The government has decided to suspend refugee registration by the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR). It simultaneously announced that around 5,000 Myanmar nationals will be returned to Myanmar.
Amnesty International Malaysia’s spokesperson, Divya Shesshsan Balakrishnan, responded: “While we welcome the government’s efforts to develop a national refugee registration system and move towards formal recognition of refugees in Malaysia, any transition away from UNHCR registration must not leave refugees and asylum-seekers without access to protection procedures.
“The timing of these announcements also raises serious questions. While UNHCR is being instructed to suspend refugee registrations, the government is simultaneously preparing to return approximately 5,000 Myanmar nationals currently held in immigration detention,” she said.
“Given the ongoing conflict and human rights situation in Myanmar, the government must be transparent about how these individuals were assessed, whether they were given a genuine opportunity to establish protection needs, and what safeguards are in place to ensure that no one is returned to a situation where they may face persecution or other serious human rights violations.
“As people in Myanmar continue to face forced labour, food and health crises, severe restrictions on movement, and an escalating armed conflict, any repatriation to the country at this time could have devastating consequences,” she added.
“Far from seeing conditions improve, people continue to undertake perilous journeys to flee Myanmar. Just last week, 500 people were feared dead after two boats carrying mostly Rohingya refugees capsized off the coast of Myanmar.
“The fact that people are still risking their lives to escape should be a stark reminder for Malaysia and all neighbouring countries that conditions in Myanmar remain unsafe,” she said.
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“Malaysia should immediately clarify how asylum seekers are to seek protection while UNHCR registration is suspended, provide transparency on the assessment processes applied to those facing deportation, and ensure that no one is returned before their protection needs have been fully and fairly assessed.”
Background
On 23 July, Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni announced in Parliament that the government had directed the UNHCR to temporarily suspend refugee registration while Malaysia restructures refugee management through the ‘refugee registration document’ (DPP) programme.
He added that about 5,000 Myanmar nationals currently held in immigration detention are expected to be returned to Myanmar.
The DPP programme forms part of Malaysia’s plans to establish a government-led refugee registration and management system.
Under the programme, the government will collect refugee data, conduct identity verification and refugee status determination, and issue government-recognised documentation to successful applicants.
According to UNHCR figures cited in a recent parliamentary select committee report, Malaysia hosts 214,079 refugees and asylum seekers, some 90% of whom are from Myanmar. Around 31% are children.
The same report noted that 65% of refugee children are not enrolled in formal education.
According to a parliamentary reply dated 22 July, there were 22,166 migrants held in immigration detention facilities nationwide as of 30 June. Myanmar nationals constituted the largest group, accounting for 11,194 detainees.
Amnesty International Malaysia remains concerned that any transition from UNHCR registration to a national registration framework must ensure continuous access to protection procedures and robust safeguards against refoulement, particularly given the ongoing conflict and human rights crisis in Myanmar. – Amnesty Malaysia
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
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