URGENT APPEAL TO THE ASEAN AND WORLD LEADERS TO SAVE ROHINGYAS.

PRESS STATEMENT

 

10^th April 2009

 

Dear Chief Editor,

 

URGENT APPEAL TO THE ASEAN AND WORLD LEADERS TO SAVE ROHINGYAS.

 

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) is deeply concerned over the increase of the human rights abuses against Rohingyas in Arakan State of Burma in recent months. The situation of Rohingyas in Arakan State became worst after the International media highlighted Rohingya Boat People plight since December 2008.

 

The military regime continued to subject Rohingya and Muslims in Arakan State to harassment, arbitrary arrest, extortion, and religious persecution. In the current development, a Rohingya girl, identified as Hamida (16) was killed and hacked into three pieces by monks in Sittwe (Akyab), the capital of Arakan State on March 28, 2009. According to a local businessman, she was abducted from the street by the monks of Phayarr Gyi Ywar Gyima Taung monastery while she was returning home after completing work at the Rakhine teacher’s house. The businessman did not reveal what he had seen in front of the monastery, for fear of reprisal from the monks and the Rakhine community. The Rohingya villagers did not dare to file a case in the police station against the monks for fear of retaliation from the Rakhine community. However, no one has been arrested by police. The victim who stays with her sister was very poor and did not have any relatives, who could  take up the case. Villagers were very surprised to see the body as the Buddhist monks never killed any human beings.

 

In the same month, it was reported that at least 10 houses belonging to Rohingyas were set fire and burnt into ashes by Rakhine mobs around Sindi Prang village of Buthidaung Township at night time. No action was taken against any culprits by the military regime. Further to this, the military regime has deployed hundreds of thousands of military forces into Arakan State which lead to excessive human rights abuses against Rohingyas.

 

On the other incidents, Na Sa Ka in Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, detained four mosque committee members in Phone Nyo Hlake village for extending the veranda of a mosque by nine inches. They were released a week later after paying a 3 million kyat bribe.

 

On 20^th March 2009, Na Sa Ka in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, arrested a 45-year-old local Rohingya for possessing a mobile phone charger. He was later released after paying a 500,000 kyat bribe.

 

MERHROM is deeply concerned over the way ASEAN countries have been handling the Rohingyas issue. There were suggestions from some ASEAN countries including Malaysia and Thailand to send Rohingyas back to Burma. This would only make our situation worst as we know exactly how we will be treated by the military regime once we are forcefully deported. This is a matter of life and death. The ASEAN countries cannot take peoples’ life for granted what more when the ASEAN have its own charter now that gives priority to its peoples.

 

We applaud the statement by the Singapore government that they will assist Rohingya refugees by providing humanitarian assistance so that they can depart for a third country. The Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong has made it clear that the problem should be addressed at the source and that ASEAN members should not export their problems to one another.

 

We appeal to the Malaysian government under the New Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the ASEAN Leaders to carefully handle Rohingya issue and make sure that the Rohingyas in exile will not be sent back forcefully to the place where they would face persecution and prosecution. Although most ASEAN countries did not sign Refugee Convention 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, the ASEAN countries are binding   to the Non-Refoulement principle.   

 

According to the former Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, the ASEAN Secretariat is studying whether to return Rohingyas Refugees back to Burma or encourage the third countries to accept them. This is worrying as the first option, returning Rohingyas to Burma seems to be the main agenda of the ASEAN Leaders. This cannot happen as there will be repercussion on Rohingyas. The military regime had announced clearly that Rohingyas are not the citizen of Burma. They further stated that the Rohingyas are darked skin and as ugly as ogres. This is disgrace to the human being as we are the creation of Almighty GOD. The military regime stated that they will only accept Rohingyas if they admit that they are Bengali and their status are still non citizen. This cannot happen as the Rohingyas are not Bengali. Rohingyas has its own language and culture which is different from Bengali.

 

Further to this, Rohingyas had existed in Arakan State since 7^th century before Burma ruler took over. We cannot change the fact.

 

According to Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, a total of 144 Rohingyas in Malaysia were sent to other countries between 2003-2008. This show the lack of commitment and political will of UNHCR and third countries / Resettlement countries though UNHCR and the World Leaders are fully aware the plight of Rohingyas in Burma and why we became refugees. The main reason remains Rohingyas are Muslim.

