CHIN REFUGEE WOMAN ESCAPES SEXUAL HARRASSMENT FROM BANGLADESHI WORKER

BY SALAI CC

A refugee woman recently escaped from an incident of sexual harassment and possible attempted rape exploited by a Bangladeshi worker who had unwelcomingly entered a victim’s accommodation provided by the Chinese employer at a construction site. 

The perpetrator, identified as a Bangladeshi worker, had allegedly entered the victim's accommodation after the man realized a woman was staying alone. The incident occurred at approximately 11 o'clock local time yesterday.

Mrs. Par Zi, from Thangtlang Tsp, had come to Malaysia to reunite with her husband, Lal Hmun Sang, in the mid of 2009 after a long separation. They are registered with the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur. The couple has four children and currently works at different locations under the same employer.

The mother of four, who has been working at the site for several months, was extremely frightened and had yelled for help while the sexual attacker was collapsed on the floor inside her room. Nobody seemed to have taken notice. The incident was likely to have happened after the man was aroused after the sight of a woman coming out of the shower wrapped only with a sarong. 

Fortunately, after a quick struggle out of the terrifying situation, the victim managed to contact her employer immediately and was able to inform the husband through their Chinese employer. 

“I was stunned with disbelief at first. But I arrived at the scene shortly after receiving information from my boss about the incident and I confronted the Bangladeshi worker who attempted to rape my wife. But I was constantly stopped by my employer,” the furious husband informed. 

According to his employer, the report has been lodged to the nearest police station and they [the police] are ready to take every appropriate action against the perpetrator.

The Chin Refugee Committee (CRC) condemned the incident and expressed their concern for the personal safety of the victim at her workplace. 

“We will contact the employer to make sure that every refugee working at the construction site is protected from other aliens who are normally offensive against the refugees. Some menial workers are malevolent and harmful to other workers who have basically low self-esteem due to their status,” a coordinator commented. 

The company of workers were stunned and enraged after learning what had happened to the only woman employed as a store keeper within the construction building.

Investigations are expected to be carried out promptly after the victim's family has agreed for the police to take action against the offender who had intentionally entered Mrs. Par Zi accommodation and committed the harassment. 

Chin Asylum-seeker Girl Seriously Injured in An Abducted attack

Photo: VOCR

Puchung (VOCR), March 22, 2012: A Chin asylum seeker girl, who is known as Tum Zi from Tlangkhua, Thantlang Tsp, Chin state, was abducted to get a ride on the motor-bike by a man while she was lost on the way back home from looking for a job in TESCO area in Puchung, northern suburban from Kuala Lumpur.

“I just recently arrived in Malaysia and working in a restaurant where the working hour is very long and decided to find a better job in TESCO area when I got a day off” said the victim in an interview with The VOCR, adding that she is very new and inexperience to Malaysia which led her unnoticeably got on a bus which heads to different destination from where she lives.

When noticed the bus going to different way, she turned to ask the bus driver where the bus was heading. Having being told to get off from the bus, she tried her best to find the nearest bus-stop for the fact that she is petrified of getting taxi alone.

While she was looking for the nearest bus-stop, a man claimed by the victim as a Rohinya with his motor-bike crossed the road and finding her walking alone and turned back to her and approaching her. Immediately, she was asked whether where she wanted to go home, the man apparently persuaded her to get her sent off home by his motor-bike.

Despite attempts to refuse him, as there is no one walking around the area, he finally forcibly abducted her to get on his motor-bike with threats to be harmed if prepared to run away.

After following him for just a little while, the man started physically harassing her body with question repeatedly asking her nationality. Even so, she honestly still replied that she is an asylum seeker from Chin state, Burma. The man seemed to doubly speed up his motor-bike driving.

Photo: VOCR

The incident taken place is believed to be around 4:30 p.m on 20^th of this month.

Learning that she will surely be harmed if continuously followed him, she decided to better die on the road than facing a physical abuse by the man which is the sole trigger for jumping down from the motor-bike on the full speeding run.

