KUALA LUMPUR – Activists are calling on Malaysia to prepare for a potential surge of Rohingya refugees, as violence escalates in Myanmar in the latest crackdown on dissent since the military’s coup in 2021.
Adrian Pereira of the North South Initiative said Malaysia must enhance its preparedness to manage this potential refugee surge.
“The main challenge will be logistics and coordination with various international and local agencies,” Pereira told Scoop.
Malaysia, where many Rohingya have escaped to by boat or on foot previously, needs to be “technically prepared”, besides working on improving the public’s understanding of the issue.
“Combating fake news and hate speech is crucial to ensure a welcoming environment for refugees,” he added.
Pereira also emphasised the need for a clear and compassionate refugee policy from the Malaysian government.
“To effectively support refugees, (Malaysia) must establish a well defined policy framework that aligns with the UN Convention for Refugees.
“This includes providing rights and, potentially, citizenship,” Pereira said, also urging Malaysia take the lead in Asean and at the United Nations to address the root causes of conflict in Myanmar, which is an Asean member.
He was commenting on a recent statement by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warning of an increasing number of wounded Rohingya people crossing over to Bangladesh from Rakhine State following months of civil war between the military and ethnic groups that flared up in October last year.
As of end June 2024, there are some 190,370 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia. Some 167,360 are from Myanmar, of which 109,650 are Rohingyas, according to the agency.
Echoing similar concerns, Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani, president of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organisation (Merhrom), urged Malaysia to allow safe disembarkment for Rohingya boat people fleeing genocide.
“The Rohingya are stateless; we cannot return to Myanmar, and a durable solution is needed instead of placing Rohingya in detention camps for very long periods, as this affects their physical and mental health,” Zafar told Scoop.
Like Pereira, Zafar also said the Malaysian authorities’ have a role in countering disinformation and hate speech against Rohingya and refugees.
In a statement dated August 9, MSF said its doctors in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, have since early this month been treating a growing number of Rohingya with “violence-related” injuries that included wounds from mortar shell explosions and gunshots.
“MSF staff at the clinic say this is the first time in a year that they have seen serious injuries on this scale.
“Considering the rise in the number of wounded Rohingya patients crossing from Myanmar in recent days, and the nature of the injuries our teams are treating, we are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of the conflict on Rohingya people,” said the statement by Orla Murphy, MSF’s country representative in Bangladesh.
She said patients have also described to MSF staff the “desperate situation in Rakhine state”.
“Some reported seeing people bombed while trying to find boats to cross the river into Bangladesh and escape the violence. Others described seeing hundreds of dead bodies on the riverbanks.
“Many patients spoke of being separated from their families en route to safer areas and of loved ones being killed in the violence. Many people said they were fearful that family members remaining in Myanmar would not survive.”
Murphy said conflict in the Rakhine state has worsened since October last year, to the point that it has impacted MSF’s ability to run medical activities safely. In June, MSF was forced to suspend its services in Northern Rakhine state.
Violence flared up in October last year when armed ethnic groups banded together to overturn the military coup in February 2021 that saw the army arrest democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The coup led to an uprising that has lasted all now, in which the military government is conscripting citizens, as well as the stateless Rohingya, into the army. Many are attempting to flee this forced drafting, while the country is still under a state of extended emergency.
2023 was reported as the deadliest year for Rohingya fleeing Myanmar by boat, with estimates of one death for every eight who tried to escape, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Rohingya also faced severe persecution and previous violence in 2016 and 2017 by the Myanmar military.
In 2020, Malaysia allowed a boat of over 200 Rohingya refugees to land in Langkawi after they had been drifting for months at sea but immediately placed those onboard in detention. – August 14, 2024