 

Although the military regime agreed to cooperate with the Asean Secretariat for data and information collection as the first step to resolving the Rohingya refugee problem, we are afraid of what kind of information will be provided by them.  We recommend that the ASEAN Leaders to visit Arakan State and to get the accurate information on situation of Rohingyas from the Rohingyas themselves. We also recommend that the ASEAN Secretariat to consult the regional and international human rights organizations who have done many research on Rohingyas in order to get accurate and non-bias information.

The visit by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres to the Arakan State on March 7, 2009 revealed the real situation of Rohinyas though he did not say much to the media about his visit. On the basis of his observations and the discussions held, the High Commissioner came to the conclusion that UNHCR’s current level of activities in northern Rakhine State does not correspond to the actual needs and a decision was taken to upgrade the program with immediate effect.

We welcome the move by the ASEAN Leaders to discuss the Rohingyas issue at the Bali Process scheduled for 14-15 April. However we would like to emphasize that the Rohingyas issue is not just relating to Human Trafficking but there is more to it. The discussion must be broader, especially focusing on the recognition of Rohingyas as citizen as well as addressing the ways to stop gross human rights abuses against Rohingyas. The ASEAN Leaders must recognize that Rohingyas are very in need of the International protection as refugees.

We also call on the UNHCR and the Resettlement countries not to discriminate Rohingyas in the Resettlement program as we are also recognized refugees who need the same protection. At the same time we call the ASEAN and World Leaders for more comprehensive and effective intervention in Burma.

Thank you.

 Yours sincerely,

Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani

President Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM)

Tel: 016-6827287

Address: Penthouse, Wisma MLS, No. 31 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur.

Blog: hhtp://www.merhrom.wordpress.com

 

An Appeal Letter over the Plights of Rohingya Refugees Boat People in Thailand and Indonesia.

 2^nd February 2009

Dear Chief Editor,

Press Statement……….

An Appeal Letter over the Plights of Rohingya Refugees Boat People

in Thailand and Indonesia.

 

We, Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) are very much concerned over on going situation of Burmese refugees, especially for people who flee for fear of persecutions and facing again various violations in country of refuge. In particular, recently arrived Burmese Rohingya boat people refugees who were released by Thai authority into the sea to death.

We are very much concerned over Thai authority mistreatment over separately arrival of 1,000 Rohingya Burmese refugee boat people. They were detained in horrific condition for two to four weeks before the Thai authority release them into international water at mid-night without engines and foods. Boat people therefore, flowed separately into Andaman-India, Aceh province of Indonesia and some back to Burma. Hundred of dead bodies were recovered by Indian coast guard, about 500 were feared dead. Whereas, some claimed as Bangladeshi due to fear of forced deportation to Burma.

The Rohingya boat people who reached into Thailand and Indonesia were deem as economic migrants and therefore treated as undocumented migrants. We condemn the act of both countries who denied access for the UNHCR to the boat people. We feel very sad as the ASEAN countries are silent about the mistreatment of the boat people by Thai authority. This clearly shows that the ASEAN countries are reluctant to tarnish the image of its member states. While there is lack of transparent approach on vulnerable boat people, genuine reasons of leaving the country will be left behind. Finally, their claim as refugee was delayed on both countries’ reluctant to deal with UNHCR and they will be repatriated and prosecuted by the military junta. By doing this both countries are considered as committing genocide indirectly towards Rohingya boat people. The Thai government had violated International Laws, its democratic rules, and generosity and kindness of Thai people. Instead of protecting the vulnerable boat people, the Thai government sentenced them under the Immigration Act which resulted in force deportation to Burma.

The military junta had expressed that Rohingya had no historical connection with Myanmar. The junta official said “there is no so-called Rohingya ethnic minority group in our history before or after our independence”. He further added “it is totally unacceptable to say Rohingyas are from Myanmar’. (New Straits Times, January 30, 2009). This is a total lie by the military junta as the Rohingya exist in Arakan State as early as 7^th Century A.D. Rohingyas has long history in Arakan State of Burma but the military junta refused to accept the fact. This made Rohingya as stateless and facing continuous abuses and prosecutions from the regime.

There are about 230 000 Rohingya seeking protection in Bangladesh though Rohingya are not welcome by the Bangladesh government. This is a result of the persecutions towards ethnic Rohingya by the military junta. They are also not safe as many of them had forcefully repatriated by the Bangladesh government and face prosecutions by the junta. Thousands of Rohingya refugees in detentions for more than a decade are under way for repatriation. The harsh treatment by the Bangladesh government forced them to find a safe place and started leaving the country across the sea by boat.

But, SPDC government has good gains with Bangladesh. Thus, Bangladesh dared to commit against humanity, international laws, instead of its Islamic obligations. Bangladesh had succeeded in repatriating thousands of Rohingya refugees without mechanism to protect them widely in 1992, and it continues secretly.

Another 15 000 Rohingya are seeking protection from the Malaysian government for the past 3 decades. Malaysia is not a signatory country to the Refugee Convention 1951 and has no legislation for refugees protection, therefore, refugees are considered as undocumented migrants and facing deportation. MERHROM continuously appealing to the Malaysian government to protect Burmese refugees until relocate to a signatory country. While the UNHCR has started Resettlement for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, we hope the UNHCR will accelerate the same to the Rohingya refugees in Malaysia. The equal treatment has to be accorded to all refugees without distinction as refugees face similar situation and for some ethnic group like stateless Rohingya are even worst.

Well known to the world that we Rohingyas are the worst victim of human rights violations and defecto stateless group in Burma which forced us to flee into neighboring countries.

 

The Rohingya situation became worst in late 1960 by promotion of Buddhism as the state religion by U Nu government. It had continuously taken place in regard of capitalism and to create tension between Rakhines and Rohingyas, and constituted Rakhine state from Arakan division through restoration of Rakine territory.

 

Rohingyas were widely affected by;

1. Na Ga Min Operation in 1978 under U Nu government (Revolutionary Govt.)

2. Pyi Ta Yar Operation in 1991 under Saw Maung government (State Law and Order Restoration Council).

3. Na Sa Ka Operation since 1992 under State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

Both Na Ga Min and Pyi Ta Yar operations made about 500,000 Rohingyas to flee into neighboring countries particularly in Bangladesh.

The military junta has perpetrated severe human rights violations against ethnic Rohingya including;

1. Destruction of homes, settlements, villages, mosques and religious schools

2. Denial of Citizenship by 1982 Citizen Law and rejected from ethnic groups

3. Severe restriction of movement

4. Restriction on the right to marry and form a family

5. Confiscation of land and property

6. Denied education

7. Force labor

8. Raped and Sexual violence

9. Arbitrary killings and arrests

10. Tortures, extortions and taxations

11. Muslim settlements were being substituted by new settlers.

 

The report published by the Altsean Burma entitle “Rohingya and Muslims in Arakan State: Slow-Burning Genocide” has clearly reveals gross human rights violations towards ethnic Rohingya. The recent report published by the Refugee International and Christian Solidarity Worldwide reveals the same. Unfortunately, the world leaders and the United Nations are not doing enough to address the plight of Rohingya refugees in Arakan and in exile. The ignorance of the world leaders and the United Nations over the worsening situation in Burma only increase the death of Burmese people under the rules of military regime.

While the military continues its ethnic cleansing and persecution towards Rohingyas, many are fleeing continuously into unexpected region like Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. Thus, they required to meet international protection in country of refuge. They cannot be considered as illegal. Their genuine reasons for leaving the country must be recognized.

We observed that Refugees Agency-UNHCR is weak in protecting refugees from where persecution and crimes took place. Therefore, MERHROM would like to draw kind attention over unfortunate boat people refugees. The UNHCR with its mandate have to play more active role to identify and protect refugees and increase dialogue with source and host country of refugees to stop criminalizing and deportation of refugees in accordance to the International Standards.

We appeal to the ASEAN countries to protect Burmese refugees particularly Rohingyas due to its stateless status and their vulnerability. ASEAN countries must refer all refugees who reached at their land to the UNHCR for their protection.

We appeal to the world leaders especially to the leaders of the Resettlement countries to accept stateless Rohingya refugees in the Resettlement program as many of them are facing human rights violations in the host countries and denied Resettlement to the third country.

Yours sincerely,

Habibur Rahman

Secretary General, (MERHROM)

Tel: 012-2595185

E-mail: rights4rohingya@yahoo.co.uk

Blog: http://www.merhrom.worppress.com

 

Memorandum Alert of Burma Independent on Jan 04 1948

 We would like to concern on behalf of all Burmese people that we always cherish, proud and pray forever for 9 Martyrs including Army Founder and Independent Father General Aung San, Thirty Comrades and others who were involved in the attempt and sacrificed. …

But after Independent, every parts of our country’s situation has been decreasing day to day because of decentralising economic control, mismanagement and political oppression, masacre killing, ethnic cleansing, insurgency mounted, refugees based and formed victims by Revolutionary Government general Ne Win on March 02 1962 to yet State Peace and development Council ( SPDC ) government which reluctant ‘Free’.

Therefore, Noble Laureate, daughter of Army founder and Independent Father, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s non-violent movement against extremist Junta on 17 years spending, tyrannical rule must end and form democratization after Independent. It is a fundamental road-map of General Aung San, its spiritual victory is necessary in the regard of upliftment shall vigil in all of us.

In summary, we would be appreciate specially today to all. Specially to UNSC, 59 Former League for Burma Democracy base on Norway and International Communities. We are in need of to form democratization in Burma.

 

 

Faithfully,

 

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia

Standing with the brave in Burma

Standing with the brave in Burma

Josef Roy Benedict Sep 28, 07 2:02pm Adjust font size:

As we Malaysians view pictures of the violent crackdown of pro-democracy demonstrations occuring in Burma, we are once again reminded about the brutality of the military junta which has denied democracy to its people and continues to detain at least 1,200 political prisoners for engaging in peaceful political activities and non-violent exercise of the right to freedom of expression and association. The last time Burma saw anything on this scale was during the popular uprising of August 1988 when demonstrations began among students and then gradually spread to monks and the public. These culminated in a national uprising on Aug 8, 1988, when hundreds of thousands of people marched to demand a change of government. The government sent troops to brutally suppress the protests. No official investigation has ever taken place, but the best estimates suggest that approximately 3,000 people were killed as the demonstrations were crushed in September 1988. As many as 10,000 people were killed nationwide between March and September of that year. We cannot allow the events of 1988 to occur again. We must demand that the Malaysian government speak up in support of democracy and condemn the military crackdown. It must call on other Asean members to put aside its principle of non-interference and urge the Burmese military government to address the peaceful political protests by Buddhist monks and civilians throughout Burma without violence. Asean must remember the harsh military action will only send hundreds of thousands of Burmese refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries including Thailand and Malaysia as it has done in the past. We must also call on China who has funded and armed the regime to play a crucial role in ending this crisis. China cannot wish to hosts next year’s Olympic Games as the defender of such a despicable regime and we must urge the country to use its influence with the regime to exercise restraint and move towards dialogue. Other countries who have economic and military ties with Burma such as India and Russia must be shown that there will increasing economic problems and political instability as long as the regime defies the will of the people. They should back the democracy movement if it wants a stable, peaceful and prosperous Burma I welcome the fact that the UN Security Council has called on the military junta to show restraint and is planning to send UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to the region. However, more action needs to be taken by the UN. A resolution should be passed immediately, condemning the violations, setting out specific benchmarks with specific deadlines. The benchmarks must include the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the release of political prisoners and the start of meaningful dialogue between the regime, the National League of Democracy and the ethnic nationalities. We have been provided a critical opportunity to bring about freedom and democracy in Burma after decades of military rule. This struggle is being led by the monks and the people of Burma. We owe it to such brave people to stand with them in their hour of need and to use every possible tool available to open up the window for change.