She was left seriously injured in several places on her body and not even knowing how she was brought up to the Burmese shop near her residence. As soon as she could manage to get home, she fell unconscious for couple of hours and later gaining a recovery back, yelled her roommate.

Also, her roommate added that the incident was so horrifically tragic that she feels as if it was a dreaming.

Asked how she could manage to get home, according to her friend who went to Burmese shop the next morning for further information, it was suggested that she might possibly be brought to the nearby Burmese shop by the perpetrator himself knowing that she is a Chin asylum seeker living in the surrounding area which purportedly causes suspicion that he might be closely associated with the businessmen working at Burmese shop.  The allegation is taken based on the way the Burmese respond.

Meanwhile, the Burmese people at the shop also deny connection with the incident but rather claimed that she approached to them by herself and even providing her with some medical attention, instead.

The victim herself does not know how she can get home during an interview with The VOCR.  

Prior to this, there was a similar kind of incident occurred that Ngun Uk Mang from the same village was once stabbed in his back at the drunken brawl with the Burmese guys from the shop four months ago. He was said to have been normal from his wounds as he had medical treatment for couple of days at hospital.

It was learnt that the victim is currently being assisted both mentally and physically by the Chin Refugee Committee (CRC).



By Simon

Asylum Seekers Caned in Detention Depots as the Govt’s 6P Programme Extends Ahead

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 23^rd February 2012:  The Putrajaya government has extended the biometric system registration for the illegal migrants till April 10 despite making a public announcement in The Star news on the 11^th and 15^th February 2012 about the “Big Sweep” targeting against illegal migrants working in the country including asylum seekers and refugees. (Refugees are recognized by the office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)).

So far, it is learnt that the UNHCR office is progressive in talks with the government on this critical issue which creates confusion and much fear for possible deportation among refugee communities after this round of biometric registration requires finger-printing.

Recently, up to nearly one thousand illegal migrants and asylum seekers, according to the credible sources, registered in this biometric registration have been deported to their home country.  The VOCR believes some of Myanmar ethnic refugees are also included.

Just before the public announcement was made, unprecedented small-scale round-ups were simultaneously exercised which resulted in dozens of Chin asylum seekers arrested and are currently being detained in various immigration depots.  Once being sent to immigration depots, it is uncertain how long they will be suffering from bitter detention experiences.  

Chin asylum seekers, Zing Hup Lian, Cung Cheng Thawng, Tial Cham, who were arrested on 5^th December, 2011 while on the way back home from their workplace at Bukit Bintang, have been caned by the immigration authority in Kajang immigration depot and transferred again to Lenggeng immigration camp which is the most used depot for Chin refugees. Their fellow villagers could manage to meet them in detainment on 5^th Feb with the prison authority’s permission. Here they discovered the guise of the detention management is extremely poor.

The caning was believed to be exercised against these genuine asylum seekers on the ground that they are illegal entrants and lack of valid documents.  It is highly speculated that more of the refugee population will be facing this indiscriminate action, when they need international protection because they escaped from severe domestic persecutions committed by the Burmese Military Regime.

In a clear preview of things to come, the situation for refugees and asylum seekers is likely to be getting worse day after day according to recent news report.

At worst scenario, the RELA (People Volunteer Corps), who are mostly used in the crackdowns, have an extensive power in raiding the illegals, asylum seekers, and refugees.

It is well noted that Malaysia does not adopt key international instruments that protect the rights of migrants as the country is not a signatory of the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, or the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.  Refugee status does not exist in Malaysian law according to SUARAM, the human rights watchdog for Malaysia. Refugees are thus treated as illegal migrants except in some cases they are pardoned because refugees are recognized by the office of UNHCR which means UNHCR document holders may enjoy de facto protection at the national level (FIDH-SUARAM 2008, 9).

On the issue regarding the thoughts of the international community presuming refugees and asylum seekers can return to their mother country, the Chin communities with one voice say that it is obviously impossible to return home unless the political settlement is guaranteed in Myanmar.

