YANGON, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 157 more Myanmar refugees have been were brought back to homeland from Thailand as the fourth batch of repatriation, the Myanmar Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
The refugees mainly include 151 immigrant workers from Nu Po refugee camp repatriated through Myanmar-Thai Friendship Bridge in Myawaddy border town in southeastern Kayin state on Monday.
They are being arranged for sending back to their respective homes with humanitarian and financial assistance provided by authorities, the ministry said in a statement.
The repatriation of refugees will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday from other refugee camps.
The Myanmar government has been working to ensure the return of more than 100,000 Myanmar refugees taking shelter in nine camps on the Thai-Myanmar border. They were being sent back to their homeland in batches since October 2016 on voluntary basis.
As a strategic cooperation, the Myanmar government has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for it to provide the returning refugees with education, health services, clean water, infrastructure and vocational training.
The government called for collaborative efforts from the ethnic groups, civil society organizations and ethnic community for the refugees' return.
The Myanmar refugees, who fled domestic conflicts since decades ago, were being covered by a short-and long-term program as part of the undertakings of Myanmar's national reconciliation and peace process, reports said.
