Malaysia starts sending Myanmar migrants home

Malaysia initiated the repatriation of approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals today, marking the kickoff of a voluntary return program that has drawn criticism from human rights organizations. This initial wave is part of a larger plan to repatriate 5,000 Myanmar citizens from detention centers, according to Malaysian authorities.

The migrants were transported in multiple buses, escorted by police, to a stadium near the Lumut naval base, where they were processed and later sent to Myanmar by ship. The exact number of Rohingya among the group remains unclear, as Malaysian officials did not disclose this information. Rohingya, a persecuted Muslim minority, constitute roughly two-thirds of Malaysia's 190,000 Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers.

Malaysia's Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, announced the repatriation plan in July, after over 100 Rohingya were detained outside the UN refugee agency's Kuala Lumpur office, fearing eviction from a settlement in Penang. In response to criticism from the UN and rights groups, Myanmar pledged to facilitate safe and dignified returns for its citizens abroad.

Malaysian authorities also extended an invitation for Myanmar's coup leader turned civilian president, Min Aung Hlaing, to visit and aid in the repatriation process. It is worth noting that Malaysia, which hosts one of Southeast Asia's largest refugee populations, is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not officially recognize refugee status.

AFP reports that Rohingya refugees in Malaysia have faced online disinformation campaigns, contributing to xenophobia and intimidation. Many Rohingya fled Myanmar during a violent military campaign in 2017.