Myanmar has failed to put in place conditions for the safe return of 688,000 Rohingya refugees who fled an army crackdown six months ago, the UN refugee chief said Monday. The refugees are sheltering in makeshift camps in Bangladesh despite an agreement reached between Myanmar and Bangladesh allowing for their return to Rakhine state. An advisory panel led by former UN chief Kofi Annan has called on Myanmar to grant the Rohingya citizenship and allow them to return to their homes. The meeting came nearly three months after the council adopted a statement demanding that Myanmar rein in its security forces and allow the Rohingya to voluntarily return. The UN refugee chief said that while the exodus of refugees had been significantly reduced, the flow “still continues,” with some 1,500 refugees arriving in Bangladesh this month.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 13, 2018 16:41 UTC