Human trafficking on the rise

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police, which have crippled several human trafficking syndicates, said trafficking is thriving in the state.

State CID (anti-vice, gambling and secret society division) chief Deputy Supt Mohd Taufik Maidin said police had detained 23 pimps including seven women over the past two years.

In January, police arrested six pimps and 29 women in raids here and in the interior Keningau district.

Police were investigating two of the pimps and 22 of the women under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007 as the victims were duped and trafficked in for prostitution.

DSP Mohd Taufik told a seminar on the Act here that while prostitutes were free to move around, trafficked humans were abused and confined.

Noting that it was a challenge to prosecute a person under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, he said those caught were usually charged under the Immigration Act for overstaying or under the Penal Code for prostitution or for living in or trading in prostitution.

DSP Mohd Taufik said police needed the cooperation of the victims who were trafficked in and lured into prostitution to be able to charge a suspect under the anti-trafficking law.

“I believe if 10 people point to the same person and the same illegal operation, we will be able to nail this person,” he said, adding that police were working with other enforcement agencies including foreign consulates in tackling human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Sabah Women’s Advisory Council deputy chairperson Mariati Robert said more shelter homes were needed for human trafficking victims particularly in Sabah’s east coast.

She said there were currently only three shelters in Sabah, two in the state capital and one in Sandakan.

Mariati said the homes could not cope with both domestic violence and human trafficking victims.

“Sabah needs more such homes to protect these victims while waiting for their police cases to be resolved,” she added.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/29/nation/6150462&sec=nation

By RUBEN SARIO

Unhygienic Food Causing Chin Refugee Detainee’s Health Worse

29th April, 2010

Kuala Lumpur

Amongst 500 assumed of Chin refugee detainees, Mr. Thang Kung Bawi of 16 yrs old detainee from Matupi in Lenggeng detention camp is said to be suffering from stomach problem caused by unhygienic foods and contaminated drinking water provided in the camp.

A minor detainee was arrested by immigration, while he was traveling to Johor Bahru to start a new job along with other 15 of Chin co-workers whose status are refugee, too, in a raid on road on 17.11.2009 and directly hurled him to Lenggeng detention center because he is less than 18 years old and cannot be detained in any prisons or jails in accordance with the detention laws.

It was said by other inmates that Mr. Thang Kung Bawi’s stomach pain was suddenly started paining and fainted after he ate breakfast on Tuesday morning. He is very nervous due to his suffering in his level of age and cannot eat any nutrient foods since being sick.

"We cannot clarify his illness yet despite consulting with a doctor for twice because the doctor didn't express what kind of sickness he has been carrying out. But we believed that he might be suffering from stomach or appendix problem. His condition is now being worsened and he may not surely recover unless the authority has hospitalized him. The medicine which was given by the clinic also is not adequate to be stimulated rapidly for recovery," his co-inmates said when contacted by VOCR.

Another detainee, even more, in block (A) who declined to give his name said that a Bangladeshi detainee had died after suffering from the same disease which symptom is very close to Thang Kung Bawi’s in January due to lack of health care service. I guessed that he was able to recover if the authority admitted him to the hospital as soon as they detected his sickness. We are therefore very worrying and wondering that Mr. Thang Kung Bawi’s present condition cannot be saved or improved as long as the camp authority are neglected to hospitalize this ill-person as in the past or the UNHCR rescue team does not intervene for his release, he cited.

According to a confirmed source, around 19 Chin refugee detainees including the sick, two UNHCR card holders and other three persons already interviewed by UNHCR are still remained encamped in block (A) in Lenggang Detention Camp while the rest are in line waiting the UNHCR registration for the recognition of refugee status.

Mainly and pivotally, the Chins became refugees in Malaysia is not to be a purposeful action but to come in search of refuge and running here to escape from the ongoing brutal persecution because of the religion and the minority ethnicity. And human right is only flown in the air.

Controversially, the world seems not too much convinced that the military regime is still cutting off all the development factors that can bring about in all the ethnic areas in 4 destructive weapons; such as education, information, transportation and food supply.

by Salai C C

Recognised Chin Refugee in a serious condition

28th April,2010

Kuala Lumpur

Recognised Chin refugee Kham Cung Ceu from Vom Kua village, Thantlang Township was fallen down from his working site while he was working at 5:00 pm on 27^thof April. The site from which he fell down is said quite high and it is extremely risky. Immediately, he was brought to the UKM Hospital by his employer. 

From the get-go since he fell down, he became unconscious until they got to the hospital. Both his employer and relatives came to realize that the expense-to-use which is about Malaysia ringgit 5,000 is beyond the affordability when they were explained by the doctor, having told them that the conditions of Kham Cung Ceu who is unable to recall his memory because of the fall-down until now. Moreover, his scapula and humerus are badly broken according to what the doctor explaining upon the medical examination result out.

Khamh Cung Ceu (Photo-VOCR)

Until now, he absolutely forgets all the happenings for just a moment before the scene taking place when VOCR asked of the reason “why” and “how” at a time he can speak for a few.

Sadly, it’s hard to say about the reason why that happened for he couldn’t recall his memory. It is in impossible position to track back the investigation down for “why and how”. At worst, his wife and relatives are too much worried over his memory loss. 

We could say that he is so lucky, though he is now having a painful suffering and facing the uncertain condition for life, that he is assisted by his employer as much as he can do to some extent. 

