I. Human Rights Violations and National Verification Cards According to a report by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), immigration officials will interview Rohingya at the centers, and “the process in the Reception Centre will take 7 minutes per individual. Of which, 4 minutes will be spent by an individual in going through Step 1 to Step 7 (general administration to NVC issuance).”123 Given the ongoing armed conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army, the lack of solutions and restrictions on aid and services for the more than 128,000 Rohingya confined to 24 internment camps in Rakhine State, and the government’s continuing denial of basic rights and freedoms for Rohingya, conditions for a safe, voluntary, and dignified return of refugees to Myanmar are not in place.124 Despite this, the most recent proposal to facilitate Rohingya refugee returns, which the Government of Myanmar developed with support from UNHCR and the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) involved no meaningful consultations with Rohingya refugees. The agreement states that after Myanmar has carried out the “necessary verifications” the authorities will issue “appropriate identification papers” and provide a “pathway to citizenship to those eligible.”125 The direct or indirect threat of forced returns, exacerbated by pressure to accept NVCs, has created protection concerns for refugees in Bangladesh. For instance, on November 3, 2018, a Rohingya refugee man, 60, from Maungdaw Township attempted suicide by drinking cleaning detergent after hearing from a Rohingya refugee camp leader that his family was potentially on a list to be sent back to Myanmar during the November 15, 2018 plans.126 Restoration of their citizenship rights in Myanmar is a major precondition to consider returning to Myanmar for many Rohingya refugees. A Rohingya refugee, 45, in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh told Fortify Rights: “The only reason why I fled to Bangladesh is because [the Myanmar government] were forcing us to accept NVCs.”127 Another Rohingya refugee, 37, told Fortify Rights: “I won’t jump back into the fire. Until the Myanmar government provides us with citizenship rights and justice, we will not go back.”128 123 AHA Centre, Preliminary Needs Assessment for Repatriation in Rakhine State, Myanmar, p. 29. The FFM report also found that Rohingya returning will have to take the NVC. “It would also allow for the systematic imposition of NVC cards, on which a return is made conditional.” See, Human Rights Council, Report of the Detailed Findings of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, para. 1435. 124 Fortify Rights, “Myanmar: Lift Internet-Blackout in Rakhine and Chin States;” Amnesty International, “No one can protect us;” OCHA, “Myanmar: IDP Sites in Rakhine State (as of January 31, 2019).” See also, “Myanmar Government in Talks to Close Four More Rohingya IDP Camps in Rakhine State,” Radio Free Asia. 125 The Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population of the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, UNDP, and UNHCR, “Memorandum of Understanding,” para. 15. UNHCR, UNDP and Government of the Union of Myanmar extended the MoU on May 27, 2019 for another year. See, UNDP, “UNHCR, UNDP and Government of the Union of Myanmar Extend MoU,” May 28, 2019, http://www.mm.undp.org/ content/myanmar/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2019/unhcr-undp-government-of-the-union-ofmyanmar-extend-mou.html (accessed August 23, 2019). 126 Fortify Rights interview with E.B., Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, November 5, 2018. The man told Fortify Rights: “All my paternal family were killed in Myanmar during the attacks. If you include my relatives, maybe 20 people died from my family . . . I don’t want to go back to Myanmar. I would rather die or be killed than be sent back. When I heard my name was on the list, I felt angry and scared. There was a heavy, restless sense in my soul.” Fortify Rights referred the man to relevant health workers in Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh. 127 Fortify Rights interview A.B., Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, November 3, 2018. 128 Fortify Rights interview with A.G., Cox’s Bazar District, Bangladesh, November 9, 2018. 48