Reporting by Simon

Refugees Fear Major Crackdown and Possible Deportation

Photo: VOCR

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 21 Oct: The planned detainees swap deal between Myanmar and Malaysia is vastly causing shockwave among the Burmese refugee communities. The oppressed ethnic minorities from the tyrannical and undemocratic Myanmar make up the largest number of refugees according to the figure of the Malaysia UNHCR office, in which out of the population Chins are apparently the highest numbers.  

The announcement came one day after the state-run newspaper The STAR announced Monday that there will be a major crackdown starting from the first week of next month, November in which it prompted that recognized and asylum seekers, to some extent, will surely be harmed, too.

According to the two Chin advocates communities, ACR (Alliance of Chin Refugee and) and CRC (Chin Refugee Committee), it is learnt that they have more than ten thousands asylum seekers who are still unregistered. Among them, dozens of people had been experiencing being forced to do immigration biometric registration, which is known as 6P programme, by their employees due to the possible fine would be punished against them by the authority before the start of major crackdown.  

Malaysia Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced this week after meeting with Myanmar deputy foreign minister U Maung Myint that there had been an agreement in principal regardless of the swap deal which is designed to send the unspecified number, maybe, nearly 1,000 Myanmar citizens held in 13 depots across the country and Myanmar military-dominated government in exchange will send Malaysian detainees back to the country. 

It is learnt that Myanmar refugees and asylum seekers will not be included in the swap deal implemented by the M’sia and Myanmar.

The move is believed to curb the overcrowding detainee population in the region.  

Soon after, several NGOs, Health Equity Initiatives (HEI), Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), Women’s Aid Organization (WAO), Tenaganita, SUARAM and Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI) lauded to the government that the exchange program should be halted immediately in light of a needing protection for refugees and asylum seekers according to their statement which reads “Concerns over immigration related developments that jeopardize the security of refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia”, adding that they also call on the government to rectify the errors in the 6P registration process of refugees/asylum seekers and fully cooperate with UNHCR to establish a framework for the recognition of the rights of refugees. 

In a meeting between a group of representatives from local NGOs and Alan Vernon a representative of Malaysia UNHCR office including several high rank officers, Mr. Alan Vernon mentioned that they have no idea how to work on the coming major crackdown but admitting that there will be a big problem for refugees.  

Upon 6P programme, it is worrying to learn that U Maung Myint, foreign deputy minister of Myanmar requested for an extension of the registration period of 6P programme on which his intention and purpose of urging Putrajaya government to go ahead with immigration biometric system is fully doubted for refugees and asylum seekers. The 6P programme comprises the six components; registration, legalization, amnesty, monitoring, enforcement and deportation.  

On point of refugees’ view, it is doubtful that thousands of recognised refugees would possibly be included in this subtle swap deal as it is common that recognized refugees have been detained and threatened to be deported back to the country in detention centers. 

It was such a great shame that Myanmar is planning to implement such perilous deal with Malaysia whilst the Naypyidaw government is intensively fighting in great force against the ethnic minorities that include Kachin, Shan and Karen, currently. 

Meanwhile, amidst Myanmar regime is working on this controversial deal, raping, forced labor, forcibly portering and extra-judicial killings are adamantly rampant in Kachin state as is a result of their kind of systematic ethnic cleansing program purportedly exercised against the ethnic minorities based on our race, ethnicity and religion.  

Reporting by Simon

Rising Concern in Refugee Communities over the Mysterious Murdering of Chin Refugees

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 15 Oct: There growing alarm over the alleged murdering of two of Chin refugees, prompting speculation that life in Malaysia for refugees is becoming increasingly unsafe and threatening the little existing hope they have. 

Just recently, Suan Khan Mung, 37, undocumented Chin refugee and a member of the Malaysia Zo Organization, was killed last month, on September 27, 2011.  His body was found in Serdang hospital the next day following a report made to Sungai Long police station. His case was referred to Kajang police station as the incident taken place was in the control of the Kajang police station.

