Ethnic Groups Unity Empowered in Malaysia

31st, March, 2010

Kuala Lumpur

It was amazingly and firstly exercised the brand-new seminar of Ethnic Nationalities in Malaysia chaired by Coalition of Burma Ethnics in Malaysia(COBEM) and conducted all presentations by each of representative leaders of ENC (Ethnic Nationality Council, its office based in Changmai) on 21st of March, 2010. It was held in two sections in Myanmar on 21st and on 22nd in English coined “Special Session” for NGOs and UNHCR and other media agency and selected community leaders for it was served in English. Unfortunately, none of any officers from UNHCR presence is found though they were informed well in advance.

The seminar was mainly hosted by leaders of COBEM and ENC. The program started at 9:30 a.m and wrapped up at 6:00 p.m. All the ethnic communities as was invited prior passionately participating in this mutuality-based seminar. Attendees were around 450 and the hall was crowded with each of respective national dress. All were active learners and observers because this is truly a very peculiar experience for all of us as knowledge is much shared in the phase of politics.

Presentations and its explanations based on the raised questions come from leaders of ENC and leader of Brussels-based Euro-Burma office are hitting the essence of the current Burma politics storming which are very long remained unheard and undiscovered by people of majority, esp for the domestic ethnic inhabitants.

Crucially and perfectly, details of the unsuccessful revolution over six decades of Karan and other ethnics' couples of decade's revolution were specifically and systematically made known to all community leaders of those attending in that meeting. David Thaw from Changmai presented "The introduction of ENC an its objectives", Dr. Sakhong Lian Hmung from Sweden presented "2008 constitution, 2010 Election laws and Role of Ethnic Nationalities, Political Scenario of post-election", "The Analysis of the current political situation of Burma" by Harn Yawnghwe from Brussels, "The Role of women in Burma Politics covering the issues of abuse over women by the regime as the systematic use of weapon" by Naw Htoo Phaw from London, " The situation of New Mon State party" by Min Thing Kha from Mon State, " Kachin Stance on Pang Lung agreement" by Marip Seng Bu from Japan and "ENC's policy towards the forthcoming election of Burma and its laws known now as Myanmar" by Dr. Sui Khar from Changmai.

Disappointed but true, many ethnic nationalities didn't comprehend of the systematic cleansing program and the deliberate discrimination over the ethnics by the military-ruled junta for decades until the exiled media agency appears to present all the happenings in the country inside into the outside world. Yet, the tireless effort and study about the military regime politics and the mainland political parties' stance towards the ethnics have been emerged widely and by which such priceless information have people of torture convinced and opened heard through domestically and internationally.

Obviously, the seminar entirely focusing on the building of the unity and transparency among the ethnic communities in Malaysia as needed to grip the forthcoming election as a good chance in order to step up gradually towards the inside movement of Myanmar politics and penetrate through the parliament and till the completed implementation of federal state union which is definitely of the main targetted mission of ENC.

Over decades ago, the genuine history have been remained unheard and the political activity was barred which are known now as the systematic genocide program of the mainland government (that can be said because the military regime stands as the mainland government so far). Until recently, the discrimination over the ethnic nationalities by people of majority in the Burman land is still appeared existing according to the research made by ENC.

ENC is the only priceless source for the Ethnic Nationalities belongs to the same citizenship of Burma in a bid to letting the world know what’s the regime’s policy and they are conducting towards his own citizens. And it is highly revealing the Pang Lung Agreement spirit, of which have been hidden unapproachable to set a talk with the military government, among the ethnic society those are suffering from the one-sided discrimination and condemnation in all kinds of ways by the inhumane military regime despite 100% belonging to the same citizenship in the same country.

At the end of event, ENC is profoundly encouraging all the Ethnic Nationalities community in Malaysia to be united well and confront the challenge together in connection with the upcoming election so that we could march towards the targetted goal (which is stated above) and extend our movement effectively towards the common purpose. Eventually all the ethnic nationalities must, learning from the past mistakes, win it even if it takes so many years more as before.

However, the signal learned from the seminar is how the ethnic people are desperately in need for unity and fight together with undividable one spirit. It’s truly time for long.

(Apology mentioned here that that was late published due to being under the weather)

by Simon

Refugee Woman Savagely Assaulted in Delhi

30 March 2010: A Chin refugee woman and a mother of two small children was sexually assaulted and brutally beaten up by a group of four local Indians in New Delhi yesterday. The incident is sending shockwave across the refugee community and sparking renewed fears for the safety of refugee women living in Delhi.

The sexual assault and violent beating occurred on the evening of March 29 in Citapuri neighborhood of west Delhi as the 32 year-old mother was returning home from work at around 7:00 pm local time. Ms. Sui Tin Lem was on the way to her house after separating from two other co-workers when four local Indians accosted her and started teasing her. When she started resisting, two of the men grasped her hands while the other two started sexually assaulting her. As she tried to struggle, her assailants smashed her with a rod across the face, leaving her with broken bones on her cheek and jaw.

