Tuesday, February 20, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Travel Curbs Imposed on Ethnic Wa in Shan State

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 05:11 AM PST

Government authorities are restricting ethnic Wa people who live in northern Shan State from traveling to Kyaingtong and other major towns in eastern parts of the state, according to local sources.

There are two main roads for ethnic Wa traveling to Kyaingtong in eastern Shan State and Tachilek on the Thai-Burmese border. But since early this month, authorities have been checking the ID cards of travellers and barring further travel along the routes if the holder is ethnic Wa, according to complaints lodged with the United Wa State Army.

"They still cannot travel. We haven't heard anything about them being allowed to travel," said Nyi Rang, a UWSA spokesperson based in Lashio in northern Shan State.

There are about 900,000 ethnic Wa living in Special Region 2 in northern Shan State. In the past, they have freely traveled to Kyaingtong and Tackhilek for medical treatment or to trade goods, using ID cards issued by Myanmar immigration.

The authorities, including the police, army, and immigration, have not offered any detailed explanation as to why they have restricted Wa people from traveling, including those in need of urgent medical treatment.

"Immigration issued the ID cards for our Wa people to travel. But they are useless now," said Nyi Rang.

"We are starting to think they view our Wa people as foreigners," he added.

The UWSA is the largest ethnic armed force in Myanmar with over 40,000 men under arms in the Wa region, although it currently has a ceasefire agreement with the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw.

The government and military have urged the UWSA to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), but the group has asked for the NCA to be amended to bring it in line with an agreement it signed with members of the Northern Alliance. The UWSA also wants to bring all Northern Alliance members into the peace process.

Meetings to discuss the peace process have been held several times between the Myanmar military and UWSA leaders in Panghsang the capital of Wa State, and also in China. However, no agreement could be reached.

The Irrawaddy asked U Aung Soe from the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) why Wa people were being restricted from traveling and he said the order had come from the Tatmadaw. "They allowed local people to travel before, but now they are blocking them."

"Our country is working to have peace, but this action will damage peace," said Nyi Rang. "It is totally different from their slogans about seeking peace. Instead, their actions will destroy peace."

The UWSA's position is that political conflict can be solved only by political dialogue, he said.

UWSA leaders have asked the authorities why Wa people were being preventing from traveling, but the officials have simply said the order came from the top, while providing no further explanation.

"It is very clear to see they are passing the ball from one to another, and they will not give us the full reason. They put restrictions on our people, and they discriminate against them. Their actions could have many bad consequences in the future," Nyi Rang said.

The post Travel Curbs Imposed on Ethnic Wa in Shan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

88 Activist Says Awareness, Not Execution, is Key to Tackling Rape

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 04:34 AM PST

The sexual abuse of women and children in Myanmar has been on the rise for the past few years. There were 1,405 reported rape cases across the country last year alone, 897 of them involving girls less than 16 years old, the highest number on record.

On Feb. 15, in response to the rising numbers, the Home Affairs Ministry asked the public to cooperate with police to combat rape, listing alcohol and drug abuse, ignorance and easy access to internet porn among the main drivers.

The ministry also urged parents, elders and media to encourage women and girls to dress modestly, a recommendation that quickly drew criticism for victim blaming.

There have also been mounting calls for capital punishment for rapists following the rape of multiple children since January, including an attack that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old girl.

Daw Nilar Thein, who oversees women’s and children’s affairs for the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society, spoke recently with The Irrawaddy's Nyein Nyein about options for deterring and punishing rapists.

The number of child rape cases has increased significantly, and there have been calls for capital punishment for rapists. Do you think that’s the right answer?

The most important thing in our country is to have the rule of law. Maximum punishment should be imposed in child rape cases. But the death penalty is not an answer. We need to consider the reasons behind the high number of rape cases.

We need to impose harsh penalties on rapists. The punishment must be an effective deterrent. Though the death penalty is applied in our country, there are many cases in which death sentences are commuted with amnesty.

When rapists return to society, they continue to commit crimes and harm society. So we need to think about how to make sure the punishment handed down is strictly administered. Second, there is a need for society to take good care of children. Even if the social welfare departments at different levels can't do that, civil society organizations and society need to take great care of children.