He was found murdered in Balakong near his workplace. The reason for his murder is remained unknown and is undergoing further investigation. Four suspects were arrested for questioning in the case, three Chin refugees and one Burmese man, co-workers of Suan Khan Mung.  

During the telephone interview with leaders of MZO (Malaysia Zo Organization), it was reiterated that the assailants were believed to be members of a local gang, not Burmese refugees. 

His body was kept in custody for fifteen days in Serdang hospital, a one and a half hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. The funeral was then successfully conducted by the head of the MZO on October 13th, 2011. 

Likewise, Simon Lian Uk, only 18, from the Falam community was found stabbed to death while walking down in Jln Brunei street on his way home around 8:30p.m. near his residence in Jln Pudu. 

According to the eye- witness who requested to be anonymous, the victim encountered two strange guys, around 18 years old, at the corner of Jalan Brunei Utara Street. The witness stated that it seemed that the two guys were watching the victim and waiting to attack him. “I saw one of the guys punching him, and the victim did not react towards him at first, but the possible gang members continued punching him.  Finally, the victim fought back in self-defense.” The witness added that immediately after, another man standing beside them engaged in the attack and the victim attempted to run away. Not far away from the sight of the beating, the victim was found dead at the scene with multiple wounds.

Questioned regarding the background of the victim, David Nun Tho, coordinator of FRO (Falam Refugee Organization) revealed that he was a good young man and that he (David) had never known him to engage in the use of drugs or alcohol. He mentioned that the young man's interest in football match gambling may have caused him to be targeted for such an attack. 

Currently, his body is kept in custody for further examination and it is believed that his funeral service may occur this coming Monday if permission is issued by the authorities. 

Compared with past years, the number of deaths based on gang-related incidents is dramatically on the rise.

Written by Simon and editing by Natalie Reagan

Kachin Join Chin Refugees in Protest Against Newly-Elected Government

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 11^th Oct: Tensions were high this morning during a protest and demonstration at the Burmese Embassy in downtown Kuala Lumpur, the nation of Malaysia’s second largest and capital city. Over seven-hundred refugees in addition to supporting NGOs gathered to stand in solidarity against the current governments of Burma’s oppressions, human rights violations, and military occupation of the ethnic state territories.

During an interview with several leaders of the Kachin state, Kachin leader Zau Bawk stated that even though a cease-fire agreement was reached in 1994 between the Burmese military and the Kachin state, systematic killings, rape, torture, and enslavement of the Kachin have continued until this past June, when full out civil war erupted once again.  In the last four months, approximately 40,000 Kachin people have fled for their lives into the jungles of Burma, to escape murder, torture, slavery, and extortion.

The Kachin joined with the other ethnic states this morning to communicate their demands for peace, for freedom, and for democracy in their country. They are asking the current government of Burma to remove the military occupation of their territories so that together all the peoples of Burma may work to bring the nation into the modern world. They hope for the prospering of the rich natural resources with internal investments, as opposed to the foreign investments currently bringing environmental disaster, such as the Myitsone Dam Project. The ongoing foreign investments in Burma have contributed heavily to the blocking of western NGO’s and foreign aid, as well as an influx of money that inevitably ends up in the form of newer and better guns for the Burmese military.

The Kachin leaders fear for the lives of the Internally Displaced People (IDP’s) currently hiding in Burma. With the continuation of the Burmese military presence the situation grows more dire with every passing moment. The newly “elected” government, they say, has done nothing to improve the shocking and brutal treatment of all ethnic peoples by the military. As La Seng, a leader in the Kachin community said this morning, “We want a democratic government. Not just on paper, and not just in the media. We want real freedom, and truthful democracy.” The Kachin desire a leveling, so that education, religious freedom, and economic development will be available for all.

There are currently over 6,000 Kachin refugees seeking asylum in Malaysia, out of 40,000 overall; men, women, and children continuing  to endure the suffering of their people and living in a no-man’s land of uncertainty and heartache. 

