The recent decision by the authorities to repatriate 1,200 Myanmar nationals currently held under Malaysian custody to the Myanmar Navy could prove risky to the wellbeing of the detainees.
Myanmar is currently gripped by a military coup and ensuing political crisis - with its ruling party leader, Aung San Suu Kyi (National League for Democracy) and the President, Win Myint being held under house arrest. The current military rule, and past UN backed findings of genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya community justify concern on incoming Myanmar detainees to the country. [1]
Although Malaysia’s director-general of immigration, Khairul Dzaimee Daud had clarified that the Myanmar nationals to be returned would not include UNHCR “cardholders,” or Rohingya refugees, the Immigration Department has yet to verify the detainees’ actual status through discussions with the UNHCR. The latter has been denied access to immigration depots since August 2019.
Earlier this year, Malaysia’s Parliamentary Accounts (PAC) had recommended that the Home Ministry restart its negotiations with the UNHCR to resolve the registration of refugees held in immigration depots. [2] The decision to repatriate detainees, before fulfilling the recommendations of the PAC is most disappointing and puts great risk on human lives.
Such actions also hinders earlier efforts to provide healthcare support to the Rohingya community through the then Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development’s collaboration with the Qatar government; as well as the recently laudable pronouncements of providing Covid-19 vaccines to adults in the country, including undocumented foreigners.
We ask that the Home Ministry (Kementerian Dalam Negeri) and consequently the immigration department reconsider its decision, pending a thorough engagement with UNHCR and like minded organizations. A humanitarian and principled approach, as has been done in the past, would prove to be in line with our principled position of protecting everyone in facing this pandemic.
- Nurul Izzah Anwar (MP of Permatang Pauh)
- Nor Azrina Surip @ Nurin Aina (MP of Merbok)
[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561
[2] https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/552288
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