Recently, the one from CRC members from Lulpilung village, Thantlang Township also died because the fall-down from the roof of one storey building on Christmas eve day after long suffering.

by Simon

Chin refugee man died in car accident

VOCR 24th April, 2010 Kuala Lumpur 

A Chin refugee named Thla Awi, about 40 yrs from Aive village, Hakha Township was hit to death by a Metro bus around 11:30 pm on Friday in Malaysia.

The man was hit when he was back en route home to Jalan Pudu to have meeting with his friends. 

Volunteers of CRC (Chin Refugee Community) immediately rushed to the incident taken place as soon as a pedestrian informed the CRC in order to give a hand there.

"It was said that the police car reached the place ahead by the time we arrived there. The body was left on the road and the police were searching for a witness to facilitate the investigation as the driver had run away. However, no witness had been found out since he was alone in the incident occurred," a volunteer of CRC said.

Search & Rescue team checking Thla Awi body 

"Around this area, some of Chin refugees had had encountered the same accidents and all the rest of people should be on alert especially when crossed the road. No one should cross off this highway for the reason of the car speed here is higher than other normal roads. Fortunately amid the sorrow mounted, the case will be thoroughly investigated and any necessary action will be taken into the driver despite his status is illegal (refugee)", a police man said to the VOCR.

A police man prompted that Chin refugees living around this area are very disobedient so that two had been died in the same incident here as a result. The reason is all the people who walk down here between Jalan Imbi and Jalan Pudu are still crossing this highway though incident has given them some knowledge and they can best walk past the bridge for the highway, instead.

It was said that Za Tin lost contact from his relatives since 04.04.2010 and was found dead on 14.04.2010 atGeneral Hospital in Kuala Lumpur when his relatives lodged a report to police. Later on, the investigation revealed that it was appeared that he also was hit by the car and directly died in the scene. In his related case, the detailed information was not provided to the community by none of his friends or relatives but the funeral service was held in Sungai Buluh cemetery which was mainly led by (CCF) Chin Christian Fellowship. Only few information had been available regarding this person accident as it was failed to inform to the responsible community by friends or relatives.

It is so certain that more death tolls because of the accident appear to be continuous as long as they keep crossing the highway as before. So far in this related cases, any compensations for those who have been died in the car accident have never been offered until recently.

Truth, often and often times Communities and Churches make such a very important awareness to the people along with each community owned leaflets which are used as a strong media. It's been time for individuals (refugees) to be aware of self safety and learn from the past what was going through.

by Saimon & Salai CC 

Two Chin Refugee Guys Kidnapped and Beaten up in Malaysia

VOCR

20th April, 2010

Kuala Lumpur

Two Chin young men, Biak Van Peng 24 years and Zam Peng 28 years of age were kidnapped, put hostage and badly beaten up by the drug addicted local gangsters at the suburban area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on last Saturday.

"The incident started while the two guys hailing a cab at Bukit Jalil bus station at around 6:30 pm , a man with proton car approached them and asked them to give a ride at the same charge with other taxi. The two guys with overloaded three bags decided without hesitation to onboard because of unable to carry their heavy bags and could not take other cabs. 

"After driving for five minutes, the car was suddenly stopped and a person standing on the pavement came into the car and sat beside us .On the way, they began to threaten us and asked us to give them all the money we got .They took RM-180 from us but still weren't satisfy with the money and took us to a house believed to be the driver's house which is at outskirt of Kuala Lumpur and arrived there at around 11:30 at night. As soon as we got there, we were punched, kicked, beaten up and stroke with a pipe and threatened us to be beaten till death unless we made calls to our relatives and friends to send them RM 2000 for the redemption," the two victims said.

The two hostages made calls to their relatives several times but no one could send the demanded money to save them as it was already midnight and the banks had already been closed so that it was unavailable to transfer the money.

Biak Van Peng showing his scars of toture by the thugs at Chin refugee community office in Kuala Lumpur

"Soon after we called our relatives, they stopped beating us for a while as they had got words of promises to be given the amount of money they demanded through the phone. Even thought they were having some drugs, we were guarded strictly throughout the night. At early in the morning around 5:30, we were once again forced to make calls to our relatives, friends and the entire contact's name listed in our phonebook both in abroad and domestic to remind them of our situation," Biak Van Peng said.

"We did calls as we were badly beaten and intolerable of their assaults. Soon after they stopped beating us as our relatives transferred RM 2000 in their credit card but they broke their promise of letting us go instead they asked another RM 2000 to our relatives. As they no longer had been assured of the money to be sent for our ransom, they continued beating us with the pipe till we were nearly fainted. At around 3pm, we were forced to take a shower as we were about to be released by their hired taxi only after our relatives transferred another RM 1000, saying that both of you would be sent home because we had already done our job," Zam Peng cited.

"A Chin Disciplinary Action Committee chairman, Lal Siam Mawi had already lodged a report to the police since the gangs told him both hostages would be released after they received the money. As soon as the hostages were brought home alive by the taxi, the Chin refugee committee immediately took them to the hospital for their medication.

The police are investigating the case and hunting the perpetrators after the doctor confirmed that Mr. Zam Peng was severely wounded and one of his ribs is nearly broken.

This breaking news has become as an alert to the chin refugee living in KL for it has once again strengthened the fact that we, the vulnerable chin refugee are the most targeted people of the local gangster as their prey. 

"This is a shocking and sporadically incident among the Chin refugees in Malaysia and we all need to be vigilant when we hired a taxi and hanging out with our friend all the time" CCF chairman warned the church members on Sunday. 

This incident happened to these vulnerable people is really an embarrassing and aggressive matters. Any operation to swipe-out this heartless people is necessary to carry out and the government should more concenterate to probibit this criminal movements in the country for it could also happen to the local people.