Myanmar's failed PR effort

The Myanmar authorities announced on Sunday that they had repatriated the first Rohingya family from Bangladesh. As reported by media, the repatriation was, in fact, an act of deception. The family in question was linked to the authorities, reported The Daily Star, while Rohingya Blogger, a Europe-based platform of Rohingya activists, linked the family to the administrator of a village that was selected as the entry point for the returning Rohingyas.

Bangladesh called this repatriation effort an “eyewash” and “propaganda”, while rights groups termed it “a PR effort”. Myanmar has proved that they are not honest even in a symbolic single repatriation. How can the world trust them with the repatriating of a million more?

Manzur Alam, By e-mail