The Myanmar Delegation led by the Director-General of the International Organizations and Economics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with displaced persons at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Date: December 21, 2019

Press Release

The Myanmar Delegation led by the Director-General of the International Organizations and Economics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with displaced persons at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

A nine-member Myanmar delegation led by U Chan Aye, Director-General of the International Organizations and Economics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accompanied by the ASEAN-ERAT Team comprised of six officials from the ASEAN Secretariat and the AHA Centre visited Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from 18 to 19 December 2019 to meet with displaced persons.

The Myanmar delegation and ASEAN ERAT Team left Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar by air on 18 December 2019 and met with some 50 representatives of displaced persons from various camps at the Office of the extension of Camp No. 4, Cox’s Bazar.

Present at the meeting were U Aung Kyaw Moe, Myanmar Ambassador-designate to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Mr. Md Alauddin Vuian, Director, Myanmar Wing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and Mr. Mahbub Alam Talukdar, Bangladesh Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner and responsible officials.

The leader of the Myanmar Delegation briefed on the progress of the preparation work for the repatriation and resettlement of the displaced persons with PowerPoint. He also explained them on the matters pertaining to speeding up of citizenship application process in accordance with the laws, the Government’s efforts to address the justice and accountability including security measures to protect all communities in Rakhine State, benefits of holding NVC, implementation of Quick Impact Projects conducted by the UNHCR and UNDP, providing better access to education and health services, and execution of social cohesion among various communities. The ASEAN-ERAT members also explained on the scope of their mandate to assist the repatriation process.

On 19 December 2019, the Myanmar delegation and ASEAN-ERAT Team again went to the Office of extension of Camp No. 4 and met with the displaced persons. The Myanmar delegation again explained the nature of the 1982 Citizenship Law in details, recognition of ethnic groups based on the 1982 Citizenship Law, issuance of the National Registration Cards in Rakhine State and necessity of holding the NVCs for undocumented persons. Myanmar delegation also informed them of the recent adoption of IDP Camps Closure Strategy.

In the afternoon, the Myanmar Delegation separately met with displaced Hindu communities, who are currently residing in Cox’s Bazar’s camps. The Myanmar delegation coordinated with the Bangladeshi authorities for verification of these people and their expeditious repatriation.

In the evening, Myanmar delegation and ASEAN-ERAT Team met with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh at the State Guest House PADMA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. The leader of the Myanmar delegation briefed them on the outcome of discussions with Muslims and Hindu displaced persons. They informally exchanged views on challenges faced in the repatriation process.

This trip is the follow-up of the visit of the high-level Myanmar delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Cox’s Bazar in July 2019. The Myanmar delegation led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had paid two field trips to Cox’s Bazar in October 2018 and July 2019.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated, 20 December 2019