Chin Refugees Directly Sent to KLIA Detention Center

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR): It was reportedly learnt that 18 of Chin refugees, most of them have been recognised with the office of UNHCR were arrested by Immigration raiding on November 26 in the near vicinity of Chin refugee center in Imbi, Kuala Lumpur.  

The confirmed source reported that all arrestees were sent directly to KLIA detention center on the spot of scene, suggesting that it's a new kind of different bully over refugees.

In the hopeless life of refugee in Malaysia, the term between sending to detention center and to police station is hugely different when arrested. It is because the trial they have to face is such amazingly big and difficult.

According to the report received, 18 of arrestees include 4 from Tidim Township, 3 from Hakha Township and 11 from Matupi Township. The raid took place while they were working in the working site (called little "Chinese village"). Among them, eight are said "male" while ten of them are "women". Also, it was later learnt that four of them are just holders of community card.

As always, it is not uncommon to see the fearful raids of Police, Rela and Immigration usually occurring in Malaysia. Amidst some speculation is being heard in a likely positive way for the workability of refugees here in Malaysia according to news reported, the recent raid is signaled and proved that nothing will happen even if the refugee issue is put in the agenda of cabinet meeting.

In reality, it is impossible to keep away all the time from the raids, police stopping and big joint operations (All Police, Rela and Immigration included) where the survival problem becomes badly challenging.

By Simon

Refugees' right to work in Malaysia

...to be discussed in special Cabinet meeting on foreign labour next month

  http://www.mmail.com.my/content/55365-refugees-right-work-malaysia

Thursday, November 18th, 2010 12:44:00

 

PETALING JAYA: The government will decide next month whether refugees will be allowed to work in the country.

Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam told The Malay Mail yesterday that a special Cabinet meeting to discuss issues on foreign workers would be held in mid-December and chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“It was scheduled for last week but had to be postponed as Muhyiddin was away on a working visit to Japan,” he said.

“So, we’ll only know what the Cabinet decides on refugees next month.”

Earlier this year, the Home Ministry had set up a laboratory, comprising representatives from various ministries and agencies, to study foreign workers issues.

“The laboratory came up with about 55 proposals, including the refugee matter, which will all be forwarded to the special Cabinet meeting,” said Mahmood.

“These are merely initiatives and proposals, and whether each will be approved or not is the prerogative of the Cabinet."

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Malaysia has 90,000 registered refugees as of September.

Refugees are currently permitted to do only odd-jobs in this country.

Malaysia does not have special laws for refugees and they are considered illegal immigrants. Issues involving them come under the Immigration Act.

Mahmood said the Home Ministry was mulling suggestions by various quarters, particularly the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), that refugees be allowed to work here while waiting to be resettled to third countries.

The MTUC had hoped they would be permitted to work in labour-strapped sectors to help overcome labour shortages and reduce the need to bring in foreign workers, and believed their proposal would enhance Malaysia's image as a humane nation.

Ambassador's Spouses Visited a Refugee School

 http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?coun_code=se&news_id=7704

Recently, the spouses of the ambassadors of the Scandinavian countries visited a refugee school administered by the UNHCR to tell the children about their home countries and play together. The school visited by the Association was Refugee School in Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur, run by Chin Student Organization.

First, the children were shown where the Scandinavian countries are located on the world map and what the flags of the countries look like. Next, representatives of each country presented some special features of their home countries.

Greenland and igloos were presented by Denmark, whereas Norway focused on snow, skiing and ski-jumping. The children attending the visit did not know that much English so other media had to be used t get the message across, for instance pictures and sounds.

The teachers also helped by offering translation assistance when needed. The pictures showed Nordic nature, its animals and the four seasons, especially winter.  The children were also shown video clips of Santa Claus and the seasons changing, something that here in Malaysia seems very exotic indeed. 

 

After the country presentations, the children were divided into groups. In one group, they had the chance to cut and color one of the Scandinavian flags out of paper, in another to mold a snowman and another to make a snowflake out of paper with the country representatives helping them. The children also got a chance to play, as Gunilla Weaver from Denmark had brought Legos for the children to play with, which seemed to interest especially the boys in the class.

Then, there was a chance to try out warm winter clothes, and even try out skiing, although only in theory. At the end of the visit, there was ginger bread and juice for all. Luckily there was enough for everyone, because instead of the 30 something pupils that were expected to show up, there were almost 50 eager children taking part. The children were very excited about the visit, as normally the school does not have the means to arrange such activities.

The refugee school is run by volunteers. The children who study there belong to Myanmar’s (Burma) Chin minority who face persecution in their home country. The situation has forced them to flee the country in large numbers. The majority of the Chin are Christians. The Chin and other ethnic minorities from Myanmar constitute the majority of the refugees in Malaysia.

