Inside Story

Does repatriation of Rohingya breach international law?

Bangladesh halts transportation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar after protests.

The first group of 2,200 Rohingya refugees was due to leave camps in Bangladesh on Thursday in line with a plan agreed with Myanmar.

But authorities appeared to postpone the operation after protests by Rohingya who said they did not want to return.

The United Nations and aid agencies also expressed concerns for their safety if they went back to Myanmar.

The UN described the military crackdown last year, when more than 700,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar’s Rakhine state, as an “act of genocide”.

So, does the repatriation deal violate international law? And what is next for the Rohingya refugees that do not want to leave?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Tun Khin – Rohingya activist and president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK

Omar Waraich – Deputy director for South Asia at Amnesty International