A Myanmar minister expressed concerns on Thursday about "very poor conditions" in Rohingya refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and said repatriation of the Muslim minority should start as soon as possible due to the coming monsoon season.

The United Nations and rights groups say a Myanmar military operation in the country's northwest in August has sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. Most live in flimsy, bamboo-and-plastic structures perched on hills around Cox's Bazar, in southern Bangladesh.&nbsp

Fleeing Rohingya refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. The United States and the UN&nbsphave described the military crackdown as ethnic cleansing, an accusation that Myanmar denies.&nbsp

"Seeing is believing and we saw all the people in the camps are in very poor condition," Myanmar`s Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye told reporters in the country's main city, Yangon, after his two-day visit to camps near Cox's Bazar.

"Our main thing is to start the repatriation process as soon as possible because the monsoon is very near and we are very worried for those who fled to Bangladesh," he said.&nbsp

Myanmar said on Saturday it had repatriated the first Rohingya family. The Bangladeshi government and the United Nations refugee agency, however, said they had no knowledge of any such repatriation.&nbsp

After months of fraught talks, Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years. Myanmar set up two reception centres and what it says is a temporary camp near the border to house the first arrivals.&nbsp

But a senior UN&nbspofficial who recently visited Myanmar said the country was not ready for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

Win Myat Aye said Rohingya returnees would be entitled to apply for National Verification Cards (NVCs), which are part of the government`s ongoing effort to register mostly stateless Rohingya that falls short of offering them citizenship.&nbsp

He said those NVC holders would be in turn be able to apply for citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar within five months after they were "scrutinized according to the law".&nbsp

"Those who are entitled to become citizens will become citizens," he told Reuters, without elaborating.&nbsp

Myanmar's panel of international advisers on Rohingya issues has warned the coming monsoon season could bring "enormous deaths" as refugee camps in Bangladesh are not built to withstand the storms.

 
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The United Nations and rights groups say a Myanmar military operation in the country's northwest in August has sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. Most live in flimsy, bamboo-and-plastic structures perched on hills around Cox's Bazar, in southern Bangladesh

A Myanmar minister expressed concerns on Thursday about "very poor conditions" in Rohingya refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and said repatriation of the Muslim minority should start as soon as possible due to the coming monsoon season. The United Nations and rights groups say a Myanmar military operation in the country's northwest in August has sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. Most live in flimsy, bamboo-and-plastic structures perched on hills around Cox's Bazar, in southern Bangladesh. Fleeing Rohingya refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. The United States and the UN&nbsphave described the military crackdown as ethnic cleansing, an accusation that Myanmar denies. "Seeing is believing and we saw all the people in the camps are in very poor condition," Myanmar`s Social Welfare Minister Win Myat Aye told reporters in the country's main city, Yangon, after his two-day visit to camps near Cox's Bazar. "Our main thing is to start the repatriation process as soon as possible because the monsoon is very near and we are very worried for those who fled to Bangladesh," he said. Myanmar said on Saturday it had repatriated the first Rohingya family. The Bangladeshi government and the United Nations refugee agency, however, said they had no knowledge of any such repatriation. After months of fraught talks, Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years. Myanmar set up two reception centres and what it says is a temporary camp near the border to house the first arrivals. But a senior UN&nbspofficial who recently visited Myanmar said the country was not ready for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Win Myat Aye said Rohingya returnees would be entitled to apply for National Verification Cards (NVCs), which are part of the government`s ongoing effort to register mostly stateless Rohingya that falls short of offering them citizenship. He said those NVC holders would be in turn be able to apply for citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar within five months after they were "scrutinized according to the law". "Those who are entitled to become citizens will become citizens," he told Reuters, without elaborating. Myanmar's panel of international advisers on Rohingya issues has warned the coming monsoon season could bring "enormous deaths" as refugee camps in Bangladesh are not built to withstand the storms.

Myanmar minister says conditions in Rohingya refugee camps 'very poor'

Myanmar on Saturday repatriated the first Rohingya family from nearly 700,000 refugees who have fled to Bangladesh, after months of fraught talks with Dhaka and amid the United Nations' warnings that the country is not ready for their return.

