Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Bangladesh Begins Registering Rohingya Refugees

by Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA --

   The government of Bangladesh and the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) are
   compiling a huge database to identify and register hundreds of
   thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled to Cox's Bazar to escape
   violence and persecution in Myanmar.

   The mammoth exercise, which began in earnest at the end of June is
   expected to take up to six months to complete. During the process, the
   identities of an estimated 900,000 Rohingya refugees will be
   documented. They include 700,000 Rohingya who have arrived in Cox's
   Bazar, Bangladesh, since August and some 200,000 others who have fled
   previous waves of persecution in Myanmar.

   UNHCR spokesman Charlie Yaxley said aid agencies will be better able to
   assist and protect the refugees once their identities and special needs
   are known and affirmed.

   "The verification will play a key role in establishing refugees'
   identities and their declared places of origin in Myanmar. It will help
   to preserve their right to voluntarily return home, if and when they
   decide that the conditions are right to do so."

   At the end of May, the UNHCR and U.N. Development Program signed a
   secret agreement with the government of Myanmar on the repatriation of
   Rohingya refugees. That memorandum of understanding (MOU) was
   subsequently leaked. The document has come under intense criticism from
   human rights groups because it contains no explicit guarantees of
   citizenship and freedom of movement.

   By way of explanation, Yaxley told VOA the MOU is only a first step in
   the process of creating conditions for the return of the refugees. He
   said the UNHCR does not believe conditions for their return are
   conducive right now.

   "The MOU does contemplate a pathway to citizenship and provides a basis
   for us to advocate for those identity documents to be provided to
   returnees, but that can only be done if the Rohingya refugees have the
   opportunity to become full and equal members of Myanmar society with
   their human rights upheld to the full."

   Until that happens, Yaxley said, the UNHCR will not be involved in any
   returns.