The deadlocked Rohingya refugee crisis has finally seen the green light of a settlement. According to a memorandum of understanding signed by Myanmar and Bangladesh last week, the two sides would work together to solve the crisis by repatriating Rohingya refugees who want to return to the Rakhine State.

The crisis started in August when fighting broke out in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, causing more than 600 thousand “Rohingya refugees” to flee Myanmar into Bangladesh.  

How to resettle the refugees has long been a problem facing Bangladesh and Myanmar. A key issue lies with the identification of the refugees as Myanmar doesn't recognize them as citizens. Although the MOU did not specify how many Rohingya would be allowed to return to Myanmar, this time, things are somewhat different. A Myanmar official was quoted as saying that two check points would be set up near the border to verify returning refugees so that they could go back to the villages where they had fled. Infrastructures of electricity and roads will be improved in the villages to welcome those returned. What’s more, the Myanmar government will eventually issue identity cards to those verified based on “evidence of past residence in Myanmar”.

Based on successful cases for solving cross-border crisis, I’ve summed up the 3-C and 3-W solution. The 3-C means “compromise”, “consultation” and “coordination” while the 3-W refers to “will”, “wisdom” and “working mechanism”. The solution involves three steps. It starts with the will from the countries concerned to make a compromise so that they can sit together for talks. Then, it needs wisdom from the relevant parties during their consultation for a solution to the issues at hand. And finally, it needs a working mechanism to coordinate efforts from all sides to end the crisis.  

Now that both Bangladesh and Myanmar have expressed their will to work together for the early settlement of the Rohingya refugee problem resulted from fightings in the Rakhine State, it is high time for the government agencies concerned to resort wisdom during their consultations to tackle the thorny issues such as identifying the refugees and arranging their resettlement. At the same time, a working mechanism must be set up to coordinate implementation of the agreement reached by the two governments.

I also hope that the international community should be more patient and provide help when asked to create a favorable environment, because the crisis can only be solved properly through internal efforts rather from outside pressure.

(With a doctoral degree in communications from the China University of Communications, the author has been working in the field of international journalism for 30 years. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the view of CGTN. )