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Rohingya Muslims Say They Don't Want to Return to Myanmar

Associated Press

   COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH - Few Muslim Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
   have responded to plans for their repatriation to Myanmar, and all who
   did said they don't want to go back, officials from the U.N. refugee
   agency and Bangladesh's government said Tuesday.

   Bangladesh's refugee commissioner, Abul Kalam, said only 21 families
   out of 1,056 selected for repatriation starting Thursday were willing
   to be interviewed by officials about whether they wish to return. He
   said all the families said they would not go back.

   He said the mood in the sprawling camps in Cox's Bazar where about 1
   million Rohingya refugees are sheltered was calm and cordial.

   "There has been no chaos like in the past. They have gone to the
   officials for the interviews and talked freely. This is very positive,
   they now understand the situation better," he said.

   "We have tomorrow, I am hopeful that many other families will face the
   interviews," he said.

   Louise Donovan, a spokeswoman for UNHCR, said in an email that a second
   interview would be conducted with refugees who agree to go back in
   "intention surveys" like the ones conducted Tuesday.
   

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