Malaysia Says Rohingya Repatriation Will Only Proceed if It Is Safe
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Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia says it will only proceed with plans to return Rohingya refugees to Myanmar if their safety can be guaranteed, stressing that no one will be sent back if their life is at risk.
The government said Myanmar’s junta has agreed to receive the refugees, but each case will be assessed before any repatriation takes place. Officials said the foreign ministry is reviewing the plan to ensure it complies with humanitarian considerations. Myanmar has not publicly commented on the proposal.
Malaysia is home to more than 215,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UN refugee agency, including over 126,000 Rohingya, making them the country’s largest refugee community.
The repatriation plan was announced shortly after Malaysian authorities detained more than 100 Rohingya refugees who had gathered outside the UN refugee agency’s office in Kuala Lumpur after being threatened with eviction from an informal settlement in Penang. They were later released after officials confirmed they held valid UN refugee documents.
Pic Credit: AFP | File photo
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