REPATRIATION OF FORCIBLY DISPLACED MYANMAR NATIONALS: POLITICAL SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

This monograph examines the complex question of repatriation for forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMNs) through a multi-layered lens that integrates international law, regional diplomacy, political security, and humanitarian operations. It surveys the historic drivers of displacement, including systematic persecution and the collapse of local protection guarantees, and then maps the architecture of accountability—ranging from International Court of Justice proceedings to universal jurisdiction cases—showing how justice processes interact with real-time protection needs. The analysis disaggregates stakeholders across host communities, national authorities, UN agencies, and NGOs, clarifying incentives and constraints that shape repatriation negotiations. Particular attention is paid to conditions for safe, voluntary, and dignified return, including citizenship documentation, restitution pathways, and independent monitoring mechanisms. Drawing on comparative experience, the monograph argues that durable solutions require a synchronized approach: legal progress to deter future abuses, targeted humanitarian assistance that reduces negative coping, and political initiatives that build confidence on both sides of the border. It also highlights the risks of premature returns, funding fatigue, and information gaps, proposing an evidence-driven communication strategy and a transparent benchmark framework to evaluate readiness for return at scale.