Malaysia has officially started the first phase of the process to return Myanmar migrants. The Malaysian government plans to return about 5,000 of these migrants to their war-torn country.
Details of the Return Process
On Tuesday, buses accompanied by security vehicles transported the migrants to a boat for their return to Myanmar. These buses arrived at a stadium near the Lumut naval base in Malaysia. Two naval ships and a hospital ship were also on site for maritime transport.
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The Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs announced in late August that the first phase of the return would begin in September. The ministry emphasized that this process is entirely voluntary and involves 1,476 Myanmar citizens identified by the Myanmar government.
Human Rights Concerns
Despite Malaysia's claim that this process is voluntary, the UN Refugee Agency and civil society organizations have expressed concerns about the safety of individuals returning to their country. They have warned that these individuals may face risks such as military recruitment, harassment, or detention amid the ongoing civil war.
Human rights activists point out that based on the experiences of individuals who have previously been returned to Myanmar, they may face the risk of detention or forced recruitment to fight on the front lines. James Bawi Tang Bick, one activist, stated: "We are concerned that they will be forced to fight on the front lines. For many, this is equivalent to sending them to their death at home."
In recent years, Malaysia has tightened immigration laws due to rising tensions and negative local sentiments against refugees, particularly Rohingya Muslims. Meanwhile, Myanmar's state media has reported that its Ministry of Foreign Affairs is cooperating with various countries to facilitate the voluntary return of homeless individuals in a safe and dignified manner.
Myanmar has been in a critical situation since the 2021 coup and the onset of civil war. In this conflict, the Myanmar army is battling armed groups on several fronts. However, there have been allegations of harassment and even ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minority prior to the onset of the civil war.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has stated that the current conditions "do not support the safe and sustainable return of Myanmar refugees" and has also emphasized that it has not participated in agreements regarding the return of migrants with Malaysia.
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