Rohingya Repression: Myanmar probe team arrives in Cox’s Bazar

A team from Myanmar’s Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) has arrived in Cox’s Bazar to interview 150 to 200 Rohingya refugees.

The Myanmar government has formed the ICOE to probe into the repression of Rohingyas. The delegation of the commission came to Bangladesh on a four-day visit on Saturday.

Former ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kenzo Oshima is leading the ICOE team.

However, it is presumed that the Rohingyas would not give interviews to the team without the assurance of adequate security and safety for their repatriation in Myanmar.

Mohammad Abul Kalam, Cox’s Bazar’s Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation commissioner, said, “It would be tough to take interviews on behalf of the ‘Independent Commission of Enquiry’ team if the Rohingyas do not get assurance of security and safety. So, we told the delegation about the concerns of the Rohingyas interviewees and the delegation assured us that the interviews will be taken with due consideration.”

He added that there was a meeting between the local administration and the ICOE team at the Cox’s Bazar Refugee, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner’s office at 4:00pm on Monday.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas, most of whom entered the country since August 25, 2017.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed the repatriation deal on November 23, 2017.

On January 16, 2018, Bangladesh and Myanmar inked a document -- “Physical Arrangement”-- to facilitate the return of the Rohingyas refugees to their homeland.

The “Physical Arrangement” stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years after it begins.