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Bangladesh deports 26 Rohingya to Burma |
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by Solomon
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Tuesday, 10 February 2009 18:50 |
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Bangladesh Rifles, the Bangladeshi border security force deported 26 Rohingya to Burma on Monday after they were arrested for illegally entering Bangladesh, a source said.
Tin Soe, Editor of the Kaladan Press Network based in Bangladesh's Chittagong, who claims to have met border security force officers, told Mizzima that the Rohingya, who illegally entered Bangladesh through the border on February 8, were deported to Burma on Monday.
"All of them were male and all were deported," said Tin Soe adding that the security on the border these days has been beefed up by both countries.
While the reason for the 26 Rohingya crossing the border remains unknown, Tin Soe said, Rohingya, living along the porous border of Burma and Bangladesh frequently, come over to Bangladesh for various purposes including treatment, in search of jobs and seeking refugee status under the United Nations mandate.
However, he said most Rohingya, who cross the border, need to bribe the border security officials as well as touts, who help them in negotiating with the officials. A huge amount of money changes hands in order to allow them to enter.
"The border security officials told me they are doing their duty but they refused to give further information," said Tin Soe.
Tin Soe said, "The officer told me that they are aware of the sufferings of the Rohingya in Burma but at this point of time he want to see them staying wherever they have been coming from."
The deportation of the Rohingya came as regional countries – Thailand, Indonesia, and India – faces problems in dealing with several hundreds of Rohingya boatpeople, who have landed on their coast.
Since December, batches of Rohingya boatpeople have been rescued separately at India's Andaman Island, Indonesia's Sabang Island, and on Thailand's coast.
While Thailand has rejected the possibility of opening a new refugee camp for the Rohingya, Indonesia said it will allow the United Nations Refugee Agency to assess the boatpeople to see if they would need international protection.
Indian authorities in Andaman, meanwhile, said it is planning to send the boatpeople back to where they originally boarded the boats – Bangladesh.
About 20,000 Rohingya are reportedly in two refugee camps and remain as refugees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) protection in Bangladesh. About 200,000 Rohingya remain undocumented and are living outside the camps.
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