Because people today have fewer job opportunities and have to struggle for their livelihoods, they can't bother to pay attention to things happening around them. Much of society has an onlooker's attitude and society is largely deteriorating, so rape cases occur as a consequence.

Some blame the victims for being raped. They criticize the way women dress. How urgently does public perception about this need to change?

The lack of knowledge is a real problem in society. We can't blame attire as the main cause. The mind of a rapist is not normal. We need to think about it. But I don't want people to do victim blaming.

In our society, there are many people who molest women, whether they are in Myanmar clothes [longyi] or long pants or short pants, or on board a public bus. They are people who ignore social ethics.

A lack of morals is a pressing issue we are facing. Many women today face being molested on buses, not to mention other places. The main reason is poor morals.

More women victims are now reporting their experiences on social media, so we know about them. But what are the dangers of social media?

In our country people now have mobile phones, and many tend to watch porn movies online rather than studying good things. It used to be difficult to rent porn movies. Not every movie rental shop rented porn movies, and harsh action was taken against movie rental shops that did rent porn movies.

But now, with access to the internet, [potential rapists] can watch [porn movies] easily on the internet, and the consequence is that [women] of any age living near them fall victim.

Now we have easy access to sexual information, where before there was hardly any sexual and reproductive health education. How long will it take our society to accept reproductive education in the school system?

It is not easy for everyone to accept sexual education. It is a taboo subject in our country. We have yet to get rid of the entrenched attitude that girls should not listen to sexual education. This attitude is deeply rooted in our country. I'm afraid it will be quite difficult to change in the next 10 years.

Speaking of child rape, people usually focus on prevention for girls. But aren't boys also vulnerable to rape? How worrying is it?

Speaking of child rape, it concerns both boys and girls. You can't neglect it because it is a male-on-male offense. And you shouldn't think that there won't be male-on-male rape cases. We need to make it clear that there are harsh punishments for offenders whether they abuse a boy or a girl. If parents keep silent about male-on-male sexual offenses because of shame or fear or because they think it doesn't matter, the situation will get worse, as with the rape of girls.

Though there have been calls to change existing laws, the civilian government has yet to change them. What do you want to say about that?

We understand that there are a lot of difficulties with chancing those laws. Mainly we have been calling for constitutional change. We can't just sit and do nothing, thinking that we can't change it because of that 25 percent of seats [held by the military in Parliament]. We have to try to change the Constitution as best we can.

Another thing is that any existing law and amended law must take effect. Any change to the letter of the law doesn't matter. A major problem in our country is that laws are inactive. Therefore, there is no rule of law, and consequently it is easy to hit and kill people. It is very easy for people to commit crimes.

We have to make sure people are aware of the punishments and that they are afraid of those punishments. Laws must be active. Otherwise, not everyone is reluctant to hit and kill other people. This is the main reason for child rape cases.

Some organizations are conducting campaigns to broaden knowledge and awareness. What are the challenges to raising awareness on a wider scale?

Public interest is important in conducting awareness campaigns. As I have said, when people think the topic is not their concern, the campaign will not be successful no matter how keen the educators are. So we need to find ways to attract their attention. We have to work with great patience to make the entire society understand that they should know about this, that it is not a shameful subject and that it concerns them all.

For example, we need to start [awareness campaigns] at the ward and village levels, and then the township level and so on. Awareness in Yangon alone is not enough. I want the entire society to know about this issue. When everyone knows and understands it, they will join hands to prevent it. The bigger the prevention effort, the lower the number of offenders.

In Myanmar, people forget whatever was the talk of the town after six months or a year. What attitude do we need to get things done?

We should not focus on temporary issues that pop up. Our association mainly engages in human rights. People are very unhappy about going to court. Why? The rule of law in our country doesn't protect citizens. In many cases the aggrieved party gets discouraged. Those who have more money win lawsuits. It is quite sad. But there have been cases where justice was served.

To put it in a nutshell, we must always be aware of certain things such as human trafficking and the sexual abuse of children.

Some cases have gone unreported and ended in tragedy. But when a particular issue is highlighted, we need to have political awareness. It would be very good if the entire society were to join hands in good faith to address this issue.