“I screamed out for help but no one turned out to help me even though some local people were around to witness what they were doing to me,” she recounts her ordeal. “I later managed to run way towards home but fell down on the street and fainted from losing too much blood. Two local policemen saw me lying on the street but they left me be as I couldn’t explain to them what had just happened.”

Several hours later at 4:00 am in the morning, she was discovered by a Chin community member who happened to pass by the area. She was immediately rushed to the Deen Dayal Apadhyay government hospital, but was turned away apparently because the hour for patient admission had passed.

She is now being treated at her home with the help of the local charitable organization New Delhi Young Men Christian Association (ND-YMCA). She is now in serious conditions.

Ms. Sui Tin Lem and her two children arrived in Delhi only less than two months ago from Burma’s Chin State. They have been registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in New Delhi, but a final determination of their refugee status is pending. They do not receive any assistance from UNHCR while they await the results on their refugee claims.

Ms. Sui Tin Lem is the latest victim in increasing incidents of physical assault and sexual harassment perpetrated against Burmese refugee women by local Indian men who see them as easy prey in recent years. It also represents part of a larger problem faced by the urban-dwelling refugee community who are left to fend for themselves with little protection and assistance.

A 2009 report by Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) “Waiting on the Margins: An Assessment of the Situations of Chin Refugees in Delhi, India” found that Chin refugees living in Delhi are vulnerable to exploitations as they have very little access to physical protection and social assistance from the Indian government or from the UN refugee agency.

Chinland Guardian

Vegetable Farm Worker Killed In Group Fight

(Source) Bernama News, Malaysia

GUA MUSANG, March 29 (Bernama) -- A fight between two groups of vegetable farm workers comprising Myanmar and Indonesian nationals resulted in one Myanmar man getting killed and his body dumped in a ravine at a vegetable plot in Lojing yesterday, police said Monday.

The body of the 33-year-old man was found by an Orang Asli man, who was installing water pipes in the area, he said, adding that the Orang Asli informed his boss who lodged a report at the Lojing police kiosk at 4pm.

District deputy police chief DSP Aziz Hasan said policemen rushed to the area and recovered the bloodied body of the Myanmar man who was believed to have been murdered in the morning.

There were slash wounds on the head, face, body and thighs, caused by a sharp object, he said.

Aziz said the body had been sent to the Gua Musang Hospital.

16 ‘victims of human trafficking’ go missing from KLIA centre

By DHARMENDER SINGH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

SEPANG: Twelve Afghan and four Myanmar nationals have fled from the KL International Airport immigration detention depot where they were being sheltered as victims of human trafficking.

Immigration Director-General Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said the foreigners, all men aged between 22 and 48, are believed to have made their escape between 5am and 7am on Saturday.

“The gate was cut for the them to squeeze through, and we believe they scaled the fences before fleeing,” said Abdul Rahman at a press conference at the depot yesterday.

The department has launched a joint search with police to track down the escapees, he said.

Abdul Rahman said the Afghans were picked up by marine police about 10km off the coast of Tanjung Karang in October last year as they were trying to reach a boat to take them to Indonesia en route to Australia.

Three of the Myanmar nationals were picked up in December last year while the other was held last month.

“I want to remind the public that providing shelter to these people is against the law and anyone with information on them should contact us or the nearest police station immediately,” he said.

The department has begun an internal investigation to see if there was negligence by immigration personnel.

Those with information are urged to contact Selangor immigration director Johari Yusof at 019-264-9061 or his deputy Zainol Azalan Daud at 013-981-1767. Abdul Rahman said the department believed the 16 were still in the country.

“This is a large group of people and it is impossible for them to have evaded all efforts to trace them unless there is someone helping them.”

He said that anyone who provided shelter to them could be prosecuted, and the penalty was a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to RM50,000.

About 100 foreign nationals who are victims of human traffickers have been placed at the depot, separated from detained illegal immigrants.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/29/nation/5953022&sec=nation

The police crackdown reinforced

27th March, 2010

Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Amidst the speculation is dependably soaring at height when the state-run news slightly announced the possibility of job creation for refugee recognized and the constructive discussion was built between the Malay government and UNHCR, the new raids swept hundred of refugees and some are in position of inaccessible conditions. According to the information available we could get, as a community office, the raids carried out in several places as the following; 

1. On 21^st of March, five of recognized refugees from Imbi and eight from Pudu were arrested and sent to the police station. Luckily, the officer from the station allowed them to be rescued out. And most of them were able to be rescued out.

2. On 25^th of March, around 40 of recognized refugees were swept from P.J, S.S.N medical products (it is said this is glove Product Company) at 5:12 p.m evening.

3. In the early morning of 26^th of March in Bag Factory, situated in Rawang, around four hundred of recognized refugees are swept again and access is being searched for. Among them, it is believed that they are from multiple races; such as from other ethnics from Myanmar, Myanmar, Bangladesh and

India. However, the worry is marvelously big for the community though the accurate information is on the run.

