By Myo Myint and Mi Mi Phyo (MNA)
U Zaw Htay, Director-General of the Ministry of the State Counsellor Office. Photo: MNA
After the meeting of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), journalists made enquiries concerning the provision of humanitarian aid in Rakhine State to U Zaw Htay, Director-General of the Ministry of the State Counsellor Office.
U Zaw Htay replied, “We are negotiating with Bangladesh concerning the Rakhine State affairs. What we want to say is that we have been ready to launch the repatriation process. The State Counsellor herself publicised to the world officially. On our side, we have been ready to accept anytime. Further negotiations must be made. Now we felt concerned for the delayed process. That is because we have said we will accept anytime, and then Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe went to Bangladesh. Then, State Counsellor has said the process will be based on the 1993 agreement. After the Union Minister’s visit, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs from Bangladesh were invited to visit Myanmar. The Minister for Home Affairs alone came.
Last week the ministerial meeting was held in Nay Pyi Taw, signing an MoU from both sides. But concerning the acceptance, we did not reach an agreement yet. We are ready to start, but the other side did not agree yet, and the process was delayed. This is the No. 1 fact. Secondly, acceptance of people under the 1993 agreement was managed successfully two times. Believing that this will work, we approached in this way, but we did not get the nod from Bangladesh. Only if the first step had been successful, can successive approaches be made.”
The Director General added, “The cause of the delay is attributed to the matter of building the world’s biggest refugee camps. And, in Geneva, Switzerland several hundred millions of dollars has been donated. Currently they have got nearly US$400 million. Over their receipt of this amount, we are now afraid of delaying the programme of deporting the refugees. They have got international subsidies. We are now afraid that they would have another consideration as to repatriation. Yet, we will continue to negotiate and accept as soon as possible. In accepting them, we have designated two places for acceptance and for scrutiny. Based on the 1993 agreement as agreed by Bangladesh and Myanmar, we will accept. Under the investigation, if they are found to be true that they have lived on our side, they will be sent to their original places. Construction of villages is under way. For now, it was started at Khonedine where the Mro nationals had fled and their houses were burnt down. But safer places were arranged for them.”
“Now we will implement for the third time based on negotiation results between the two countries and rules and regulations. We will make non-stop. As it is, we are concerned that the process would delay. If the delay lasts long, we are afraid, we are intentionally making as we would not like to accept them. Here what we want to emphasise is that Myanmar Police Maj General demanded the list of the people who had been in Bangladesh during the Bangladesh’s Minister for Home during his visit, but until now we did not get the list. They replied they will send the list by e-mail. That is of great importance. That is because we have had actual amount lists. According to the news media, the amount reached nearly one million. This is completely impossible. If it will have been received, it will be more convenient for us to deal with. We have evidence enough at our immigration department. First we felt worried it will delay. Secondly we haven’t received the list we demanded. We will accept at Taungpyo Letwe and Ngakhura. We have three major processes as formed by the Union Project. One for acceptance under the principle of humanitarianism. Two for resettlement and rehabilitation and Three for regional development and freedom from conflicts forever. We will implement the three processes, inviting international communities that would like to help.
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