by Sammy Westfall
Jun 19 2020,
"Sending them back out to sea is just throwing them into a killing field."
A Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Photo courtesy of UK DFID.
Once their damaged boat is fixed, 269 Rohingya refugees now docked in Malaysia will be sent back out to sea if officials follow through with their current plan, sparking an outcry from rights groups.
Reuters, citing two security sources, reported on Thursday that Malaysia had previously asked Bangladesh to take back the refugees, who have been detained since their June 8 arrival, but Bangladeshi officials rejected the request. The sources said authorities have drawn up plans to push the refugees back out with food and water, but “no decision has been made yet.”