 Reporting by Natalie Reagan

Escaped but Cruelly Tortured

By Simon

The two victims in an interview (Photo- VOCR)

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 15 Sept: Every single of refugee has to unceasingly struggle for their survivals as there is no provision and need to look for jobs in search of a better life. But for some, that search will end in tragedy as they fall victim to organised crime gangs.  

Two of recognised Chin refugees was kidnapped last week by a special organised gang group in Kota Raya, which is a well-known location centre for commuters in Kuala Lumpur and so many times it is likely impossible to avoid crossing that area, as they were on their way to get to Seremban bound bus station for work, another city located in Negeri Sembilan State, eastern part of Kuala Lumpur. 

The victims, Tawk Iang, 31 and Men Doi, 26, both of them from Khampat, Tamu Tsp, Sagaing Division, Burma, were wandering for a while in the area of Kota Raya; they didn't know how to get to the terminal for Seremban. On the brink of eyes' wink, one man approaching them and acting as if he also looked for the same terminal, said Tawk Iang, who can speak little of the Malay language, adding that he would get a taxi for us and sent us to the station and at the very moment the taxi came. They thought he was a good man for them. 

However, the taxi driver turned around and got back to where they met and the man, who arranged taxi for the victims, suddenly got in the taxi and carried off them to the alleged gang center where they saw dozens of other gang members drinking alcohol and playing cards. 

Both of the victims told The VOCR that one of the leaders came to them and started asking of the telephone numbers they know in purposes of asking hostage money in exchange of our freedom. Despite our response of no knowledge on their demand, they finally found out a piece of paper written our friends' numbers in the bottom of my friend's [Men Doi] bag, which caused their attack against us doubly worse. 

We were forced to kneel down and contacting the numbers we know and inhumanely beating us with weapons, believed to be equipments from the car and a thick wood stick, while having conversation with our friends on the phone in order to make our friends hear our sufferings. From time to time, they changed the price demanded, RM-1,000 to 5,000 for our release.

Slapping, kicking and beating with weapons involved in a kind of the alleged gang's torture.  

Incapable of hearing convincible messages from our friends and relatives, the two victims were prepared to be brought down to other locations. Threatened with violence if failed to pay the ransom money for our freedom, the victims decided to run risks—getting out of taxi even though the taxi was firmly locked.  

It was an epic of heroic action that the concerted effort made them able to escape from the hands of the gangs as there was intense fight in taxi between the victims and the taxi driver and the guard seated at the front—knowing they would get hit back if they made a move to get out of taxi. Eventually, their fight was amazingly successful that they could jump out, although the taxi was on the high speed in the highway having no fear of loosing their property, RM-60 and two of their bags rather than to die in the hands of gangs.

Nobody gave a hand in the highway in their 15-minute long asking for help. And they continued to run and finally found the restaurant and receiving a help from one man—arranging taxi to the police station for making a report. 

The police station in Wangsa Maju referred them to the GHKL, General Hospital Kuala Lumpur for dressing and medical treatment and further investigation would be acted in Pudu police station as the incident occurred under the control of  the district area of Pudu police station.

It was learnt that they were helped to get a new UNHCR card with the help of CRC amid new policy in UNHCR has been effectively exercised not to issue new card for those who lost the card, and receiving an enormous support from CRC and their relative members. The advocate Chin refugee community is ready to bring them to clinic or hospital if the victims are in need for farther medical access as the fact that psychological assessment could successfully lead the hard-hit victims to cope with their dire experience after the post-aftermath. 

Chin Refugees Attacked, Their Tent Set Fire

PERAK (VOCR) 10 Sept: In a very early morning at 5:00 a.m on last Monday, a group of Chin refugees, while still having sunk into a sound sleep, were badly assaulted and robbed off their properties in gang attack which was a first kind of the horrific experience encountered in Malaysia at the plantation firm where they are working located in Kampah, Perak State, which is 41/2 hrs drive from Kuala Lumpur. 

