Myanmar to Take Back Rohingya Refugees - Conditionally

Filed in archive Asia on February 28, 2009

Several news sources have been following the Rohingya refugee problem in Southeast Asia. Now ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) looks to have found a partial solution to the problem - but one that will only work if Rohingya refugees are willing to deny their own identity.

Myanmar is the source of the Rohingya boat people who have been coming ashore in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia for a while now. They are a dark-skinned Muslim minorite who live in Myanmar's Rakhine State. The government in Yangon denies them official status as a recognized minority. Yangon's military junta is willing to accept the Rohingya refugees returned y other ASEAN nations - but only if the returning refugees are classified as ethnic Bengalis who live in Myanmar.

That would deny them status as citizens in Myanmar. But Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are not prepared to take the refugees in at this point.

Some news coverage:

• Asean all at sea over Rohingya problem - The Malaysian Insider
  


• Burma: We'll take Bengalis, not Rohingya - Bangkok Post


• Myanmar to cooperate on Rohingya refugee issue - The Star of Malaysia


• Abdullah: We must be firm in turning back Rohingya - Malaysia Insider


• Burma offers Rohingya return deal - BBC

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