Khairul Alam: The United States believes that, in the current situation, Myanmar does not have a supportive environment for the repatriation of Rohingya. Washington wants the repatriation of Rohingya’s to be suspended until favorable conditions are created.
And Beijing wants the repatriation of Rohingya’s to start as soon as possible. This is how the two countries have stood on two poles regarding the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.
Since the influx of Rohingya’s into Bangladesh in 2017, their repatriation has been one of Dhaka’s priorities. However, the international world, including the United Nations, is under pressure to ensure that this return is dignified, safe and voluntary.
Bangladesh has also made these promises to bring back the Rohingya’s. However, Beijing has made unsuccessful attempts to repatriate the Rohingya, one after the other with Bangladesh and Myanmar.
According to diplomatic sources in Dhaka, Beijing wanted to successfully bring back the pilots before the monsoon season. However, this is not possible if the Rohingya’s sit down.
Now China is making another attempt to get Bangladesh back before the elections. And for this purpose, China’s Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Deng Sejun has visited Bangladesh several times.
Bangladesh, China and Myanmar also held a meeting in Kunming, China to make the repatriation process a success.
After reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the Middle East, China wants to add another feather to its name by playing a key role in resolving the crisis in South Asia.
But the United States sees the whole situation differently. America has opposed military rule in Myanmar. The country feels that due to the lack of democracy in Myanmar, a favorable environment has not yet been created for the Rohingya to return home. Since the environment is still not supportive, the resulting reversion will not be sustainable.
For example, in the seventies and nineties, the Rohingya came back, but they were again expelled from their land because the main problem was not resolved. However, diplomats believe that the reason for this position of China and the United States is actually geopolitical.
Author : Journalist , Joint Secretary Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ).