Civil society groups in Myanmar and Malaysia warn Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim not to deport Rohingya

More than 160 civil society organizations issued a joint statement on Wednesday urging the Malaysian government to immediately halt its planned deportation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

Citing severe risks of ongoing violence, persecution, and forced conscription, the coalition expressed “grave concerns” over Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s proposal to seek the cooperation of Myanmar regime leader Min Aung Hlaing to facilitate the returns.

The statement directly identified Min Aung Hlaing as the primary architect of the genocide against the Rohingya population, noting that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been considering an arrest warrant against him for crimes against humanity since November 2024.

The human rights coalition warned that returning refugees to Myanmar would expose them to forced recruitment by multiple competing armed factions, including the Myanmar military, the Arakan Army (AA), and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

As of early 2026, Malaysia hosted approximately 193,800 registered refugees from Myanmar, including a substantial Rohingya population.

Despite calls from international rights groups, the Malaysian government confirmed that it plans to proceed with a first phase on Sept. 29, transferring 1,500 refugees aboard naval vessels provided by Naypyidaw.

In response to the growing public pressure, Malaysia’s Home Ministry declined to comment directly on the joint statement, referring to earlier official position statements that the repatriation program is voluntary and applies to Myanmar nationals currently held in national immigration detention facilities.

The Malaysian government previously noted that Myanmar regime had agreed to accept up to 5,000 individuals, while Prime Minister Anwar indicated he plans to invite Min Aung Hlaing to Malaysia as part of the bilateral return negotiations.

The escalation comes amidst active armed conflict in Arakan State, where the military has been engaged in active conflict against the AA, an ethnic armed organization fighting for regional autonomy, since Nov. 13, 2023.

Rights groups maintain that forcing Rohingya refugees back into an active war zone where the military continues to deny them citizenship and basic freedom of movement directly violates international legal standards against forced return, knowns as non-refoulement.

REUTERS