But it is very important that [certain groups] not play with those issues in a political ploy. Now, most people can look at both sides of a story and make their judgements, and they are not easily swayed.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post 88 Activist Says Awareness, Not Execution, is Key to Tackling Rape appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Protesters May Be Required to Identify Funding Sources

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 04:09 AM PST

YANGON — A newly proposed amendment to the country's protest law would require protesters to inform authorities of the estimated cost of any planned demonstration, and designate the person or organization who will pay for it.

Upper House Bill Committee secretary Dr. Myat Nyana Soe submitted a bill proposing the amendment during Monday's parliamentary session.

The Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law was originally enacted in 2011 under the previous military-backed government. Critics of the legislation say it has been used by authorities as a tool to crack down on peaceful protest by imprisoning demonstrators.

Amid calls by rights groups for its abolition, the controversial law was amended in 2014 and again in 2016. The latter change was made under the current National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government.

Under the draft bill distributed to lawmakers on Monday, Article 4 (d) of the legislation would require would-be protesters planning peaceful assemblies and processions to inform police in advance of not only their agenda and estimated numbers, but also the estimated costs and the identity of the person or organization who will cover the cost.

It also adds a new provision to the Offenses and Penalties chapter of the law prescribing a prison sentence of up to three years for provoking or exhorting others to organize or participate in demonstrations by bribing or paying them money or doing anything else with the intention of harming the stability, rule of law, peace and tranquility of the community and public morality.

Lawmaker U Ba Myo Thein told The Irrawaddy he believed the amendments would not impact peaceful protesters. He said it was aimed at those who would mastermind demonstrations with hidden agendas.

"There are some who exploit people's rights to peaceful assembly and processions. I think [the aim of the amendments is] to prevent that," the lawmaker said.

The bill will be debated during the upcoming parliamentary sessions.

The post Protesters May Be Required to Identify Funding Sources appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

10-Year Plan Aims to Save Myanmar’s Wild Elephants from Poachers

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 04:00 AM PST

YANGON — Amid a rise in illegal poaching of wild elephants in Myanmar, the government last week launched an action plan to protect the animals, supported by international and local organizations.

The Myanmar Elephant Conservation Action Plan (MECAP) lays out a focused elephant conservation strategy for the next 10 years (2018–27) with the overall aim of securing viable and ecologically functional elephant populations in Myanmar for the next century and beyond.

MECAP, led by the Forest Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC), was developed in collaboration with eight government departments and agencies, including the Myanmar Timber Enterprise, the largest owner of elephants in the country.

The development process was supported by international and local experts and organizations including the Wildlife Conservation Society, WWF, Fauna & Flora International, the International Elephant Foundation, Elephant Family, Friends of Wildlife, and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

According to a press release, the action plan is focused on the protection of the country's wild elephants and their habitat; mitigation of human and elephant conflict; combating illegal trade in elephants and their body parts; and management of captive elephants and captive-wild elephant interactions.

The action plan's launch comes at a time when wild elephants have been pushed to the brink of extinction by poaching to fuel the trade in the animals' body parts, especially in China.

The issue was raised in Parliament on Wednesday by National League for Democracy lawmaker Naw Susana Hla Hla Soe, who urged the government to take serious action against elephant poaching, particularly for the purpose of supplying materials for elephant skin beads in China.

"Their skin and other body parts are in high demand so that elephants are … targeted," she said.

The lawmaker said male elephants are targeted for their ivory, while females and calves are now targeted for their skins, adding that there is a danger of Myanmar's wild elephant population disappearing within a few years.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, 18 wild elephants were poached in 2016, and 30 were killed last year. The current population is estimated at 1,400-2,000, compared to 10,000 in 1997.

"According to estimates, one of Myanmar's elephants is killed every week in the wild. If this pace continues, Myanmar will lose its wild elephants within a few years," said Christy Williams, country director of WWF-Myanmar.

In a foreword to the action plan, U Ohn Winn, MONREC minister, said the government is committed to fully implementing MECAP. "Time for action is short, but we owe it to history and future generations to show that we took responsibility for our elephants and other wildlife through carrying out the actions and recommendations of the MECAP," he writes.

