Groups seek to stop Malaysia from deporting Myanmar migrants
3 years, 10 months ago

Groups seek to stop Malaysia from deporting Myanmar migrants

Associated Press  

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Two human rights groups made a last-ditch legal bid on Monday to block Malaysia’s plan to deport 1,200 Myanmar migrants, which they say include refugees, asylum seekers and minors. The two groups in their legal bid named three people registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and 17 minors who have at least one parent still in Malaysia, contrary to Malaysia’s assurance earlier that there were no UNHCR cardholders or ethnic Muslim Rohingya refugees in the group. They said the repatriation is also tantamount to legitimizing ongoing human rights violations by Myanmar’s military and would put the migrants at risk of further persecution, violence and even death. The UNHCR, which has been barred from Malaysia’s immigration detention centers since August 2019, said separately on Monday that there were at least six people registered with it among the group due to be deported.

Group Migrants Groups Malaysia Malaysian Unhcr Myanmar Military  migrants  stop  group  refugees  rohingya  myanmar  military  malaysia  groups  asylum  unhcr  deporting  seekers  seek

History of this topic

Rohingya refugees mark the anniversary of their exodus and demand a safe return to Myanmar
3 months, 4 weeks ago

Rohingya refugees mark the anniversary of their exodus and demand a safe return to Myanmar

The Hindu  

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who live in sprawling camps in Bangladesh on Sunday marked the seventh anniversary of their mass exodus, demanding safe return to Myanmar's Rakhine state. The refugees gathered in an open field at Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar district carrying banners and festoons reading “Hope is Home” and “We Rohingya are the citizens …

Indonesia's rescue of Rohingya refugees at sea is a reminder of an ordeal that began in Myanmar
9 months ago

Indonesia's rescue of Rohingya refugees at sea is a reminder of an ordeal that began in Myanmar

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — A dramatic story of survival and rescue off the western coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province has put the spotlight again on the plight of ethnic Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar who make extremely dangerous voyages across the Indian Ocean to seek better lives. For Rohingya refugees living in squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh, escaping across the seas might …

Refugees, migrants held in ‘violent, squalid’ Malaysian detention centres
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Refugees, migrants held in ‘violent, squalid’ Malaysian detention centres

Al Jazeera  

Malaysia is holding thousands of refugees and migrants in a network of “violent, squalid” detention centres where they are deprived of basic needs and sometimes subject to torture, Human Rights Watch has said. All those interviewed by HRW for its report, “We Can’t See the Sun: Malaysia’s Arbitrary Detention of Migrants and Refugees”, said they had witnessed beatings while 15 …

Dozens of Rohingya refugees flee Malaysian immigration detention centre
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Dozens of Rohingya refugees flee Malaysian immigration detention centre

Al Jazeera  

Police blame riot after 115 Rohingya and 16 other people from Myanmar escaped the facility on Thursday night. Malaysia is searching for dozens of Rohingya refugees and other people from Myanmar after they escaped from a temporary immigration detention centre in the country’s north. Other people from Myanmar have sought sanctuary in Malaysia amid a deepening civil war since the …

As more Rohingya arrive by boat, Indonesia asks the international community to share its burden
1 year ago

As more Rohingya arrive by boat, Indonesia asks the international community to share its burden

Associated Press  

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — Indonesia said Tuesday it is appealing to the international community for help after more than 1,500 Rohingya refugees have arrived on its shores by boat since November. But the growing hostility of some Indonesians toward the Rohingya, who come from refugee camps in Bangladesh, has put pressure on President Joko Widodo’s government to take action. He …

Over 300 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar arrive in Indonesia’s Aceh region after weeks at sea
1 year ago

Over 300 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar arrive in Indonesia’s Aceh region after weeks at sea

Associated Press  

ACEH BESAR, Indonesia — Two boats carrying more than 300 Rohingya Muslims, including emaciated women and children, arrived at Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh on Sunday morning after being adrift for weeks. One boat, which had been at sea for about one and a half months and carrying 135 people, arrived at a beach in Lamreh village in Aceh Besar …

