Bangladesh: Shuttle diplomacy in 2017 for Rohingya Refugees
The end of 2017 made a bit clear that Bangladesh got some positive assurance from China that they will help to bring the solution of the Rohingya problem with Myanmar through bilateral arrangement.
( January 6, 2018, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) After two weeks of Rohingya influx, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh started a shuttle diplomacy for drawing attention to the world and way out the solution of the crisis; she successfully continues it for the last four months of 2017. In the last week of August, 87,000 Rohingys came to Bangladesh but by the first week of September it hits 164,000. In the end of the first week of September Turkey’s first lady and their Foreign Minister visited Bangladesh and also visited the Rohingya refugee’s camps. Visiting the camps, the first lady Emine Erdogan and her Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met the Prime minister of Bangladesh. In that meeting Emine said, “Turkey is trying to build-up a global opinion against the persecution, as the whole world has responsibility to resolve the crisis.” Emine was photographed shedding tears while talking to an elderly Rohingya women. That photograph was twitted by the Turkish Foreign Minister. In that twit, he said, “Turkey will never leave Rohingya Muslims alone. International community should also provide the necessary support without further delay.” Besides, Turkey promised 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid for Rohingyas.
After the Rohingya refugees’ influx in 2017, first visitor was theTurkish first lady and her foreign minister. And in 2017 the last visitor of the foreign delegate was the Prime Minister of Turkey. He visited third week of the December 2017. He emphasis the bilateral arrangement which was signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar. He hoped that through the bilateral arrangement Rohingyas’ return will be made. Despite, the Turkish Prime also urged the international community to find out the way for a political settlement of the Rohingya problem and support Bangladesh.
The end of 2017 made a bit clear that Bangladesh got some positive assurance from China that they will help to bring the solution of the Rohingya problem with Myanmar through bilateral arrangement. China has a big stake in Myanmar. So Turkish Prime Minister was not only the first person but also Chinese Foreign Minister also told about the bilateral solution. Chinese Foreign Minister visited Bangladesh on 18 November, 2017, and in the meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, he said, Rohingya crisis was a big challenge for Bangladesh. Though he said it is a big crisis for Bangladesh but he did not recognize it as a world humanitarian problem, rather he wanted that his country will facilitate the dialogue between Myanmar and Bangladesh. And he portrayed the problem as an internal problem of Myanmar.
In this issue, Bangladesh is not getting that much help from India to pressurize Myanmar or to project the problem as a world humanitarian crisis. Two things are working here, Myanmar is one of the close neighbors of India, and they had some bilateral interest with them. Besides, Myanmar is the belly state of China and the major business stakes in Myanmar are controlled by China. However, in the third week of October, the foreign minister of India came to Bangladesh and expressed their firm opinion, in the meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In that meeting the Foreign Minister of India categorically said, Myanmar must take back their citizens. And she wanted a permanent solution of it, because it is not possible for Bangladesh to bear this burden.
Within the four months of 2017, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh visited Europe and Far East also. In Europe, she visited France. During the bilateral meeting with the French President, he also queried the present position of the Rohingya crisis, Sheikh Hasina informed him about one million refugees and how much burden it is for Bangladesh. President Marcon gave a full support for a permanent solution of it and their support will be presented in any international forums. In the second week of the December Sheikh Hasina also visited Cambodia. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh asked for the support of the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to resolve the problem of Rohingya refugees. Hun Sen praised Sheikh Hasina for her humanitarian attitude but they did not go out the boundary of China. They emphasize the bilateral solution.
Beside these, Sheikh Hasina urged to organization of Islamic countries (OIC) and she gave a remarkable speech in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In her shuttle diplomacy in 2017, two pictures are in the stage. One, she is going to the path of the bilateral with the help of China. Consequently, it was never said that, it is the ultimate result of the shuttle diplomacy of Bangladesh in the last four months of 2017. Conversely, Sheikh Hasina gave the five points in her UNGA address for the permanent solution of the Rohingya problem. Her five points are firstly Myanmar must unconditionally stop the violence and the practice of ethnic cleansing in the Rakhine State immediately and forever. Secondly, Secretary General of the United Nations should immediately send a fact- finding Mission to Myanmar. Thirdly all civilians irrespective of religion and ethnicity must be protected in Myanmar. For the “safe zones” could be created inside Myanmar under UN supervision. Fourthly, to ensure sustainable return of all forcibly displaced Rohingyas in Bangladesh to their home in Myanmar. Fifthly the recommendation of Kofi Annan Commission report must be implemented immediately, unconditionally and entirely.
These five points are the ultimately path of the solution of Rohingya crisis. However, we see that in the last four months of 2017, Sheikh Hasina placed the five points which are the ultimate goal. On the other hand, she is dealing bilaterally with Myanmar, where China- the big power in Asia and the big stake holder in the Myanmar. In the conclusion, it is to be said that in diplomacy there is no immediate conclusion; there is no last path and last word. So, it may be said that the shuttle diplomacy of last four months in 2017 is the beginning of a diplomacy for making over the Rohinghya crisis but time will give its ultimate result.
Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor. The Daily Janakantha, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is a highest state award winning journalist and can be reached at swadeshroy@gmail.com