In support of MECAP and in response to elephant poaching in Myanmar, local and international organizations including WCS, WWF, Friends of Wildlife and SCBI launched an awareness-raising campaign, "Voices for Momos", in Myanmar in November last year. The campaign is named after a popular 64-year-old elephant in the Yangon Zoo whose name has become virtually synonymous with elephants among Myanmar children. It calls on individuals and organizations to use their voices to speak up for the animals.

The post 10-Year Plan Aims to Save Myanmar's Wild Elephants from Poachers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 12:33 AM PST

One Championship

Hometown hero Aung La N Sang will fight Brazilian Alexandre Machado for the light heavyweight world championship.

Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Thuwunna Indoor Stadium. Tickets are 10,000 to 200,000 kyats here.

Mun Awng Solo

The Kachin singer will perform for his fans.

Feb. 24, 7 p.m. National Museum, Myoma Kyaung Street. Tickets are 10,000 to 50,000 kyats. Tel: 09-790144158.

Japan-Myanmar Pwe Taw 2018

Burmese singers and Japanese bands will perform at this event.

Feb. 24, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thuwuna Bumi Event Park. Free admission.

The Showcase

Yangon's rising musical talents will perform their original compositions. A night on which a variety of genres and arts will meet on the same stage under the same sky.

Feb. 22, 8.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. Atlas Rooftop Bar & Lounge, 84 Pan Hlaing Road, Sanchaung Township. Tel: 09-767419413.

Exhibition: Burmese Photographers

More than 10,000 images will be on display — a mix of studio photographs, amateur and private photos, and press and advertising materials dating back more than 100 years.

Feb. 18 to March 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Secretariat Building (east wing), Theinbyu Street. Free Admission.

Comedy Night at Jazz in Time

Jazz In Time Music Bar & Comedy Club Yangon presents the very first Standup Comedy Night of 2018.

Feb. 21, 8 p.m. Jazz In Time Music Bar, G-01 Bo Myat Tun Tower, Bo Myat Tun Street, Botahtaung Township. Tel: 09-454500447. Free entry.

Yangon Book Street

Theinbyu Street turns out piles of books for bookworms.

Every weekend. Theinbyu Street.

10th Yangon Photo Festival

The works of nine Myanmar photographers under the supervision of Beatrice Minda will reveal the lives of old buildings and their memories.

Feb. 22 to March 25. River Gallery, Chindwin Chambers, 33/35, 37th and 38th streets. Free admission.

FELA's Art Exhibition

This art exhibition features the Myanmar-style modernist works of the late artist FELA.

Feb. 23 to 27. OK Art Gallery, Aung San Stadium (north wing).

Centenary of Myanmar Contemporary Art

This event will feature the classic works of legendary artists and the award-winning works of young artists.

Feb. 27 to 28. National Museum, Myoma Kyaung Street. Free admission.

The post Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

State Companies Holding About $9 Billion in Cash

Posted: 20 Feb 2018 12:02 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — According to the 2018 budget proposed by the government to the Union Parliament last week, there are 25 state-owned economic enterprises (SEEs) in Myanmar authorized to keep other accounts (OAs), which hold around $9 billion.

The government retains exclusive rights to conduct business in certain sectors, including the extractive industry. These are outlined in the State-Owned Economic Enterprises Law enacted in 1989 under the military regime. The law allows local and foreign investors to conduct business in these sectors through contracts or joint venture agreements with the government.

The Lower House on Nov. 23 approved a proposal to ensure transparency in the country's extractive industries and transfer revenue of enterprises under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation into the Union budget.

During the debate, lawmakers pointed out that the ministry has more than 10 trillion kyats (US$7.3 billion) in its accounts — far more than the combined budgets for health and education in fiscal 2017-18.

They said that only about half of the ministry's revenue goes to the Union budget, while the rest is kept by the ministry in a manner that lacks transparency.

"Enterprises that have other accounts will no longer be allowed to use that money as they like. They will need to seek the approval of the cabinet," said Lower House MP U Lwin Ko Latt.

According to lawmakers, this is the first time the issue of OAs has been discussed during debate on the budget bill, allowing them to be informed about how many accounts there are and how much money is kept in them.

"But we have yet to try to return all that money into the Union budget," Pobbathiri Township MP U Yi Mon told The Irrawaddy.

"The government will explain to the parliament how that money was used in a few days," he said.

