Raj Abrar: A new study on repatriation of the refugees has revealed that nearly 70% of Rohingyas living in various camps in Bangladesh do not believe that the Myanmar government would eventually recognize their rights.
About 98% of the respondents are scared of returning to Myanmar while almost all of them (98.98%) believed that they would face discrimination upon their return.
However, 30% were more optimistic, reported The Financial Times.
According to the study, men were more pessimistic than women in general, with 87% of men compared to 55% of women.
The survey was conducted by Xchange Foundation in 2018 during April-May and published in May this year. Statements of over 1,700 Rohingya refugees during the survey were collected in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh.
There was a large disparity between camps over the belief that their rights will be recognized in Myanmar if they return; overall, interviewees from the south – Nayapara (98.6%), Jadimura (96%), Shamlapur (85%), Baghonna (98%) – were pessimistic, with over four out of five respondents believing that the Myanmar government would never recognize their rights.
However, in Chakmarkul and Unchiprang, more respondents believed their rights would be recognized (52% and 54% in each camp respectively).
Overall, 97.5 % of the Rohingya population would consider returning to Myanmar.
Nevertheless, almost all the respondents (99%), said they would go back only if certain conditions were met, with the majority mentioning citizenship of Myanmar with acknowledgement that they are Rohingyas, freedom of movement and religion, and their rights and dignity restored.
Meanwhile, about 62% of respondents believed that the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar were not cooperating well on the situation of the Rohingyas.