Pathways to Sustainable Rohingya Repatriation: Balancing Human Rights and Policy Requirements

Abstract

The Rohingya issue is one of the most devastating humanitarian crises of the current century  as more than a million Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh because of Myanmar persecution.  Although the process of repatriation is still considered to be the main key to solving this  problem, providing the Rohingya people with a qualitatively safe and worthy return is not  without difficulties. This study examines Rohingya repatriation by assessing the interaction  between human rights and policies. The concerns namely security and statelessness and legal  identity which are central to the question of viability of repartees are discussed. The political  legal and practical barriers inside Myanmar and other reforms on the global level are also  explored. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the current frameworks of repatriation by  reviewing the present repatriation agreements and policy documents, as well as by pointing to  further gaps that could exist to serve the human rights aspect and as for the far more pragmatic  concept of policy implementation. It argues that both the idea that sustainable repatriation can  be achieved without considering human rights consequences and the idea that can be achieved  without effective policy solutions are useless. Based on the observations and arguments made  in the study, the following recommendations are made: The return process should be safe,  voluntary, and dignified for the Rohingya; the international community should increase its  commitment to and engagement for human rights protection in Myanmar and other countries, including Bangladesh; and the latter should respect the existing and future international human  rights norms and ensure their application across the territories.