Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals were returned to their home country from Malaysia, arriving in Yangon on Sunday. The group, which includes 86 women, had been held in Malaysia for various immigration violations and illegal stay convictions. According to Myanmar state media, the returnees were transported via two navy warships and a hospital ship, departing Malaysia last Tuesday. Nay Lin Tun, a regional government minister in Myanmar, confirmed the arrival of the group in southern Yangon.
This operation is part of a larger, multi-stage plan that aims to repatriate approximately 5,000 Myanmar nationals currently held in Malaysian immigration detention centers. Data from Malaysia’s Home Ministry indicates that there are 10,388 other individuals currently detained in these facilities. The repatriation has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations high commissioner for refugees and various human rights organizations. Critics argue that the current humanitarian and security environment in Myanmar remains volatile following the military's seizure of power on Feb. 1, 2021, which removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Concerns have been raised that those returned could face significant risks, including state-led persecution or forced conscription into the ongoing conflict.
Kelley E. Currie, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, issued a statement on Thursday emphasizing that Malaysia is obligated under international law to uphold the principle of non-refoulement. She stated that the government must prevent the return of individuals to areas where they face a real risk of torture, persecution, or other serious human rights violations, adding that in her assessment, the risk of refoulement is substantial.
The status of the returnees remains a point of contention regarding their identities. While it is unclear if any minority Muslim Rohingya—who face systemic persecution and lack citizenship in Myanmar—were among those sent back, Myanmar Foreign Ministry official Han Win Aung told The Associated Press that the repatriated group consisted of “genuine citizens.” Malaysia hosts roughly 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR, including about 126,000 Rohingya. Despite this, Malaysia is not a party to the U.N. Refugee Convention and officially treats refugees as undocumented migrants. Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar’s military-backed government who was sworn in as president in April, is expected to visit Malaysia this month to further discuss migrant and refugee issues.
