UN Rapporteur Calls on Malaysia to Halt Deportations to War-Torn Myanmar
The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar has urged Malaysia to halt its ongoing repatriation of Myanmar nationals, citing the “real risk” of persecution and torture in the war-torn country under military rule.
“I am gravely concerned the government of Malaysia has begun to return 5,000 Myanmar nationals, including women and children, under a so-called voluntary repatriation program agreed with the military authorities in Myanmar,” said Kelly E. Currie in a UN statement released Thursday.
Malaysia on Tuesday deported 1,476 Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya asylum seekers, defying warnings from the UN and international rights groups. Three Myanmar navy ships picked up the first batch of 5,000 individuals earmarked for return.
The deportation comes as Myanmar’s troop-depleted regime escalates forced conscription by abducting men from streets and homes while drafting incoming deportees from Thailand.
Currie called on Kuala Lumpur to work with the United Nations to address the situation of Rohingya and other Myanmar refugees in line with its international obligations.
“Under international law, the government of Malaysia is obligated to uphold the principle of non-refoulement and prevent the return of individuals to situations where they face a real risk of persecution, torture, or other serious human rights violation,” she stated, adding “the risk of refoulement in the present circumstance is substantial.”
Just one day before the deportations, a regime airstrike on a market in Rakhine State’s Kyauktaw killed at least 50 civilians, including Rohingya. Despite global condemnation, regime warplanes continued bombing civilian sites across Rakhine this week, causing further casualties.
Condemning “another horrific airstrike,” Currie warned that the world must stop normalizing the brutal violation of international law by a military that is using warplanes to attack civilians.
“The ongoing armed conflict and widespread violence in Rakhine State, including systematic violations against the Rohingya population by all parties, indicate the conditions necessary for a safe, dignified, sustainable, and genuinely voluntary return of refugees are currently not in place.”
She urged the Malaysia government to respect the legal, humanitarian, and practical criteria required for voluntary repatriation and ensure the human rights of all Myanmar refugees in Malaysia are protected.
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