Fleeing Rohingya refugees have reported killings, rape and arson on a large scale. The United States and the United Nations have described the Myanmar military operation as ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar has denied nearly all allegations, saying it waged a legitimate counter-insurgency operation. The army has said its crackdown was provoked by the attacks of Rohingya militants on more than two dozen police posts and an army base last August.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees in two years. Myanmar set up two reception centers and what it says is a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine to receive the first arrivals.

"Five members of a Muslim family...came to the Taungpyoletwea reception center in Rakhine state this morning," the Myanmar government said in a statement late on Saturday.

The family members were scrutinized by immigration and health ministry officials and the social welfare, relief and resettlement ministry provided them with "materials such as rice, mosquito netting, blankets, t-shirt, longyis (Burmese sarong) and kitchen utensils," said the government in the statement.

It added that the family members who "are in line with the rules" were issued the National Verification Cards (NVCs) upon entering Myanmar.

NVCs are part of the government's ongoing effort to register Rohingya that falls short of offering them citizenship. The card has been widely rejected by Rohingya community leaders, who say they treat life-long residents like new immigrants.

Most Burmese consider the Rohingya as unwanted immigrants from Bangladesh, and the army refers to them as "Bengalis".

Last week, the most senior UN&nbspofficial to visit Myanmar this year, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller, said the conditions in Myanmar were not conducive to the return of the refugees.

She cited a continued lack of access to health services, concerns among the Rohingya about protection and continued displacements. She also described conditions in camps for internally-displaced people from previous bouts of violence as "deplorable".

Several boats with Rohingya from parts of the violence-torn Rakhine state have left Myanmar in recent months. The latest confirmed departure took place on Thursday.

Myanmar on Saturday repatriated the first Rohingya family from nearly 700,000 refugees who have fled to Bangladesh, after months of fraught talks with Dhaka and amid the United Nations' warnings that the country is not ready for their return

Myanmar on Saturday repatriated the first Rohingya family from nearly 700,000 refugees who have fled to Bangladesh, after months of fraught talks with Dhaka and amid the United Nations' warnings that the country is not ready for their return. Fleeing Rohingya refugees have reported killings, rape and arson on a large scale. The United States and the United Nations have described the Myanmar military operation as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has denied nearly all allegations, saying it waged a legitimate counter-insurgency operation. The army has said its crackdown was provoked by the attacks of Rohingya militants on more than two dozen police posts and an army base last August. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete a voluntary repatriation of the refugees in two years. Myanmar set up two reception centers and what it says is a temporary camp near the border in Rakhine to receive the first arrivals. "Five members of a Muslim family...came to the Taungpyoletwea reception center in Rakhine state this morning," the Myanmar government said in a statement late on Saturday. The family members were scrutinized by immigration and health ministry officials and the social welfare, relief and resettlement ministry provided them with "materials such as rice, mosquito netting, blankets, t-shirt, longyis (Burmese sarong) and kitchen utensils," said the government in the statement. It added that the family members who "are in line with the rules" were issued the National Verification Cards (NVCs) upon entering Myanmar. NVCs are part of the government's ongoing effort to register Rohingya that falls short of offering them citizenship. The card has been widely rejected by Rohingya community leaders, who say they treat life-long residents like new immigrants. Most Burmese consider the Rohingya as unwanted immigrants from Bangladesh, and the army refers to them as "Bengalis". Last week, the most senior UN&nbspofficial to visit Myanmar this year, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ursula Mueller, said the conditions in Myanmar were not conducive to the return of the refugees. She cited a continued lack of access to health services, concerns among the Rohingya about protection and continued displacements. She also described conditions in camps for internally-displaced people from previous bouts of violence as "deplorable". Several boats with Rohingya from parts of the violence-torn Rakhine state have left Myanmar in recent months. The latest confirmed departure took place on Thursday.

Myanmar repatriates first Rohingya refugee family: Government

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Myanmar minister says conditions in Rohingya refugee camps 'very poor'

Myanmar repatriates first Rohingya refugee family: Government