Among a group of six, two are learnt as community card holders, Zo Hlei Thang, from Mizo community (who was done recently with medical treatment in Perak hospital because of cobra's bite) and Bawi Thang from Matupi. The rest of their fellow had been proved refugee status means UNHCR card holders (Ling Bu, Niang Khang, Ling Ling and Bawi Nai).

"At first glance, when a thug of gangs knocked the door, we were in full fear that we would be arrested—thinking them as the authority. But eventually they all were with weapons—each of them had hoe and broke into the door and immediately beating one of our men, Naing Khaing and all of us were cruelly forced to sit down and give all of ours to their hands. However, most of us could escape to run away to the jungle whilst Niang Khaing was being beaten up and robbing off whole of our money [RM-250} and a hand phone" quoted one of the victims as saying to The VOCR.

 

Two of the victims taking a hide in jungle ringed their employer, A Fung who is a Chinese, known by his alias name for help. Though their employer, A Fung, was hurry helping his employees being under attack, it was but to no avail. Even worse, their tent and farm tractor and their employer's vehicle were burnt down and set fire everything, leaving everything in the farm emptied. 

The alleged offenders are described as dark skinned, communicating each other in Tamil and believed to be the local gangs, said A Fung, the employer in an interview on the phone, adding that prior to the incident, they offended a series of attacks against farm workers in the areas and the assault in my farm was the fifth times in a week. 

A Fung lodged a police report and the case is under way for investigation.

Asked if their employer's treatment condition, the victims state A Fung as a very good person and kind on refugees. 

Lian Te, one of Matu community leaders and who is also very familiar with A Fung, is taking care of two of the panicked victims for medical treatment in K.L as some of their fellows are requested to remain stayed in the farm by the police to help them facilitate their investigation.

Reporting by Lian Te and written by Simon

Chin Refugee Beaten up To Death

 By Simon

Photo - VOCR

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 06 Sept: There are fears skyrocketing among the refugee community that the recognised Chin refugee, Za Thio, 37, was beaten up to death last Sunday night while a time the victim together with his younger brother was sending off the much-younger friend, Van Hmun Tha, 19 to the stone's throw away bus stop at Ampatplas Puchung, western suburban area of Kuala Lumpur. 

At the first hint of problem, while awaiting the bus coming, Mr. Za Thio and Van Hmun Tha went out peeing off at a dark place just before the bus came in which they had been immediately attacked and hit by a thug of gangs—appearing to be from the nearby area. Van Hmun Tha was known first hit and fell down unconscious because of his head hitting the car as being thrown away.

"When I recovered back from my falldown unconscious, I heard that a thug of gangs, identified them as Indian-Malay, talking under the sun around me and fearing that I would be killed, I quickly got up and run away to escaping from the hands of the gangsters" said the alive victim.

Both of the victims are from the same village, Hriangkhan, Thantlang Tsp, Chin State, Myanmar.

The family was worried over his unusually long disappearance until over the midnight from sending friend off to the bus stop with the absence of giving a reminder; giving a call and leaving a message--reason of being unable to return home. The next early morning, the wife, Par Cia, left with three children, came to inform their village elders concerning her husband loss but learning very soon that his body had been taken dead to Serdang hospital by the police.

According to the note from doctor in Serdang hospital, he was robustly beaten up with something material [weapon used] as his fore-head and back-head was holed up inside as a result of an extreme beating.

The advocate community leader from OPI department in CRC was told that Mr.Za Thio was highly drunk before the incident taken place by a team of police who were undertaking the case and adding that his body was picked up in the ditch very close to the bus stop and sent it to Serdang hospital for furthering post-mortem checkup in the very early morning of yesterday. 

However, the fully-traumatized victim, Van Hmun Tha told The VOCR that he guessed the group who beat my friend to death would be the same group who beat me unconscious and they all are black and seemed a thug of gangs—Malay-born Indian. He admitted that he truly did not know the exact identity of them.

Many of Chins in the said vicinity claimed that Van Hmun Tha is a very bad guy and irresponsibly drunk all the time despite his age so much young and causing the uneasy troubles between the locals and Myanmar refugees stranding in that areas. 