Indonesia suspects human trafficking is behind the increasing number of Rohingya refugees
1 year ago

Indonesia suspects human trafficking is behind the increasing number of Rohingya refugees

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

127 Malaysians, suspected to be victims of job scams, rescued from Myanmar fighting
1 year ago

127 Malaysians, suspected to be victims of job scams, rescued from Myanmar fighting

Associated Press  

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — More than 120 suspected victims of job scams have been rescued after being stranded by fighting in northern Myanmar between the military and armed ethnic groups, Malaysia’s government said. The number of Malaysians rescued surged from an initial 26 to 127 in the past few days, Foreign Minister Zambry Abd Kadir told local media late Monday …

Who Cares About the Rohingya?
1 year, 1 month ago

Who Cares About the Rohingya?

The Diplomat  

In mid-October, the head of the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR gave an interview to Reuters in which he detailed the difficulty of securing the funding necessary to feed and house the estimated 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. “Otherwise, really, I’m worried about the future of Rohingya refugees and the patience of the host country in hosting them.” There …

Nearly 1,000 Rohingya refugees arrive by boat in Indonesia’s Aceh region in one week
1 year, 1 month ago

Nearly 1,000 Rohingya refugees arrive by boat in Indonesia’s Aceh region in one week

Associated Press  

LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia — Almost 1,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar have arrived by boat in Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh in the last six days, officials said Monday. “The thwarted landing of hundreds of Rohingya refugees is a big step back for Indonesia, where communities have previously shown generosity and humanity towards those seeking safety after perilous boat journeys,” said Usman …

More than 240 Rohingya refugees afloat off Indonesia after they are twice refused by residents
1 year, 1 month ago

More than 240 Rohingya refugees afloat off Indonesia after they are twice refused by residents

Associated Press  

ACEH UTARA, Indonesia — Some 240 Rohingya Muslims, including women and children, are afloat off the coast of Indonesia after two attempts to land were rejected by local residents. Officials said the boat most recently tried to land in Aceh Utara district, in Indonesia’s Aceh province, on Thursday afternoon, but left a few hours later. Residents of the Ulee Madon …

European nations join Myanmar genocide case
1 year, 1 month ago

European nations join Myanmar genocide case

Al Jazeera  

The case at the UN’s top court accuses Yangon of committing genocide against people belonging to the Rohingya community. Five European countries and Canada have teamed up to join the genocide case at the International Court of Justice that accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against the mostly Muslim Rohingya. We are particularly focus on violence against women and children,” Tania …

Myanmar seeking to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh
1 year, 1 month ago

Myanmar seeking to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh

Al Jazeera  

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are reluctant to repatriate without guarantees for safety, dignity and and the recuperation of their homes. Bangladesh hosts nearly one million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled Myanmar in 2017, when the military launched what the United Nations describes as a campaign with “genocidal intent” against the mostly-Muslim minority. The team of Myanmar officials arrived at …

UN refugee chief says Rohingya who fled Myanmar must not be forgotten during other world crises
1 year, 2 months ago

UN refugee chief says Rohingya who fled Myanmar must not be forgotten during other world crises

Associated Press  

BANGKOK — The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees urged the international community on Tuesday not to forget the plight of ethnic Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in the midst of many other world crises. Speaking on the sidelines of a regional meeting on Rohingya refugee assistance in Bangkok, he emphasized that a ”voluntary, dignified return to Myanmar” by the Rohingya refugees …

Myanmar arrests nearly 150 fleeing Rohingya
1 year, 4 months ago

Myanmar arrests nearly 150 fleeing Rohingya

The Hindu  

Myanmar authorities have arrested nearly 150 Rohingya suspected of trying to flee the country, an official told AFP on Tuesday. The military launched a crackdown on Rohingya in 2017, and thousands now risk their lives each year making perilous journeys from camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia. Bangladesh and Myanmar have discussed efforts to begin …

