Rohingya caught between Malaysia crackdown and Myanmar’s uncertain welcome
YANGON, Sept 25 — As a Rohingya exile who abandoned his life in Malaysia to return to Myanmar, Ismail’s blea...
In Malaysia, a crackdown on Rohingya migrants is causing hardship and uncertainty for those caught in the middle. Ismail, a 25-year-old Rohingya who previously worked at a fish market, now subsists on charity while carrying ID branding him as a second-class citizen. Malaysia has agreed to repatriate 5,000 of the 190,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers in the country, though it remains unclear how many will be Rohingya.
The group makes up two-thirds of the refugees in Malaysia. Despite Malaysia being a Muslim-majority nation, the Rohingya there face pressure and xenophobia. Rights groups claim the mass killings, rape, and arson against the Rohingya in Myanmar starting in 2017 amounted to genocide, a claim the military denies. With many Rohingya detained in dire conditions, it is unclear if the voluntary return scheme will erode existing protections.
The Myanmar government promises a "safe and dignified" welcome, but it remains uncertain where the navy ships carrying them will dock and what their future holds. Myanmar's military claims the campaign was targeting insurgents, but the International Court of Justice is weighing whether it constituted genocide. Both governments see the repatriations as a bargaining chip, with Malaysia hoping to appear strong on immigration enforcement ahead of elections and Myanmar seeking to shake off its pariah status after a 2021 coup.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