According to Parliament's Joint Public Accounts Committee, the News and Periodicals Enterprise of the Information Ministry, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications, Myanma Timber Enterprise, No. 1 Mining Industry, No. 2 Mining Industry, Myanma Gems Enterprise, Myanma Pearl Enterprise, and Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise have other accounts and operate with their own funds.

Other government enterprises that have OAs while also spend Union funds include Inland Water Transport, Road Transport Services, Myanma Railways, Myanmar Post, Electricity Supply Enterprise, Myanma Petrochemicals Enterprise, No. 3 Heavy Industry, No. 2 Heavy Industry, No. 3 Heavy Industry, and Myanmar Pharmaceuticals Enterprise.

Despite having OAs, Inland Water Transport reported a loss of over 4 billion kyats last fiscal year, Myanma Railways over 38 billion kyats, Road Transport Services over 1 billion kyats, Myanmar Post over 2 billion kyats, Electricity Supply Enterprise over 300 billion kyats, No. 1 Heavy Industry over 21 billion kyats, No. 2 Heavy Industry over 7 billion kyats, and No. 3 Heavy Industry over 14 billion kyats, totaling over 400 billion kyats.

"If those SEEs can be transformed into PPPs [Public Private Partnerships], it would benefit the country," said lawmaker U Yi Mon.

The Lower House Economic and Investment Committee has also recommended to the government that loss-making state-owned enterprises be privatized.

"If you ask me in which sectors the money should spent, we have requirements in every sector. And we have a lot of international debts. We need to thoroughly discuss in which sectors we can make the best use of the money," lawmaker U Yi Mon said.

Dagon Township lawmaker Daw Thet Thet Khaing, who submitted the proposal in November, said: "It is the government's responsibility [to recover the money from the OAs of state-owned extractive industries], as my proposal has been approved by the parliament. Now, the government has made public the amount of money in the OAs. This is an improvement."

The post State Companies Holding About $9 Billion in Cash appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Property Developers Welcome Bill Proposing Hefty Tax Cut

Posted: 19 Feb 2018 10:27 PM PST

YANGON — Leading developers say a proposed tax cut in the union Tax Bill for the 2018-19 fiscal year will provide much-needed breathing room for the struggling construction industry.

Developers met with the government on Saturday in Yangon to explain the difficulties facing the industry.

The 2017-18 Tax Law prescribed a 15- to 30-percent tax rate on property transactions based on the value of the property for those who did not pay income tax. The 2018-19 Tax Bill proposes a tax rate of only 3 to 5 percent.

Developers hope the reduced tax rate will encourage sales in a sluggish property market and attract investors.

"We want the bill to come into law as soon as possible. The sooner the better. I think nearly half or a third of developers may come back into operation," said developer U Maung Weik.

The property market saw its worst year in 2017 since political and economic changes took effect in 2011, according to developers.

The market started to struggle in 2016 after the NLD-led government imposed a 30-percent tax rate on property transactions and tightened regulations on money laundering, noting that property prices had increased exorbitantly because large sums of money were being laundered through the property market.

Many developers have gone into debt as a result and suspended building projects, causing employment uncertainty for many construction workers and prompting developers to ask the government for meetings to discuss their problems.

Developers in Mandalay presented their concerns to regional government officials on Jan. 26.

During both meetings, developers called for a reduction in the tax rate on property transactions from 30 percent to 5 percent for two years, bank loans for construction projects with repayment periods of three to 10 years, and a reduction of the interest rate on bank loans from 13 percent to 9 percent.

They also called on the government to provide home mortgages with 15- to 20-year terms.

At Saturday’s meeting, Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein said: "When we took office, the construction industry bubble was about to burst, and there was a need to review the regulations of the construction industry. We have made changes, and in the future you will see the healthy development of the property market."

The deputy minister of national planning and finance, U Maung Muang Win, shared the 2018-19 Tax Bill with the union Parliament on Feb. 13. The union Parliament’s Joint Bill Committee will share its findings on Feb 23. Lawmakers will then debate the bill before voting on it on April 1.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Property Developers Welcome Bill Proposing Hefty Tax Cut appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Indonesia Raises Aviation Warnings After Sumatra Volcano Emits Ash Cloud

Posted: 19 Feb 2018 09:15 PM PST

JAKARTA — Indonesia on Monday raised flight warnings around the Mount Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island to their highest level after it sent a towering plume of ash more than 7 km into the air, its biggest eruption this year.

