Rohingya Family Makes A Rare Return To Myanmar From Bangladesh

A Rohingya family of five has returned to Myanmar from Bangladesh, sources said on Thursday, October 11 a rare development while a large-scale repatriation deal remains stalled. More than 720,000 of Myanmar's stateless Muslim mirity fled a brutal military crackdown in August in 2017, taking shelter in crowded camps in Bangladesh.

re y recounted tales of rape, murder and arson as vills in Rakhine state were burned to ground. United Nations investigators have said senior Myanmar military officials should be prosecuted for gecide, but country has rejected se calls, insisting it was defending itself against militants.

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Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal to bring back Rohingya but many fear to return without guaranteed rights such as citizenship, access to health care and freedom of movement. Authorities in Myanmar say more than 100 displaced Rohingya have returned in recent months though rights groups have questioned wher returnees did so voluntarily.

family of five "displaced people" came back to Rakhine state on Wednesday morning, state mouthpiece Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Thursday, October 11. Myanmar's government has trumpeted each return but Bangladesh insists that official process has t commenced.

Bangladesh government's Rohingya camp commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said he had only heard about family left but has t received official confirmation of ir return to Myanmar.

"Anyone can go back if he/she wants," he said. "But formal repatriation has t begun."

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Abdur Rahim, a Rohingya camp leader in Bangladesh, said family had been staying in Balukhali camp in Cox Bazar district.

"y returned to ir home...near Maungdaw township in Rakhine yesterday," he said.

UN ncies, which signed a deal with Myanmar government to assess conditions on ground in rrn Rakhine, said y had carried out an initial survey in September of about two dozen vills.

"Mistrust, fear of neighbouring communities and a sense of insecurity are prevalent in many areas," y said in a statement.