The verification of Rohingyas living in Bangladesh will need more time, says a Myanmar minister hinting further delays in starting the repatriation process.
Radio Free Asia reported Minister of Social Welfare Win Myat Aye saying that the process would go faster “if the verification forms had been properly filled out”.
Aye is scheduled to travel to Bangladesh on Apr 11 and 12, when he is expected to hold talks with Bangladesh’s foreign minister as well as the home minister.
Bangladesh is now home to some 1.1 million Rohingyas after nearly 700,000 fled Rakhine state since late August due to a military crackdown in response to insurgents’ attacks on police outposts.
The countries have signed an instrument allowing the return of refugees, who want to go back. Bangladesh authorities have provided an initial list of 8,000 people, but Myanmar says they have verified only 500 of them.
According to Myanmar Minister Aye, incorrectly filled out forms have caused the delay.
“If the process goes according to the agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar and if the refugees filled out the forms according to the agreement, it shouldn’t be delayed,” he told Radio Free Asia in an interview.
The process would go faster if the forms had been properly filled out, he said. The issue is to be discussed during Aye’s Bangladesh trip.
“That’s why we needed more time to verify people. We sent a list of those whom we could verify to Bangladesh, but we haven’t heard anything back yet,” the minister said.
Bangladesh and Myanmar will maintain a good relationship and work together on this issue, he said.