Economist: Rohingya Refuse to Return to Myanmar

The vast majority of Rohingya refugees fleeing the surge of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar into Bangladesh, some 700,000 since August 2017, resist returning to Myanmar. Hundreds of Rohingyas have staged protests against the prospect of return and “demanded guarantees of citizenship and security” before returning. As a result, the government of Bangladesh has delayed repatriation, and as a recent article for the Economist notes, the “Rohingyas’ future remains as uncertain as ever.” While Bangladesh is committed to the policy of voluntary repatriation, the current group of Rohingyas do not have refugee status. Public opinion is also shifting, as some citizens suggest “that there are too many of them (around 900,000) to accommodate indefinitely.” One proposal is relocating the group to an island in the Bay of Bengal. Hosting the Rohingyas costs about $15 million each year, and worries emerge that “Bangladesh’s government will not wait forever for the Rohingyas’ consent – especially since the aid money that sustains them is running out.” Meanwhile, the United Nations tries to raise $951 million to support the Rohingyas. -YaleGlobal