More than 180 Rohingya refugees land in western Indonesia
1 year, 8 months ago

More than 180 Rohingya refugees land in western Indonesia

Al Jazeera  

Hundreds of Rohingya have reached Indonesia since November last year as they escape desperate conditions in Myanmar and camps in Bangladesh. Indonesian officials have said that more than 180 Rohingya refugees landed in the country’s western Aceh province, the latest among hundreds who have fled by boat from desperate conditions in Myanmar and in camps in Bangladesh. A spokesperson for …

Rohingya campaigners condemn Myanmar’s ‘opaque’ repatriation plan
1 year, 9 months ago

Rohingya campaigners condemn Myanmar’s ‘opaque’ repatriation plan

Al Jazeera  

The Myanmar military’s “pilot project” to repatriate about 1,000 Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh has been met with scepticism, with rights campaigners calling it a “PR campaign”. What guarantee is there that we will be safe if we go back?”, said Alom, who was one of the Rohingya refugees interviewed by the Myanmar delegation. “They were here just to verify information …

Malaysia pressed to probe deaths of 150 foreigners in detention last year
1 year, 10 months ago

Malaysia pressed to probe deaths of 150 foreigners in detention last year

The Hindu  

Human rights groups have urged Malaysia to investigate conditions at migrant detention centers after the government said 150 foreigners, including seven children, died at the facilities last year. Malaysia routinely detains foreigners without valid permits to remain in the country, including asylum seekers. In a written reply this week to a question in Parliament, Malaysia's Home Minister, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, …

Myanmar jails 112 Rohingya for travelling \'without documents\'
1 year, 11 months ago

Myanmar jails 112 Rohingya for travelling \'without documents\'

Deccan Chronicle  

YANGON: Myanmar authorities have sentenced 112 Rohingya, including a dozen children, to between two and five years in prison for attempting to travel to Malaysia "without legal documents", state media reported Tuesday. The group were arrested last month in the southern Ayeyarwady region and sentenced on January 6, according to a report by the Global New Light of Myanmar, which …

UN agency probes origin of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia
1 year, 11 months ago

UN agency probes origin of Rohingya refugees in Indonesia

Firstpost  

A distressing video circulated widely in social media showed the dehydrated and exhausted Rohingya, crumpled weakly and emaciated, many crying for help Pidie: A United Nations agency is seeking information about the voyage of over 100 Rohingya Muslim refugees who landed on an Indonesian beach this week, and warned Tuesday that there will likely be more. At least 185 men, …

160 sea-borne Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh feared adrift in Andaman Sea
2 years ago

160 sea-borne Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh feared adrift in Andaman Sea

India Today  

Nearly 160 Rohingya refugees who have fled from camps in Bangladesh are now believed adrift in the Andaman Sea as their boat’s engine broke down. One of the refugees managed to contact the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative and give the coordinates which showed the ship drifting southeast of the Andaman Islands towards Aceh in Indonesia. “Since the contact was made …

Myanmar’s exiled National Unity Government cautiously recognises rights of Rohingyas
2 years ago

Myanmar’s exiled National Unity Government cautiously recognises rights of Rohingyas

The Hindu  

The laws of Myanmar that prompted one of the largest refugee crises in recent decades involving the Rohingya community of the Rakhine province is deeply unpopular among the democratic anti-junta forces. The Hindu was told recently that the ruling military junta is under growing pressure from the “troops” of the National Unity Government which is being “actively engaged” by several …

Mizoram’s predicament over Myanmar refugees
2 years, 2 months ago

Mizoram’s predicament over Myanmar refugees

Live Mint  

On the narrow streets of Aizawl, one can barely recognise celebrity singer Benjamin Sum, known to his fans just as Sum. “To feed 30,000 people for months… it’s quite a problem for the government of Mizoram and the people at large,” Zoramthanga had noted. “We don’t look at Myanmarese as refugees but displaced people,” says Mizoram University’s Prof. Lalnuntluanga, general …

