Facing an uncertain future
The Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
During 1991 and 1992, more than 250 000 Rohingya Muslims sought refuge
in Bangladesh from persecution by the army in Burma. Since then the bulk
of them have been repatriated, but around 21 000 refugees remain in camps
under difficult conditions.
The Dhaka University-based Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit
has studied Rohingya refugees for the past six years, carrying out field
research on voluntary repatriation, the role of various agencies in refugee
management and the vulnerability and coping mechanisms of Rohingya refugee
women.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided
the refugees with dry rations, clothes and fuel for cooking but field
findings suggest that the refugees do not consider these adequate for
their needs. Nor are camp conditions particularly healthy. They live in
congested spaces with limited water and sanitary services, and access
to education has been restricted. Almost 60 per cent of children and 53
per cent of adults were reportedly suffering from chronic malnutrition.
The refugees’ movement has been restricted and they have not been
allowed to seek employment or engage in any activities outside the camps.
Furthermore, it was not until mid 1996 that formal schooling was allowed
in some camps.
The Bangladeshi Government has always insisted that this offer of asylum
was temporary and has encouraged an immediate return to Burma. However,
the refugees are reluctant as forced labour and the violation of rights
is still common in Burma. The UNHCR has suggested they should be settled
temporarily – entailing dismantling the camps and allowing them
to earn a living in Bangladesh – due to:
- the unwillingness of the Burmese authorities to accept the return
of the remainder of the refugees
- the reluctance of the refugees to return to a situation where forced
labour and the violation of rights is still common
- the donors’ unwillingness to fund the Rohingya operation indefinitely,
where no durable solution is in sight.
Implications for policy are:
- To help the refugees make an informed choice about their situation,
they should be provided with credible information on conditions in Burma,
particularly in the Arakan state.
- Camp authorities should not take any action that coerces refugees
to ‘volunteer’ for repatriation and the UNHCR should ensure
that the voluntary nature of repatriation is respected.
- Donors should not insist on solutions that ultimately compromise
refugee protection.
Choudhury R. Abrar
Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit
Room 4020
Arts Building
University of Dhaka
Ramna
Dhaka 1000
Bangladesh
T +880 2 9661920 Ext 4483
F +880 2 8615583
cabrar@citechco.net or
rmmru@aitlbd.net
See also
‘Dynamics and Transformations of Government, NGO and UNHCR Relationships
in the Rohingya Refugee Operation’, in On the Margin: Refugees,
Migrants and Minorities, Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit,
Dhaka, C. R. Abrar (ed), 2000
‘Coping Mechanism and Vulnerability of Rohingya Refugee Women’,
in Social Science Review, Dhaka University, by Syeda Rozana Rashid, forthcoming
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