Chin Refugees’ Future in Jeopardy?

17th June, 2010

Kuala Lumpur

KUALA LUMPUR- There is a large-scale fear scattering among the Chins community, especially for the left families in Chin state, Myanmar because of the direct investigation to the motherland was initiated by UNHCR office in Malaysia couple of week ago, quoted the confirmed source.

The history of thousands of Chin peoples fleeing from the beloved homeland to escape the systematic ongoing labor forces, human rights abuse and violations on the religion background by the mainland to Malaysia is to seek the protection of UNHCR.

It was reliably believed, before this mission started, that UNHCR must highly keep the confidentiality of any refugees’ status. But today, the happening has been in reverse changed and confidentiality has been breached. Honestly speaking, any Chin refugee related families in Chinland are in danger.

In a sense, the fact that UNHCR must be noting that the operation of direct investigation will surely harm the current safety of those left families in Chinland. The implications can go far more beyond as long as it is being conducted.

The confirmed source reveals that Best Interest Determination (BID) department in UNHCR, Malaysia manages to run that investigations.

This should, as a matter of fact, be worth soundly noting for UNHCR that those ran away from the Chinland to seek the UNHCR's protection in Malaysia has been systematically expelled from their family memberships by the coercive military regime according to Khonumthung exile-media agency based in India.

The unchangeable condition in a bid to communication move in Chinland is remained indifferent as the private sector in regime-led Myanmar economic is strictly prohibited except for the selfish military general families.

Until recently, Hakha, the called capital of Chin state, where is only limitedly allowed to have an access of auto-phone that can directly communicate with the whole country. But ninety eight percent of the populations are truly unable to have such a luxurious kind of fast access. However, most people solely depend on the public call outlet (PCO) used in Hakha, Falam, Kanpalet, Matupi, Paletwa, Razua (newly named township),Thantlang, Tidim and Tonzang whereas people are all the time crowded and all around. It was since the military regime only authorized to set up the automatic telephone exchange office in those stated towns. Even so, Hakha, Falam and Tidim are said to only have had an auto-communication center. In each town, PCOs will not be seen located more than eight in number.

Truth, although not as convenient and as private as true public telephone booths, it is a popular and widely used public communication system in Chinland as well as the other parts of country where very very few people have fixed land line phone or mobile phone.

People in line waiting for their turn (PCO)

Those related families, according to the information obtained in the Chin community, practically contacted thousand miles apart by UNCHR are extremely worried for the possible coming of the inhumane soldiers’ crackdown. They reiterated that they are in shock of where they should be running away or should do next.

UNHCR is seemed to be prone to platform a showoff play for the regime soldiers.

The Chins community, therefore, has a very deep concern on those families contacted and the whole people. The question must be raised in ways such as the roles of UNHCR. 

by Simon