Areas around the crater of the volcano, located about 1,900 km northwest of the capital, Jakarta, have been off-limits for several years because of frequent volcanic activity.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, in Australia’s northern city of Darwin, issued maps on Monday showing an ash cloud heading in three directions from Sinabung, to the north, northwest and south-southeast.

Indonesia also upgraded its Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation to red, its highest warning, and said the ash-cloud top had reached 23,872 feet, according to a ground observer.

Sinabung is about 75 km southwest of Kualanamu International Airport in Medan.

Nur Isnin Istianto, head of the regional airport authority, said Kutacane airport in Aceh province had been closed, but the wind direction allowed the airports of Kualanamu, Meulaboh and Silangit to remain open.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Agency, said the eruption began on Monday morning, accompanied by multiple earthquakes and showering surrounding villages with small rocks.

“In five districts it became dark with a visibility of about 5 meters,” he said in a statement.

No casualties were reported. The agency urged the public to stay out of a 7-km exclusion zone around the crater and watch for further warnings, which could cover floods.

The 2,460-meter tall volcano is among Indonesia’s most active. When Sinabung erupted in 2014, more than a dozen people were killed and thousands were evacuated. Prior to recent times, its last known eruption was four centuries ago.

The post Indonesia Raises Aviation Warnings After Sumatra Volcano Emits Ash Cloud appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bangladesh Says it will Meet with Myanmar on Trapped Rohingya

Posted: 19 Feb 2018 09:00 PM PST

DHAKA — Representatives from Bangladesh and Myanmar will meet on Tuesday to discuss the repatriation to Myanmar of more than 6,500 Rohingya Muslims trapped on a strip of unclaimed land between the two countries, Bangladeshi officials said.

“It is about taking them back to Myanmar,” Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told Reuters on Monday. “They are on the zero line and actually on the Myanmar side.”

However, several officials contacted in neighboring Myanmar said they were not aware of plans for a meeting, which Kalam said would take place on the “zero line” near a place called Gundum.

A spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which will not be involved in the talks, said the agency was concerned the Rohingya may be forcibly returned to Myanmar without due consideration for their safety.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine State and crossed into Bangladesh since last August, when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, with reports of arson attacks, murder and rape.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar denied the charge and says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against “terrorists” it blames for the attacks on the security forces.

The vast majority of Rohingya who fled are in camps at Cox’s Bazar on the southern tip of Bangladesh, but several thousand who arrived in a buffer zone along the border are now stuck.

Bangladesh security forces have been instructed not to let these Rohingya cross the border, and many of them have said they would rather stay there to avoid becoming refugees in Bangladesh.

The no-man’s land, which is about the size of 40 soccer pitches, used to be an area of paddy fields, but is now dotted with the tarpaulin and bamboo shacks of displaced Rohingya.

No Timeline for Returns

“We are concerned about the reports of pressures directed at this group of people at the border,” said Caroline Gluck, UNHCR Senior Public Information Officer at Cox’s Bazar.

“People who fled violence and discrimination in Myanmar should not be forced to return against their will,” she told Reuters in a message sent on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s Kalam said there was no timeline for repatriations, that anyone going back must do so voluntarily and that Myanmar must provide a safe environment for their return.

“We cannot send them forcibly,” he said.

Most Burmese consider the Rohingya as unwanted immigrants from Bangladesh, and the army refers to them as “Bengalis.”

Myanmar has said it will accept back people holding “national verification” registration cards. This card, which falls short of offering citizenship, has been rejected by Rohingya community leaders who say it treats life-long residents like new immigrants.

A leader of the Rohingya group in the buffer zone, Dil Mohammed, told Reuters in a text message: “Our no-man’s land camp demands are that there must be a safe return, we need security and all basic rights, including citizenship.”

He said the group would never accept the national verification card, that its members must be allowed to return to their own homes, paid compensation for losses and damage, and provided with protection from a UN mission.

Gluck said the UNHCR was concerned that conditions in Rakhine State were not yet safe for voluntary returns, adding, “We urge both governments to ensure that any return is based on informed consent and takes place in safety and dignity.”

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