On Tuesday (September 29), Malaysia deported 1,476 Burmese citizens back to their home country, including 27 children. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated on Wednesday that they are unable to confirm whether these individuals truly volunteered to return home as they have not been able to access Malaysia’s immigration detention centers.
According to Reuters, this marks the first batch of deportations under Malaysia’s plan with Myanmar, with a potential total involvement of up to 5,000 individuals. The Malaysian government has insisted that all deportees volunteered to return to Myanmar.
UNHCR has expressed concerns over the situation. Assistant High Commissioner Edem Wosornu mentioned that these individuals were previously held in immigration detention centers without UNHCR access, making it impossible to determine if they could freely choose to return to their home country.
Myanmar is currently experiencing armed conflicts in several regions. The refugee agency pointed out that some of the deportees may require refugee protection, and the current situation in Myanmar is not conducive for large-scale repatriation.
Information released by Malaysia shows that the first group of 1,476 individuals includes 1,370 men, 79 women, 20 boys, and 7 girls, ranging in age from 8 to 60 years old. They were escorted back to Myanmar by military and hospital ships dispatched by the Myanmar authorities.
It remains unclear how many of these individuals are classified as refugees, and there is no data confirming whether Rohingya people are included in this group.
In recent years, Malaysia has been intensifying its enforcement efforts against undocumented immigrants. As of August 15, local immigration detention centers were holding 10,388 Burmese citizens. The Malaysian government has clarified that not all undocumented immigrants from Myanmar are automatically considered refugees, and their identities, nationalities, and backgrounds will be verified.
Since the military coup in Myanmar in 2021, the country has been embroiled in ongoing conflicts, leading to a significant number of people fleeing to neighboring countries. The refugee agency emphasized that individuals requiring international protection should not be forcibly repatriated to Myanmar until conditions for safe return are established in the country.