Iftekharuzzaman demands Myanmar's 'secret deal' be made public

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday demanded that the full information of the "secret memorandum of understanding (MoU)" -- signed between the Myanmar government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) over Rohingya repatriation -- be made public.

Issuing a statement, the Bangladesh chapter of the global anti-graft watchdog also called for ensuring transparency of all issues related to the repatriation process.

Referring to information leaked in international media, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said the MoU is contradictory to the Rohingyas' longstanding demand for citizenship right as “Myanmar nationals” and their freedom of movement throughout the country, which are prerequisites to creating favourable environment for repatriation.

“Such agreement is nothing but a conspiracy for making Rohingyas a burden for Bangladesh, after crushing the possibility of their repatriation,” he said in the statement.

As full information of the secret MoU is not made public, UN's role over the torture by Myanmar authority, especially by its army, and on Rohingya repatriation has become questionable here, which was also reflected in a recent statement of UN Special Rapporteur to Myanmar Yanghee Lee, he said.

Terming such secret agreement as “self-contradictory and immoral”, Iftekharuzzaman said it only highlighted the UN's failure in Rohingya repatriation and questioned its sincerity to protect human rights.

The expert report cites about the possibility of torture and genocide on the Rohingyas well before the Rohingyas' latest influx into Bangladesh, he said in the statement.