and said
that joint initiatives by Bangladesh and Myanmar were needed to resolve the
problem.

-- BERNAMA