Photo source: OHCHR
Geneva: After the Sunday deadly aerial attack by Myanmar’s military junta that killed 80 persons in northern Myanmar considered a stronghold of ethnic Kachin rebels, the United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today called for a moratorium on any forced returns of refugees and migrants to Myanmar, given its dire human rights crisis.
On Sunday, reports suggest that the aerial attack targeted people who had gathered for an outdoor concert to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the influential ethnic group Kachin Independence Organization, which has been fighting the military for years.
“With rising levels of violence and instability, and the collapse of the Myanmar economy and social protection systems, this is simply not the time to be returning anyone to Myanmar,” Türk said, adding that “This is especially the case for anyone with specific protection concerns, such as political activists or military defectors, who are at grave risk upon return.”
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, too referred to “acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians” as well as fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups in some border areas, that has been driving people to flee within the country and across borders.
“People fleeing Myanmar must be allowed access to the territory to seek asylum and be protected against refoulement. Myanmar nationals already abroad should not be forced to return when seeking international protection,” the UNHCR stated.
Despite the grave situation prevailing in Myanmar, there were reports of Malaysia deporting two Myanmar nationals who had sought protection through the UN Refugee Agency, on October 6, 2022. On the same day, more than 100 other Myanmar nationals, some of whom had serious protection concerns, were also deported without any adequate assessment of their situation as required by international law.
Since the beginning of the military coup on 1 February 2021, at least 70,000 people have fled Myanmar as refugees, and more than one million remain internally displaced from their homes. A further one million Muslim Rohingya refugees have found refuge in Bangladesh. This adds to the millions of Myanmar migrants who have sought economic opportunities in other countries of the region over the past years, many with irregular status.
Under international law, principles of non-refoulement prohibit returning people to a country where they are at real risk of serious harm upon return, including persecution, torture, ill-treatment or other grave human rights violations.
“It is essential that in light of the prevailing situation in Myanmar, now more than ever, that States do not return people to suffering and danger, and provide them with a secure legal status while their country remains in crisis,” Türk said.
– global bihari bureau
