Two navy warships and a hospital ship ferried 1,500 Myanmar nationals from Kuala Lumpur to Yangon last Tuesday—an operation that saw 86 women among the returnees, regional minister Nay Lin Tun announced early Sunday. The vessels docked at the southern Yangon port, where Myanmar state media reported that the men and women had been convicted of illegal stay and other immigration violations.
This shipment is part of a planned 5,000-person repatriation, with 10,388 Myanmar nationals currently held in Malaysian immigration detention centres, the home ministry said Thursday. The numbers indicate a phased operation, yet the pace raises questions about the conditions awaiting the returnees.
Kelley E. Currie, the UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, warned on Thursday that the country faces a substantial risk of refoulement, citing the ongoing conflict and potential forced conscription. He urged the Malaysian government to uphold non‑refoulement and ensure that returnees do not face persecution, torture or other serious violations.
The report does not confirm whether any Rohingya were among those repatriated, but Malaysia hosts about 126,000 Rohingya refugees, a group denied citizenship and historically persecuted. Returning such minorities could trigger renewed abuses in conflict‑stricken areas, the UN said.
Myanmar's military seized power from the elected government on February 1, 2021, sparking armed resistance and widespread violence. The country remains volatile, with UN agencies cautioning that the security environment could jeopardise the safety of returnees.
In a statement, the UN called for an immediate halt to further repatriations until safety guarantees are in place, while regional observers await the next phase of the operation, scheduled for early next week.