For a lesson to be learning for the whole community of Chin refugees in Malaysia, one valuable life was scarified to death because of one rotten rubbish.

The funeral service was conducted today in Imbi and buried in Puchung cemetery with the lead of Chin Christian leaders.

Refugees Urged to go ahead with 6P program

By Simon

Kuala Lumpur (VOCR) 27 AUG: A fearful and controversial 6P program, which the government said it was primarily intended to only register illegal migrant workers, was since introduced for refugees and asylum seekers on 23^rd of August, this month.

Started calling on refugee community to send out its members to perform the 6P registration last Monday by UNHCR, it was harrowing experience that more than ten thousands of Burmese refugees turned up Tuesday to register in the Immigration office in Putrajaya. Yet, the ill-prepared immigration department said they could only process for 2500 a day and turning thousands away back home around at 2:00 pm on last Tuesday.



Waiting for instruction: Thousands of refugees throng at immigration department in
Putrajaya for bio-metric registration but thousands were reportedly send off as the
 immigration department has not enough capacity. (Photo-VOCR)   

Soon after, according to the update received from UNHCR office, UNHCR has been requested by the Malaysian government to assist in the process by verifying the true identity of each and every individual concerned and the program will include the taking of bio-data and biometric information of all individuals concerned. The impromptu exercise will take a number of months to complete.

It was learnt that to inform the individuals concerned, apparently UNHCR made the information spread via the network, "Facebook" after moments of thousands being forced to turn away. The first phase of exercise was conducted in Putrajaya immigration office from 23 to 26 of August, this month. And it was also informed that the second phase will commence in the month of September after the Hari Raya Holidays.

The following day as soon as the mass registration was conducted for refugees in Putrajaya last Tuesday, the Arakanese Refugee Community in cohorts with the unknown agent working for the 6P program set up the registering center at their office and asking charges RM-55 for a person. On contrary, other refugee communities from Myanmar organized sending out its members to Putrajaya Immigration office in batch in accordion with the instructions given by the registration officer in UNHCR Malaysia. 

Best guard: A RELA personal watching the refugees while lining up for
their turn to get registered in "6P" program. (Photo-VOCR)

Media reported that the home minister himself denied the order to get recognised refugees [UNHCR cardholders] registered under the ongoing 6P amnesty program, despite the media, Free Malaysia Today reporting that the home ministry issued an overnight order in last Monday night.

Back to the Tuesday irksome experience, there was reports that the authorities, police and rela beat some of the refugees include the children, mothers and elderly due to the mismanagement of UNHCR in which the scene turned so ugly and traumatic for refugees.

The Salvation Army group also claimed this morning that the government in this fingerprint process will take actions on the refugees—verifying the true identity of all concerned as there was a firm doubt in the inner circle of the government that thousands who entered into the country with work permit turned to seeking asylum in UNHCR Malaysia and many have become refugees to date. 

The move to register refugees and asylum seekers was strongly criticized by the Rights group who urged that refugees are different from migrant workers. By doing so, the fact that the entire refugee community are on alert and highly in fear over possible deportation after this registration as recently 11 of the ethnic Uighurs were deported back to China where they would face the harsh persecution.

The statement written in paper by the immigration authority was mostly different and some read: Tujuan: Puluang Ke Negara Asal (Purpose: Return to Home Country) whereas some are known as "Waiting for Work Permit".

However, for refugees and asylum seekers, the amnesty program sparked a great uncertainty and fear among refugees.

UNHCR when requested for further explanation yesterday morning by the COBEM [Coalition of Burma Ethnics in Malaysia] said that the ongoing program will never bring negative impact on refugees as the government is highly aware of the existing of refugees in their soil.

In light of fear over exercising deportation against refugees, it can be said that UNHCR Malaysia is falling under the flimflam of the Malaysian government and perhaps doubly proving that UNHCR is failed to protect its people who are the real victims of their respective motherhome persecution.