 

The school has altogether around 150 pupils and it is run by volunteers with very few resources. UNHCR together with its volunteers tries to arrange the refugees also other activities besides schooling. In Kuala Lumpur, UNHCR has 250 listed volunteers, yet it is still in short supply of new volunteers. Everyone willing to help can do so by, for instance, teaching English or handicrafts, depending on their individual skills. In addition, assistance in fundraising is welcome.
Diplomatic spouses lend a helping hand

The participants of the visit were Benita Sonntag-Saarela from Finland, Anette Hjelmborn from Sweden and Gunilla Weaver from Denmark. Yoko Horio from Japan came along to watch and to take pictures. In addition, members of the Finnish Society in Malaysia participated in planning the visit.

The school visit was arranged by the Association of Spouses of Diplomatic Heads of Missions in Kuala Lumpur the members of which are the spouses of ambassadors and high commissioners set in Kuala Lumpur. Every year the association chooses a charity cause, and the refugee school was selected as the charity cause for 2010. Besides giving classes to the children, the association helps the school to pay its rent and organizes a Christmas party at the school with presents for all the children.

For more pictures of the school visit, go to the Embassy of Finland Facebook page. If you want to help UNHCR in its efforts in Malaysia, contact the volunteer coordinator Eva Ladeborn mlsluvol@unhcr.org.

Original news source: http://www.finland.org.my/Public/default.aspx?contentid=204705&nodeid=38516&culture=en-US

Chin Woman Abused



A victim sitting at Chin Women
and Children care center



Kuala Lumpur (VOCR): The Chin woman named Ngun Te from Falam, Chin State, who is refugee and is queuing in line to be registered with UNHCR was known cruelly abused by a Burmese man in Salayang where their working place is—not so far from Kuala Lumpur.

Back to story, she escaped to run away from Burma and arriving Malaysia in November, 2009. The Burmese agent, whom she contacted in Yangon--the former capital, sent her to Electronic factory in Butterwood, Penang State. Many, according to her, of her fellow Chins were taken by their relatives soon after arriving in Malaysia. But for her there's no more option but to follow whatever the agent said and led.

Over a month of her stay in dormitory provided for the workers by the company, it was appeared that she was repeatedly raped by the Burmese man, identified as Kyaw Sua Win while she was sick and couldn't go to work and was on medication.

It is learnt that she decided her mind with an agonizing to run after him wherever he goes as she was promised at the incident taken place. Having no siblings and relatives in Malaysia, she had no more choices except for nodding her head to him with the unceasable feeling of broken-heart.

In addition to that, she was appeared to be cheated very easy as she knew nothing about life in Malaysia at all. In the interview, she said that she was threatened that she would be arrested and sent to jail if she went out. In fear of Police arrest and Rela and Immigration raids, she always remained stayed at working place and dormitory where they resided. 

She explained to VOCR that she no choice had to follow her unofficial husband moving to Puchong, Selangor—very close to Kuala Lumpur and then to Selayang (within Selangor area) where she got inhumane abuse. Although she has been with seven month pregnant, she was kicked and hit three times with boots. Leaving her horrible pain and unconscious on the floor, his runaway seems unable to be traced down until today. With fears that she would die, she was helped by her co-workers informing the Chin refugee body for seeking further helps.

At worst scene, the rooted problem she believes is because of her disability to get registered with the office of UNHCR, which often times he urged her and was indirectly the main target of approaching this woman since the start—knowing that she is Chin according to the victim telling the story with tears during the interview.  

The incident indicating that all the Burmese native, domestic or abroad, are effectively practicing Burmanization against ethnicities--even in the foreign soil. Therefore, it is so evident that every Burmese native along with the junta regime are in the same position of ethnics cleansing policy, Burmanization propagandism and forcibly religion influencing—ultimately Buddhism. 

By Simon

Infants Detaining Needs Intensive Care

Kuala Lumpur: On 30th October, it was a new report revealing (it could be) more than eight of new-born babies are being detained in Lenggeng camp according to the confirmed sources.

It was effectively learn that several pregnant women whose husbands are recognised refugee are reportedly going to hospitals when it comes to a time of delivering baby with only community card because it's a very long time to get recognized status and very hard to get registered with UNHCR even though their spouses have been proved recognized.

Recently, many babies born in hospital whose mothers are appeared to be waiting in line to get registered with UNHCR are directly sent to detention centers and camps, although there is knowledge of needs for the care-- some are along with the mother but some are detained with the absence of the mother.

In a state of shock, the babies needing the intensive cares are strictly controlled and bathing and cleansing is only allowed for twice a day in Lenggeng camp in which it obviously appears that the new-born babies detained are mistreated as the same as all detainees.

And worse, all detainees are verbally abused and attacked in terms of preparing to giving hands to babies according to the local who is tirelessly helping the refugees stranding in Malaysia but spoke to VOCR on the condition of anonymity, adding that it is totally unfair for the infants and it is the way they shouldn't treat refugees inhumanely.

Despite OPI team of UNHCR visiting to camps and detention centers, weekly and monthly, it is learnt that they seem unlikely to reach them. In UNHCR's part, it's been time to effectively review their visits to detention centers. More to the point, they should check if the staff is doing well his job. 

by Simon