Malaysia starts repatriating 1,476 Myanmar citizens
Malaysia on Tuesday began repatriating Myanmar nationals, including women and children, under a voluntary programme despite warnings from the United Nations refugee agency and rights groups that conditions in the country remain unsafe.
The 1,476 people being sent back are among 5,000 Myanmar nationals who will be repatriated in stages from Malaysia, where 10,388 Myanmar nationals were being held at immigration detention depots nationwide as of Aug 15, according to Malaysia’s Home Ministry. Buses believed to be carrying Myanmar returnees arrived at a stadium in Manjung town in Malaysia’s central Perak state early Tuesday, amid tight security. Ships believed to be from Myanmar were docked at the nearby Lumut naval base.
Home Ministry official Makhzan Mahyuddin was quoted by national Bernama news agency as saying the returnees comprised 1,370 men, 79 women, 20 boys and seven girls, aged between eight and 60.
The ministry said they would be sent back safely on two Myanmar navy warships and a hospital ship. It is unclear if any of the returnees were minority Muslim Rohingya, who are rejected by the Myanmar Government. The ministry didn’t provide further details of their identities and circumstances, but stressed their return was voluntary. “This move also sends a clear signal that the Government is serious about addressing irregular migration and the issue of undocumented foreign nationals through law enforcement, repatriation and more systematic management and data collection,” the ministry said in a statement.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and rights groups slammed the repatriation, saying the security and humanitarian situation in parts of Myanmar remains volatile and returnees could face serious risks such as persecution and forced military conscription in an active war zone.
Myanmar is involved in an armed conflict and political instability following the military’s seizure of power in 2021. Malaysia is home to about 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya who make up one of Southeast Asia’s largest refugee communities.
