• Burmese
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
25 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News

INGOs Discourage Repatriation for their Own Interests: Gov’t Spokesperson

Htet Naing Zaw by Htet Naing Zaw
November 26, 2018
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
Director-General of the Myanmar President’s Office U Zaw Htay at the press conference on Nov. 23, 2018. / The Irrawaddy

Director-General of the Myanmar President’s Office U Zaw Htay at the press conference on Nov. 23, 2018. / The Irrawaddy

6.3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

NAYPYITAW—The Myanmar government’s spokesperson U Zaw Htay has accused international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) of deliberately discouraging refugees in Bangladesh from returning to Myanmar due to their own business interests.

Speaking at the government’s press conference on Friday, U Zaw Htay, also director-general of the President’s Office, said that INGOs share the blame for refugees’ reluctance to come back to Myanmar.

“There are a lot of food imports and supplies. There is a big market there. INGOs do not want [refugees] to go back to Myanmar so that they can implement projects for a long time—health care, children, women, and so on. My point is that, as it is a really big business, INGOs are telling the refugees not to go back. That is where the problem exists,” said U Zaw Htay.

RelatedPosts

Bangladesh Recalls Ambassador to Myanmar

Bangladesh Recalls Ambassador to Myanmar

May 29, 2025
2.9k
Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

Paranoid Junta Turns to Foreign Expertise After 4 Years of Chaos; and More

May 10, 2025
1.6k
Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State

Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State

May 2, 2025
10.4k

NGOs and INGOs became institutionalized after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar in 2008, thereby paving the way for thriving NGO businesses. Normally, the victims receive only around 30 percent of the contributions made by donors, claimed U Zaw Htay.

People have different views on the role of NGOs and INGOs in the repatriation of refugees. NGOs and INGOs also have different views about repatriation, said executive director of Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security, U Min Zaw Oo.

“Some human rights NGOs say [refugees] should not go back to Myanmar without a guarantee that they will have their human rights and citizenship. Some said that they should not go back until they are allowed to travel freely across the country. There are different views among NGOs,” said U Min Zaw Oo.

He declined to comment on the financial matters of NGOs or their business interests, but claimed that some of the refugees might have considered coming back to Myanmar.

Lower House lawmaker U Pe Than of the Arakan National Party shared the same view as U Zaw Htay, saying that Rakhine State has experienced growing instability over the past ten years since INGOs and NGOs came to operate there.

“Not even half of the money given by donors reaches the people. They just make up invoices and documentary photos to convince the donors. They receive benefits from one project after another. And they have more opportunities regarding the Bengali issue because there are many international donors who want to support them,” said the lawmaker, using the government’s term for the Rohingya, implying they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

He said there are also other reasons that make Rohingya refugees reluctant to come back to Myanmar.

“They want to take advantage of the pressures from the international community. There are ten demands including their recognition as Rohingya and granting of their citizenship. They said they would not return unless those demands are fulfilled. And ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) has also threatened them,” said U Pe Than.

Myanmar’s government has said that it has been ready for refugee repatriation since Jan. 23 this year but that the Bangladeshi government has not been able to fulfill its part of their bilateral agreement with Myanmar.

The Myanmar government has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the repatriation of refugees.

The government has put off the repatriation plan until January as no one has opted to return, said U Zaw Htay.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: repatriationRohingya
Htet Naing Zaw

Htet Naing Zaw

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State
Burma

Myanmar Junta Rejects Bangladeshi Call for Rohingya State

by Maung Kavi
May 2, 2025
10.4k

A political party in Bangladesh says a Rohingya-majority area of Rakhine State should become an independent state for returning refugees.

Read moreDetails
Once Upon a Time in… Myanmar
Books

Once Upon a Time in… Myanmar

by David Scott Mathieson
October 14, 2024
10k

American photojournalist Greg Constantine’s ‘Ek Khaale’ project assembles old photos and documents to reclaim the Rohingya community’s identity.

Read moreDetails
The Uncertain Future of Myanmar’s Rakhine State
Guest Column

The Uncertain Future of Myanmar’s Rakhine State

by David Scott Mathieson
March 19, 2025
9.6k

The Arakan Army must now consolidate its unprecedented territorial gains in Rakhine State and contend with humanitarian, intercommunal and international...

Read moreDetails
Around 100 Myanmar Junta Personnel Flee to Bangladesh: Dhaka
Myanmar’s Crisis & the World

Around 100 Myanmar Junta Personnel Flee to Bangladesh: Dhaka

by Muktadir Rashid  
July 12, 2024
6.6k

Bangladeshi government sources say around 100 more junta border guards and soldiers have crossed the border from northern Rakhine State...

Read moreDetails
Junta Watch: Mystery Deepens Over Fate of Regime No. 2; Finding Uses for Rohingya; and More
Junta Watch

Junta Watch: Mystery Deepens Over Fate of Regime No. 2; Finding Uses for Rohingya; and More

by The Irrawaddy
April 20, 2024
5.7k

Also this week, the junta’s New Year amnesty maintained tradition by releasing criminals but keeping 20,000 political prisoners locked up.

Read moreDetails
Myanmar Regime Lighting Fuse for Ethnic Inferno as it Loses Rakhine: AA
Burma

Myanmar Regime Lighting Fuse for Ethnic Inferno as it Loses Rakhine: AA

by Hein Htoo Zan
March 27, 2024
5.3k

Arakan Army urges Rohingya people not to fall for junta’s attempts to ignite religious violence amid devastating defeats.

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
An illegal narcotics lab raided by a joint Army/police team in Shan State’s Kutkai Township on Feb. 14-15, 2018 / Ministry of Defense

New Strategies Needed as EAOs Adapt to Changes in Drug Demand

Taungup Police Station / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

Taungup Police Chief’s Fatal Plunge down Well Was an Accident: Officials

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Myanmar Regime Leader Rejects World Bank Economic Forecast as Inaccurate

Myanmar Regime Leader Rejects World Bank Economic Forecast as Inaccurate

4 days ago
1.4k
From Foreign Policy Drift to Diplomatic Freefall in Myanmar

From Foreign Policy Drift to Diplomatic Freefall in Myanmar

7 days ago
2.1k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

    Myanmar Junta Starves Last Rakhine Strongholds as AA Closes In

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar’s Strongest Armed Ethnic Alliance is Faltering

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Thirteen Myanmar junta aircraft shot down since coup

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar’s Civilian Govt Rebuffs Junta’s Appeal for ‘Cooperation’

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • TNLA Defies Myanmar Junta Push to Cede Shan Towns in China Talks  

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.