Malaysia Says No UNHCR Role in Myanmar Refugee Repatriation, Warns Myanmar Not Yet Safe

Malaysia's plan to repatriate Myanmar refugees lacks UNHCR involvement; Myanmar not yet safe, warns agency

September 1

The UNHCR has warned that it is not involved in the Malaysian government's plan to repatriate Myanmar refugees, and that Myanmar is not yet safe for refugees to return, as armed conflict and violence continue in the country.

Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs has reportedly planned to send back 1,476 Myanmar refugees to Myanmar on September 29 as the first batch of a voluntary repatriation program.

Additionally, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier stated that Myanmar had agreed to accept 5,000 Rohingya refugees.

However, the UNHCR said that due to ongoing armed conflict and violence in Myanmar, the conditions necessary for safe, dignified, and voluntary returns do not yet exist.

The UNHCR also stated that under international customary law, no one should be sent to a country where there is a risk of human rights violations, and that refugee returns must be voluntary, based on fully informed decisions, and carried out under conditions of safety and dignity.

According to UNHCR's February data, there are approximately 193,800 Myanmar refugees in Malaysia, including Rohingya and Chin ethnic groups, with activists saying many more remain unregistered.


Ref & Photo; Reuters

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