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The Malaysian government has “expelled” more than 1,000 citizens from Myanmar, despite High Court orders and objections from human rights groups. However, the country said there were no refugees among the deportees. BBC News.
Human rights groups say the deportees include members of some ethnic minorities who fled the country after being tortured in Myanmar.
The agencies say the junta government has seized power since the military coup in Myanmar. Sending them back at that point would put them at even greater risk.
But the Malaysian government has said that the deportees are not refugees. All of them lived in Malaysia in violation of immigration laws.
The BBC reports that a total of 1,008 people have been repatriated from a Malaysian military base on three Myanmar Navy ships.
Previously, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted a stay of repatriation of Myanmar citizens.
Khairul Jaimi Dawood, director general of Malaysia’s immigration department, said all deportees had agreed to go voluntarily. No one was forced.
He claimed that Malaysia was not sending back anyone registered with the UN refugee agency UNHCR.
Earlier, the Malaysian authorities said they would return 1,200 detainees. But it’s unclear why that number later dropped.
KAA / ASM
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