Santiago questions plan to return 5,000 Rohingya to Myanmar

 Former Klang MP says Myanmar remains engulfed in war, while the Rohingya continue to face persecution.

Ex-MP Charles Santiago warned that proceeding with the repatriation of the Rohingya to Myanmar without adequate protection could damage Malaysia’s international standing.

PETALING JAYA:

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has questioned the proposed return of 5,000 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, warning that they could be sent back to the same persecution and violence that they fled.

Santiago said Myanmar remained engulfed in armed conflict, while the Rohingya continued to face persecution, statelessness and serious human rights abuses.

“Malaysia cannot, in good conscience, celebrate the return of 5,000 Rohingya to Myanmar without first answering one fundamental question: return them to what?

“If there are no credible guarantees of safety, dignity, citizenship and voluntary return, this is not a diplomatic achievement to shout about, but a moral failure,” he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Myanmar had agreed to accept an initial 5,000 Rohingya refugees from Malaysia following negotiations between the two countries. He described the agreement as a first step towards addressing the long-running refugee issue and preserving public order.

Santiago also asked whether Malaysia’s engagement with Myanmar’s military leadership during its Asean chairmanship had prioritised the removal of refugees over meaningful progress towards peace, accountability and justice.

He said Malaysia had for decades spoken out against the persecution of the Rohingya, condemned atrocities committed against them and mobilised humanitarian assistance.

“To now facilitate returns without transparent safeguards risks abandoning the very principles we once championed,” he said.

Santiago warned that any forced or coerced return could violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits countries from sending people to places where they risk persecution or serious harm.

He also warned that proceeding with the repatriation without adequate protection could damage Malaysia’s international standing.

“Refugees are not a political inconvenience to be negotiated away. They are human beings who fled unimaginable violence in search of safety,” he said.

“Malaysia should be remembered for protecting the vulnerable, not for sending them back to die on the frontlines.” - FMT