Thousands of refugees in Malaysia have been for ages endeavoring very hard for the survival not because of selfish-desire for gains but because of lack of support from UNHCR. Without working, it is in fact no doubt that Chin refugees have to die out of hungriness. “We partially not as wholly know that UNHCR only undertaking for the resettlement program for us but we depend on our own struggle for our living” said a released man. The question has to be raised, provided that we are not allowed to work here for our living as human being that; what should UNHCR manage to rule out this matter between the government and the refugee body that’s what is most mattered for refugees?

Significantly, the chaos from the recent new raids taking place made Chin refugees stunned and unable to think what and why it was. Or else, there would be political issues behind the screen. Obviously, in an attempt to get them out of detention centre, the refugee community miraculously needs the rescue from UNHCR as is always only accepted and respected the links with UNHCR by the police. 

Ironically, the raids are taking place from places to places which are thought very severe and threatening for the stomach issues of dozens of hundreds of refugee lives living miserably in Malaysia. The working partly and wholly is assumed to be able to solve their daily provisions.

by Simon 

A Chin Refugee Lost Contact in Malaysia

VOCR

26th Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia

Mr. Sui Hu from Leikang village, Thantlang Township, living in Malaysia for nine years has been out of touch with his relatives and villagers for almost nine months now. Although all the villagers have searched for him, no one has located him yet. It is therefore believed that he could be in jail or even dead, for it is strange for someone from the Chin community not to be in touch with his relatives or villagers for so long. He has been a recognized Chin refugee since 2006 and is the holder of UNHCR card 354-06C 03909.

In December 2007 between Christmas and the New Year, the father of three children decided to change his job and work at another place in order to earn a better salary. He therefore moved to Shah Alam and took a new job working at a construction site. At that time, he was still contactable by his friends and he even called his old roommate to invite him to join him, working on that site.

After he worked one month in Shah Alam, he suddenly went missing and couldn't be contacted by his relatives and colleagues. However, in April, 2009, his boss told his friends that Mr. Sui Hu had recently married a Burmese woman and was living and working on another construction site. At that time, the boss also suggested that his friends to visit him and present some gifts for his marriage together with their congratulation.

Two month later, he left the construction site one day and never returned to the villager's house. After, he had not come back to the villager's house for a sometime the villager leaders in Malaysia, being concerned about his absence, contacted his wife in Myanmar to see if he had been in touch with her. She told them that she had heard nothing since he went missing in Malaysia.

Sadly, the villagers and Chin refugee's community in Malaysia said that they are reluctant to lodge a report with the police, fearing that the police will create trouble during any further investigation because he is a refugee. However, they are hoping that the UNHCR office will take action to search for him as he needs to attend an interview to process his refugee status.

The villagers and Chin community are still searching and they would like to ask the Chin people around the globe to keep alert and inform the community or the villager leaders if they hear anything of Mr. Sui Hu.

If you have any information regarding Mr. Sui Hu please call 017-3450925 or 03-21447271.

by Salai C C

Detained Chin Refugee Woman visited by UNHCR

VOCR

21st, March 2010

Kuala Lumpur

Mounting concern over a Chin refugee woman detained in Lenggeng Camp; Thla Tin Sui was met by the UNHCR and recognized her as refugee under the vulnerable pregnant women when the UNHCR team visited the camp this week.

After one of the biggest online base news agency in the country Malaysiakini interviewed her husband, International Organization and local NGOs called the government to consider about the pregnant women detained and give them opportunity to meet with the UNHCR office base in Kuala Lumpur. She and her husband were arrested during the night-raid at Kajang on 1^st August, 2009 while her pregnancy was just one month ago and jailed them to different camp.

According to ex-detainee pregnant women; named Moe Moe Khaing of 30 ages released on Friday said, "I and Thla Tin Sui are pregnant women among female detainees in the camp. I am very thankful to the UNHCR officers for getting me out of the camp but I deeply sympathize for my old inmate Thla Tin Sui who is still in the camp as her health condition is getting worse. Both of her legs have been swollen since she couldn't eat the food properly inside the Camp. She is now of malnutrition and it is awesome to deliver a baby inside the camp.

"Besides Thla Tin Sui, another three of Chin refugee women arrested in somewhere arrived in our Camp last Thursday and when the UNHCR team attempted to meet them, the team weren't allowed by just giving a reason of being new arrival and were told to wait two weeks more for interview of their refugee status by the guards" Moe Moe Khaing added.

"I am much gladded when I heard my wife Thla Tin Sui has been met by the UNHCR team. I also hope that she will be released soon because the UNHCR office is the only one which understands our problem" the husband said.

Some of International Non-governmental Organization and Local NGOs had blamed the Malaysia government due to death in detention centre and neglecting to take care of the pregnant women in detention centre, who are in need of medical treatment and psychological therapy. By contrast, being detained is not of our choices we make, but it is of our current situation we Chin refugees are facing now and no one knows what will be next to our miserable lives.

by Salai C C