Red Cross chief says Myanmar not ready for Rohingya returns

Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), interacts with Rohingya children during his visit to a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, July 1, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

CHAKMARKUL REFUGEE CAMP, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Conditions in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state are not ready yet for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown, the head of the International Committee of Red Cross said on Sunday after visit to the region.

Myanmar has said it is ready to take back the more than 700,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled Bangladesh since last August, and has set up two reception centres and what it says is a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine to receive the first arrivals.