Myanmar, Ukraine war shift Japanese policy on refugees
2 years, 3 months ago

Myanmar, Ukraine war shift Japanese policy on refugees

Al Jazeera  

Tokyo, Japan – Since the Japan Association for Refugees was founded in 1999, it has helped more than 7,000 asylum seekers from at least 70 countries. Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa added a month later that “the government as a whole will continue to provide close assistance to evacuees.” Both statements suggested an about-face for Japan’s refugee strategy. “In addition, the …

Bangladesh tells UN that Rohingya refugees must return to Myanmar
2 years, 4 months ago

Bangladesh tells UN that Rohingya refugees must return to Myanmar

Al Jazeera  

UN rights chief says return of Rohingya refugees is not possible currently due to concerns about their safety in Myanmar. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has told the UN rights chief that hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees living in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh must return home to Myanmar, from where they had fled waves of violent persecution. UN High …

UN expert calls for Myanmar action as death toll tops 2,000
2 years, 6 months ago

UN expert calls for Myanmar action as death toll tops 2,000

Al Jazeera  

Tom Andrews says scale of the crisis triggered by the February 2021 coup demands countries take more meaningful action to end the violence. “Too much is at stake for Myanmar and its people to accept complacency and inaction by the international community,” Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said in a statement …

‘It’s hell’: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh rally to ‘go home’
2 years, 6 months ago

‘It’s hell’: Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh rally to ‘go home’

Al Jazeera  

Rohingya refugees living in squalid conditions in Bangladesh are demanding to go home to Myanmar. Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh staged demonstrations to demand repatriation back to Myanmar, where they fled a brutal military crackdown five years ago. The “Bari Cholo” campaign involved 23 Rohingya camps, 21 in Ukhiam and two in Teknaf Upazila, a government official …

UN refugee agency ‘shocked’ at Rohingya deaths in Malaysia escape
2 years, 8 months ago

UN refugee agency ‘shocked’ at Rohingya deaths in Malaysia escape

Al Jazeera  

Six people, including two children, were killed trying to cross a highway after hundreds fled a detention centre amid a riot. The United Nations refugee agency has said it is “shocked and deeply saddened” by the deaths of six Rohingya, including two children, who died on Wednesday in an escape this week from a temporary immigration detention centre in northern …

Six killed as hundreds of Rohingya flee Malaysia detention
2 years, 8 months ago

Six killed as hundreds of Rohingya flee Malaysia detention

Al Jazeera  

More than 500 escaped an immigration detention centre in the country’s north early on Wednesday, but some were killed as they tried to cross a highway. Malaysia set up roadblocks and deployed the police, immigration and volunteer security services after more than 500 mostly Muslim Rohingya refugees fled a temporary immigration detention centre in the country’s north. The paper said …

Despite risk of death, Thailand sends Myanmar refugees back
2 years, 8 months ago

Despite risk of death, Thailand sends Myanmar refugees back

Associated Press  

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The young woman from Myanmar and her family now live amid the tall grasses of a riverbank on the Thai border, trapped between a country that does not want them and a country whose military could kill them. But I have not returned to the village at all.” Though international refugee laws forbid the return of people …

Indonesia denies entry to Rohingya stranded at sea
2 years, 11 months ago

Indonesia denies entry to Rohingya stranded at sea

The Hindu  

A group of about 120 Rohingya people, including dozens of children, will not be allowed to disembark on Indonesian territory, Indonesian officials said on December 28. "The Rohingya are not Indonesian citizens, we can't just bring them in even as refugees," navy official Dian Suryansyah was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. Badruddin Yunus, a fishing community leader …

Indonesia rejects Rohingya refugees, sends boat to Malaysia
2 years, 11 months ago

Indonesia rejects Rohingya refugees, sends boat to Malaysia

Al Jazeera  

At least 100 people, mostly women and children, on board a wooden vessel said to be taking on water denied refuge. Dozens of Rohingya refugees who were intercepted after their boat ran into trouble off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province were being sent into Malaysian waters, authorities said. At least 100 people, mostly women and children, on board a …

