Malaysia won't repatriate Myanmar refugees if lives at risk - minister

 

Malaysia will not repatriate any of the 5,000 Myanmar refugees earmarked for return if they face persecution or threats to their lives, said government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil.

Speaking at the weekly post-cabinet press conference in Putrajaya today, he said the Foreign and Home ministries were still studying the proposed repatriation, including identifying those to be returned.

“Certainly, Malaysia, as a responsible country, will not repatriate the 5,000 Myanmar refugees if they would face persecution or if their lives would be at risk,” he said.

The communications minister said several issues would first need to be examined in discussions with Myanmar’s junta before any repatriation takes place.

“As informed by the prime minister, these are 5,000 Myanmar refugees whom the Myanmar junta government is prepared to receive, but we will examine what the criteria are. If it is appropriate, we will proceed,” he said.

Fahmi said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was mindful that refugees could not be returned if doing so placed their lives at risk.

He added that the details of the proposed exercise, including the criteria for selecting the 5,000, were still being studied, particularly by the Foreign Ministry.

Who exactly will be sent back?

Anwar announced on July 29 that Myanmar had agreed to receive 5,000 Rohingya refugees from Malaysia, with the Home Ministry tasked with identifying those involved.

However, the scope of the proposed return has since become unclear.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail reportedly said on July 30 that Malaysia had begun documenting and screening Myanmar nationals held at immigration detention depots as part of the exercise.

Myanmar’s Asean Affairs Department director-general Han Win Aung, however, said on July 31 that the arrangement did not involve Rohingya but Myanmar citizens detained in Malaysia whose nationality could be verified, according to the Associated Press.

The proposed repatriation has also raised concerns over non-refoulement, the principle prohibiting the return of people to countries where they face persecution or other serious harm.

Rights groups warn against forced returns

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said conditions in Myanmar remain unsafe for refugee returns amid the ongoing conflict, and that returns should be voluntary and take place under conditions of safety and dignity.

Amnesty International Malaysia has similarly called for a halt to forced returns of Rohingya and other Myanmar nationals, citing the continuing conflict and human rights crisis.

The issue comes amid broader changes to Malaysia’s refugee management system.

Last month, the government asked UNHCR to temporarily stop registering new refugees as it moves towards its own Refugee Registration Document.

The first phase focuses on people held in immigration detention centres.

Malaysia hosts more than 215,000 UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum seekers, including about 126,000 Rohingya. - Mkini