Press Statement: 3 March 2009

Stop the pushbacks of the Rohingya boat people.

Suaram expresses serious concerns over the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s call to turn back the Rohingya boat people who land on the shores of South East Asian countries as this is inhumane and direct violation of the Rohingyas’ right to seek asylum.

While we recognise that the state has a right to protect its borders, border control is not a concrete solution to address the influx of the Rohingya into the country. It is of utmost importance for the Malaysian and ASEAN governments to focus on a regional cooperation to address the root causes of the exodus of the Rohingyas and to recognise the Rohingya as stateless persons as opposed to illegal migrants. The Rohingyas originate from the state of Rakine (Arakan) in Burma but are denied citizenship and face persecution by the military junta which causes the exodus into neighbouring countries. Malaysian should work with other ASEAN governments to restore democracy and stop human rights violations in Burma as a long term and lasting solution to the refugee outflow crisis from Burma into the region.

As the root causes are being addressed, the Malaysian Government and other receiving countries of Rohingyas should cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to shelter them temporarily until conditions are safe for them to return to Burma. We call on the Malaysian government and other ASEAN governments to stop pushing back Rohingya boat people and extend assistance to these asylum seekers as many of them would be at great risk of political persecution if they are forced back to Burma.

SUARAM welcomes the Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim’s recognition that “the Rohingyas are people that need attention from the salvaging efforts of ASEAN” (Reuters, 27 February 2009). We urge the government to push for ASEAN to work towards human rights protection for the Rohingyas. This would show ASEAN’s commitment in upholding human rights in the region, particularly since with the upcoming establishment of the ASEAN Human Rights Body.

SUARAM urges the Malaysian Government to provide to extend the same humanitarian spirit that it has shown the Palestinian victims of the Israeli attacks in Gaza to asylum seekers and refugees that have experienced persecution by the Myanmar military junta. The Rohingyas are also victims of persecution and should be accorded similar treatment, especially since they reside in our own backyard. As such, we call on the government to provide human rights protection to the Rohingyas.

As a Malaysia is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, SUARAM reminds the Malaysian Government to demonstrate strong commitment in the promotion and protection of human rights in the country and the South East Asian region.