Myanmar signs repatriation programme for displaced people from Rakhine, say sources

YANGON, May 14 (Eleven Media Group) -With the aim to support repatriation program for displaced persons from Rakhine State, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population signed Exchange of Letters among UNDP and UNHCR in Nay Pyi Taw on May 11th, according to the sources.

The Labour Ministry, UNDP and UNHCR had signed an MoU on June 6th, 2018 for supporting repatriation program of displaced persons from Rakhine State. The implementation of this MoU was continued with one-year exchange of letters signed on 28th May 2019 for the period from 6th 2019 to 5th June 2020; this is another one year extension of the existing MoU for the second time from 6th 2020 to 5th June 2021.

A 26-member of Joint Working Group-JWG involving with 13 representatives led by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 13 delegates led by the secretary-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh was formed aiming to scrutinize and supervise the IDPs repatriation program. Myanmar and Bangladesh successfully held the JWG’s meeting as four times, according to Thein Swe, Union Minister of Labour, Immigration and Popullation.

Thein Swe also said that the list of IDPs sent by Bangladesh’s foreign affairs ministry and returned through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Myanmar, the Technical Working Group had held 12 meetings and staff members of UNDP and UNHCR had made seven field trips to Buthidaung and Maungdaw in Rakhine; a total of 45 projects had been permitted based on the findings for immediate results, including the new projects in Nyaung Chaung and Padin villages in April.

Moreover, Myanmar government had allowed the field visits of foreign staff of UNHCR, UNDP and partner organizations and extension of their visas.