Fortify Rights on Tuesday urged the Malaysian authorities to prosecute officials involved in trafficking Rohingya refugees to “death camps” in Wang Kelian, including those who were criminally negligent in the police investigation.
The Malaysian government failed to publicly release the final report of a 2019 Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the mass graves and trafficking camps discovered in 2015 in Malaysia, with the chair of the RCI claiming that the report is a state secret, Fortify Rights said.
However, the report recently appeared on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website and is now on file with Fortify Rights.
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“The unceremonious appearance of the report online, unbeknownst to key stakeholders in the country, raises questions about the ongoing lack of justice and accountability for Rohingya victims of trafficking,” said Fortify Rights CEO Matthew Smith,.
“In response to the RCI’s findings, and to give Rohingya victims and their families a measure of justice, the Malaysian government must provide reparations and prosecute officials implicated in the horrendous crimes in Wang Kelian.”
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The RCI report finds that officials could have prevented the torture and death of Rohingya and Bangladeshi trafficking victims and that official negligence hindered the detection and proper investigation of a human trafficking syndicate responsible for atrocity against Rohingyas and others.
“The fact that Malaysia still hasn’t held any officials accountable is a stain on the nation's record that must be rectified,” said Matthew Smith. “The trafficking of Rohingya to Malaysia was widespread and systematic and demands justice, accountability, and reparations for victims and their families.”
