Scenario of Threatening Environment Clouding

Kuala Lumpur: 30th Sept, 2010: On 30 September, an Indian-Malaysian gang with knife robbing some goods of Chin family was arrested red-handed by a bunch of Hriphi Fellowship youths at 10:00 pm last night. They tied his hands up back side with robes and trying to refer to the near-by police station.

The incident took place in Jalan Ipoh, Kualam Ari, Kuala Lumpur where more than 250 people from dozens of Chin refugee families are stranding.

Meanwhile, a suspected friend, who is known as Chinese, of the gang caught called many of his gangstering friends championing in the area and running down to the scene and trying to pick him up. But it was reported that a bunch of Chin youths tried to stop them.

"Soon after, other groups of Indian and Chinese, who are believed to be group of gangster, were appeared to get there (the scene) very fast by van and motor bike and started beating my youths. I called my people to be back off and run into the fellowship center. Having being locked the door, they couldn't do us hurt any more but destroyed all our window glasses. Then they all disappeared like the wind immediately", said Mr. Tha Peng, who is a recognised refugee- ref: 791-09C00940, in face to face interview.

Head-cum-leader of the fellowship did contact the police station at the scene. At the same time, we also contacted other Chin communities, such as CRC, CDAC (Chin Disciplinary Action Committee) and CCF (Chin Christian Fellowship).

"Afterwards, police from C.I.D arrived and brought me and Van Uk Nawl , a recognised refugee- ref: 791-09C00865, too, who is from the same village are mostly badly injured and x-rayed twice at Kuala Lumpur General Hospital", he continued.

In addiction, again this afternoon, a Chinese man who is well-known as drug-addict in the area going around our vicinity with knife and so he informed our fellowship school not to go out but stay only at school at once because he is on the way to go to inform CRC in person and have a concerted discussion on this threatening problem.

Many, including children are losing their money, hand-phones and UNHCR's cards because of running away to escape from the gangster's violent hands.

He reiterated that this is not the first time happened but been a result of several incidents. Many are known personally attacked by the motor bike riding gangs with knife and many have been badly hit by wooden sticks while they were on the way to be back home from each of their working places. Most of the people dwelling in that area, according to Mr. Tha Peng, are mostly known from Hriphi, Thantlang Township, Chin State.

Asked if anything bad they committed in the area, he is appeared to be assured that there's nothing they committed. The reason is, they are truly and strongly cooperated and harmonized very well-- besides, they always conduct worship service every night that ensures they are united and shared with to greater some extent.

Thus, the Chin people stranding in Jalan Ipoh are coming to clearly sense that they are in very threatening condition. It was learnt that CRC made an immediate report on the incident to OPI (Outreach Protection Individual) and CDU (Community Development Unit) which both of them are under the umbrella of UNHCR in Malaysia.

by Simon

A Report on Chin Refugees Missing

Kuala Lumpur, 19 Sept, 2010: There is a hot-issue facing the critical condition that three men of Chin refugee are reportedly missing and appearing that there is no traceable trend of search until now. On 19 September, Jemin Aung, Sang Zel Thang and Biak Sang (791-10C01941), who all are genuine recognised refugees with the office of UNHCR, are reportedly missing near Plaza Metro Kajang at which they had a date for meeting and so their friend are on the way to pick them up there, said Mr. Veng Kam who is one of an elder from the same village in Chin state, Myanmar.

Mr. Duh Hmung, who stopped working together with them so far just two days ago before they’re lost, is suggesting that they could be arrested by the police and directly send them to the Camp or another option is, they would be kept somewhere as ransom by the escorts of the last Indian boss to whom they work. Another anticipation they have is that a friend hurried to pick them up saw a lot of police patrolling around that area by the time he got there.

Asked if reason of why they ran away from work, it was so obvious that they finally came to realize that there’s nothing to get, even for buying phone card when complaining to the boss, who firmly grasped excuses of giving Rm-500 agent fees for each of them to the Burmese guys, regardless of their salary in an interview.

Plainly, Mr. Duh Hmung, who could ran away aired the boss about his skiving off from the job but three of his friends were still remained stayed there when getting out of that job, adding that we were just locked-up in the room and only called for work when the time was up to work but it was said that food was provided for meal time, though. At the end of hope, they, three of the rest secretly wanted to flee away from the working site and so they did send some sms text to their close friend went for pick-up.

A week later, they reportedly came to approach CRC to seek further help that has been beyond their exhausting search. In front of them, Health and Protection coordinator, Tin Mg Shwe made a call to Akka who took a lead to reach to Indian boss with regard to the missing persons whom he recruited. After all, there is no much glimpsing hope to look for them according to talks with the Burmese agent on the phone, citing the speculation is clouding as their whereabouts remain untraceable.

A concerted effort with a harmonious spirit is shared with them and trying best to find the lost hopefully as we are going on. At best, they are our members and people, said coordinator stated above.

by Simon

Repeated Occurrence over Extortions

Kuala Lumpur, 5 Sept, 2010: Dozens of Chin refugees have been coming upon, since many years ago, daily extortion and robbing of police and gangsters here in Malaysia according to the reports received in the community office.  It could be said that lots of people in different places nearly always get extorted and robbed. Moreover, another merciless attack of gangsters is regarded as a threatening issue for the refugees dwelling, though we are just here for temporary period. Police is viewed as extorter and in the same time, gangsters as robber in the minds of thousands of refugees. 

On September 5, Mr. Far Kung, a recognized refugee in Malaysia who is working in Coffee Product factory in Ipoh about 400 km away from Kuala Lumpur, was reportedly experiencing extortion and all the money totaled Rm-1900 by a gang when he banked small amount of money in Ipoh, said the information unit. 

In an interview on the phone with him for further details dig-up, he said "I always rushed to the bank location before I managed to do anything whenever I got paid at the end of month in order to save even some money in the card very fast, adding that I have to save money because I'm fully responsible to support my big family with six children left in Chin state".

The victim continued that the happening was so fast that there's no time to run away at a time he was asked of to just show up his bank card by a strange person that he never knew before. Although he told him he couldn't show him bank card by any means, he was threatened and extorted along with the rest of his money from the pocket and left. 

It’s appeared that there's no way to track him down since he doesn't have any inkling knowledge of the person's whereabouts. Asked of help from his boss after getting home, he helped him and contacted the bank at once. But it's been late already for all money was withdrawn, instead. 

Not surprisingly, in the growing sense of refugee’s plight, this kind of strange attack is not a new-found affair but rather be the used-to happenings in the way of refugees' lives, cited by one of the community volunteer. The victim reiterated that group of gangsters championing in the areas of Ipoh extorted some of his friends' belongings that include some money kept for offerings and tithes for Church and UNHCR's cards while they were on the way to attend worship service at Church on Sunday, which is just at a crowded flat shared by the same refugees who are their friends, too. 

Simply, when met with gangsters and police, it seems there's no way to escape from their hunt-hands but to just wait for snail-biting miracles happening, their will of letting go that is all about. 

Accordingly, every month a series of reports on police extortion and gangsters robbing is usually voiced to the office, said information department. The CRC body is deeply concerned and aggrieved over repeated occurrences of what appear to be a threat and danger against refugees in Malaysia.

by Simon