We, Women Peace Network (WPN), express deep concern at the news that 5,000 Rohingya and 300,000 Rohingya refugees will soon likely be forcibly deported from Malaysia and Bangladesh, respectively, to the Burmese military.
If executed, this act will violate international law, and risk resulting in the commission of more atrocities against a group deemed protected by the International Court of Justice.
Instead, governments must uphold the principle of non-refoulement; consult with their respective refugee community members for their safety and protection; and continue to work towards the safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified repatriation of all Rohingya to their homes in Rakhine state and across Myanmar.
We urge the governments of Malaysia and Bangladesh to take necessary measures to protect Rohingya lives, because history shows that they can. For decades, the two countries have graciously hosted the largest number of Rohingya refugees fleeing genocide and persecution in Myanmar. Without their sustained support, the Rohingya would not have survived today.
However, worryingly, the ongoing situation of the Rohingya refugees stands in stark contrast to this legacy. The past months have seen a rapid rise in hate speech and misinformation campaigns against the Rohingya on Meta and other social media platforms.
Cases of Rohingya children being physically harassed in public and women being subjected to threats of harassment have also surfaced in Malaysia.
These campaigns have now culminated in school shutdowns, home raids, and – most recently – the police detention of over 100 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, in front of the UN refugee agency office in Kuala Lumpur.
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Recent developments at sea further call for the Rohingya’s immediate protection.
In June and July, two boats carrying more than 500 Rohingya – mostly women, children, and elderly persons – vanished in the Bay of Bengal. Their whereabouts remain unknown. Yet it is clear that the deteriorating livelihood and protection conditions compelled them to flee.
Since 2024, the Arakan Army’s atrocities have forced a growing number of atrocities to leave Rakhine state. There are also reports of members of the Burmese military, Arakan Army and regional criminal syndicates being involved in smuggling and trafficking Rohingya onto unseaworthy vessels.
Therefore, we call for immediate and effective action to protect the Rohingya refugees, including by halting forced deportation and tackling regional human trafficking networks, in addition to addressing the root causes of the crisis in Myanmar.
We urge the governments of Malaysia and Bangladesh, and other regional stakeholders, to show moral leadership on the Rohingya as they have done so in the past. – WPN
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.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
