00:01The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it is not involved in Malaysia's planned repatriation of Myanmar refugees
00:09and warns that the country remains unsafe for their return.
00:14The Home Ministry had announced that 1,476 refugees would return to Myanmar on September 29
00:21under the first phase of a voluntary repatriation program.
00:25Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had earlier said Myanmar agreed to receive 5,000 Rohingya amid rising tensions over refugees within
00:35Malaysian communities.
00:37UNHCR maintained that continuing armed conflict and violence across Myanmar meant refugees could not return in a safe, dignified and
00:46sustainable manner.
00:47It stressed that refugees must not be returned where their rights or freedoms could be at risk and that any
00:54return must be voluntary and informed.
00:56In a statement to Reuters, UNHCR urged Malaysia to consider the protection needs of those involved and said it was
01:04ready to work with authorities on protection safeguards.
01:07A Home Ministry spokesman declined to comment on UNHCR's concerns and referred to the ministry's earlier position that the repatriation
01:17process was voluntary.
01:19Thousands had fled Myanmar since the 2021 military coup, while UNHCR data showed Malaysia hosted about 193,800 Myanmar refugees
01:31of various ethnicities as of February.
01:34Pan Yujo, FMT
01:36Pan Yujo, FMT
01:37đến
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