Rohingya refugees face deportation threat
3 years, 8 months ago

Rohingya refugees face deportation threat

The Hindu  

As Myanmar reels under a violent crackdown following a military coup, Rohingya Muslims who fled to India years ago are being detained and threatened with forced deportation to their troubled country. He termed the Rohingya as “illegal migrants” and said the government would confirm with Myanmar if they were its citizens and then deport them in accordance with law. But …

Malaysia deports 1,086 Myanmar nationals despite court order
3 years, 10 months ago

Malaysia deports 1,086 Myanmar nationals despite court order

Al Jazeera  

Immigration chief says the group was sent back on three Myanmar navy ships and do not include Rohingya or asylum seekers. Malaysia has deported 1,086 Myanmar nationals, despite a court order temporarily halting the repatriation amid concerns the group could be at risk if they are returned to military-ruled Myanmar. Amnesty International Malaysia’s Executive Director Katrina Jorene Maliamauv said earlier …

Malaysia To Deport 1,200 Myanmar Migrants Back To Country Rocked By Military Coup
3 years, 10 months ago

Malaysia To Deport 1,200 Myanmar Migrants Back To Country Rocked By Military Coup

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s government will repatriate 1,200 Myanmar migrants next week despite a military coup in their home country, but has assured that they will not include minority Muslim Rohingya refugees or those registered with the U.N. refugee agency. Malaysia’s immigration chief, Khairul Dzaimee Daud, said in a statement late Monday that the detainees will …

Bangladesh sends 3rd group of Rohingya refugees to island
3 years, 10 months ago

Bangladesh sends 3rd group of Rohingya refugees to island

The Hindu  

Authorities in Bangladesh sent a third group of Rohingya refugees to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Friday despite calls by human rights groups for a halt to the process. On Friday morning, 1,778 refugees started their journey to the island of Bhasan Char in four navy vessels from the southeastern port city of Chattogram, after …

Bangladesh to ship new group of Rohingya refugees to remote island
3 years, 11 months ago

Bangladesh to ship new group of Rohingya refugees to remote island

Live Mint  

Bangladesh will move a second group of Rohingya refugees to a low-lying island in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, officials said, despite calls by rights groups to stop the relocation on safety grounds. More than 1,100 Rohingya refugees, members of a Muslim minority who have fled Myanmar, will be moved from a refugee camp near the Myanmar border to …

Bangladesh begins relocating Rohingya refugees to island despite rights concerns
4 years ago

Bangladesh begins relocating Rohingya refugees to island despite rights concerns

India TV News  

Authorities in Bangladesh have begun relocating thousands of Rohingya refugees to an isolated island despite calls by human rights groups for a halt to the process, officials said Thursday. The United Nations has also voiced concern that refugees be allowed to make a “free and informed decision” about whether to relocate to the island in the Bay of Bengal. On …

Rohingya refugees are being ignored
4 years, 1 month ago

Rohingya refugees are being ignored

Al Jazeera  

The world must better support the Rohingya, and address the politics of why they have sought refuge in the first place. And those of us that spoke up for Aung San Suu Kyi when she was under house arrest – those of us who marched and called for her release – will also speak up for the Rohingya people. There …

Unwanted: Bangladesh, Malaysia reject rescued Rohingya refugees
4 years, 6 months ago

Unwanted: Bangladesh, Malaysia reject rescued Rohingya refugees

Al Jazeera  

Bangladesh rejects Malaysia’s suggestion to take back nearly 300 Rohingya refugees who were found drifting at sea. Bangladesh has said it will not take back nearly 300 Rohingya who were detained by Malaysia after their boat was found drifting off the country’s northwestern island of Langkawi, as hostility towards the mostly Muslim refugees continues to grow. Sabri said Malaysia’s foreign …

Discover Related