Time for Asean to kick Burma out

Time for Asean to kick Burma out

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Oct 2, 07 5:04pm Adjust font size:

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) notes with grave concern that the violence in Burma continues unabated despite international condemnation. As neighbours, Malaysians can empathise with the despair of the Burmese people, and no one should bear seeing the sufferings of millions continue. This year, I had visited the Burmese refugee camps at the Thai-Burma border together with other Asean parliamentarians and personally witnessed the desperate conditions there. In this day and age, no one should have to live in such places, not especially in a prosperous region such as Asean. Every Burmese refugees and democratic activists whom I had met had appealed to our compassion and solidarity. They have placed enormous hope on us, their neighbour. to support their struggle to restore peace and democracy, to use our liberty to speak for them. We must not fail them today. PKR unites with the international community in urging the immediate cessation of violence. We also call on the United Nations to redouble its efforts to restore democracy and secure the release of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. We welcome Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s condemnation of the Burmese junta in New York last week. We are satisfied that the Malaysian government has long last acknowledged PKR’s basic assertion that Asean’s policy of constructive engagement had failed to bring peace and freedom in Burma. We call upon the Malaysian Foreign Ministry to immediately support the United Nations in stepping up the pressure on the Burmese junta to stop the brutal violence and to immediate facilitate dialogue between the military junta and democrats, including Suu Kyi, under its auspices. Should there be no improvement on the part of the Burmese junta to end the vicious suppression of the Burmese people, we believe that Burma should not only be barred from attending the Asean summit in Singapore this November, but that the Malaysian government should lead the rest of the region by tabling a resolution to expel Burma from Asean immediately, and in addition to apply trade sanctions on the recalcitrant junta. Only such direct steps will prove our resolute firmness in indicating to the Burmese military junta, that state violence against people who long only for freedom, democracy and peace, is absolutely unacceptable in Southeast Asia. The writer is PKR president and deputy chair of Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus on Democracy in Myanmar.

Malaysia, Burma – our common plight

Malaysia, Burma – our common plight

Steve Oh Oct 2, 07 5:06pm Adjust font size:

As the Bar Council-led delegation marched on Putrajaya another larger gathering of distraught citizens gathered in the streets in protest against their rulers. If there is one common thread in all demonstrations of this nature, it is that people will ultimately take action when they have had enough of bad governance. They are nowhere near the people power proportions of the Marcos era but they spell the beginning of the end of despotism. There may be few parallels between the situation in Malaysia and Burma but there is a common plight – the lack of democracy and repression, though in different degrees. Malaysia has some semblance of democracy but the Burmese junta is outrightly dictatorial. It is among the poorest countries in the world despite having huge natural mineral and gas resources. Who does not know of Burma’s coveted precious gemstones? But despite nature’s endowments, bad governance has stunted economic development. Sadly US-led economic and diplomatic sanctions against the junta have not worked and only caused widespread poverty and suffering. The Burmese army is notorious for its attacks on the tribes people and forcing them into slave labour. Raping, pillage and wholesale burning of villages are well-documented. Thousands upon thousands of Burmese refugees live along the Thai border and Bangladeshi territories and many have found refuge in Malaysia. But those who do find work pay a high price for the Malaysian permits and also fees to their own Burmese government. Still it is a far cry from the austere life back home. Perhaps those who advocate economic sanctions hope for a mass political implosion when people take to the streets in huge numbers. But that has to be precipitated by causes that are beyond the normal usual hardships such as we have seen in Burma. In this day and age, it is sad that civilised countries can still turn a blind eye to the atrocities happening in their neighbouring countries in the folly of a policy of non-intervention. So why do we respond to the cries of those hit by earthquakes in neighbouring countries but remain deaf to the cries of those hit by their generals’ soldiers? Such a policy is a betrayal of our human bonds and should be re-considered. In a world of double standards and selfish national interests there is an urgent need for a stronger sense of accountability to one another’s humanity. While India and China and its close neighbours will respond to the latest mass demonstrations differently, the US has increased its sanctions but only more ordinary Burmese will suffer. India needs the gas, but China does not want a repeat of a Tiananmen-type massacre so near the Olympics. India will remain silent and China will press for restraint. But the generals are hard-headed and events in the country appear doomed in bloodshed. Economic sanctions don’t work because the generals are high up on the pecking order and food chain and don’t care a hoot about travelling to the United States or Europe and will be the last to die of malnutrition. What is needed is for the countries in the free world, Asean, China and India, to put pressure on the generals to release Aung Sun Suu Kyi and other politicians. The former is the legitimate person to form government because her political party won the elections fair and square. But Mao Zedong was right in that power does ultimately come through the barrel of a gun as the Burmese generals have proven and will soon show the world again, short of a miracle or direct intervention, of those who have the influence. In the interest of peace and the welfare of the country, the generals have to come to their senses. This will require a miracle but stranger things have happened. The generals couldn’t care less what happens to their people because they are drunk with power and what it brings them. Theirs is a classic modern version of an ancient disease that we read in history books on cruel dictatorships. The tragedy in the avarice of rulers is that ultimately their people suffer and their descendants and even they themselves inherit a bad legacy. At home, I think none know or feel it more acutely than Anwar Ibrahim and Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister and deputy prime minister of the country respectively, who were once powerful but are now the government’s strongest critics. Surely there must be a message in it for them and all of us, especially those now in power. Make the change or be the future victims of your own bad legacy. Malaysia’s may be a different story from Burma’s because its people have enjoyed relative freedom and prosperity. Its government is relatively more responsive and prepared to offer small concessions but still its record of repressive measures and use of unbridled force when necessary in protecting its own interests match those of the worst dictators. In the recent Batu Buruk incident, the police resorted to using firearms, and two persons were seriously wounded by gunshots, something almost rare in its history of handling peaceful political dissent. Adding insult to injury is the possibility that the government may have staged the violent protests, according to the opposition. Because it controls the media by licensing and naked intimidation, it has over the years woven a web of control over the major public institutions from the police to the judiciary and manages to carry out its schemes in ways that are hard to counter and expose. This is to a large part the fault of the rakyat who unlike the Burmese are not yet eating grass and are inordinately tolerant and passive against vulgar corruption and refuse to strongly openly condemn corrupt practices in high places. The media’s hands are tied except for intrepid independent blogs and online newspapers that expose all forms of corruption without fear or favour. This has left an unbalanced and unfair burden on the shoulders of the regular critics and the political opposition. The people’s bellies are still full and they have a high threshold for political nonsense including the usual conspiracies to cover up the truth. Meanwhile, the politicians prate and prattle and insult our intelligence. The level of corruption and allegations of those in power including senior police officers has reached critical proportions. The people’s petition, the Bar Council’s march, and the litany of letters of protests and public agitations all show a people dissatisfied with the status quo. The government has only itself to blame if it does not put matters right. Perhaps a fob may accept more cover-ups and whitewashing of allegations of corruption. And only those who don’t love their country can allow it to continue to slide down the slippery slope. I don’t see how the government can go into damage control without a genuine attempt at redressing the corruption within the system. It is indeed a sad moral crisis that now threatens to destroy the country’s integrity and moral conscience if a royal commission and remedies are not adopted to right the wrongs. It does not matter who is guilty but it matters that the government does right.

Gov’t urged to halt crackdown on refugees

Gov’t urged to halt crackdown on refugees
Aug 6, 07 3:14pm Adjust font size:

Campaigners representing ethnic Burmese people today appealed on the Malaysian government to halt a crackdown on illegal immigrants which it said has also targeted political refugees.

The Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organisation said that close to 1,000 illegal immigrants were picked up by authorities in the past week alone, including 200 Rohingyans from the military-ruled state.

The Rohingyans are an ethnic Muslim minority in Burma (now renamed Myanmar)who have been denied citizenship status by the junta, forcing them to seek refugee status elsewhere.

“We came to this country because we have nowhere to go and although we were promised a chance in Malaysia, it looks like we are never going to get it,” the group’s leader, Zafar Ahmad said in a statement.

He said most of those picked up were not registered with the Malaysian government but were official asylum seekers given status by the UN Rights Council for International Refugees.

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

‘Give us a chance’

Kuala Lumpur last month launched a major operation to round up an estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants coming in from Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, Nepal and Philippines.

Close to 10,000 refugees have been picked up to date and the ongoing operation aims to haul in at least half the reported figures by October, reports said.

“In one week alone, almost 200 refugees of Myanmar origin had been picked up by the authorities and some of them were treated extremely bad at the detention camps,” said Zafar.

“I believe the government should treat us better and give us a chance to live in this country,” he added.

Malaysia is not a party to international refugee conventions, and illegal immigrants are often detained and later deported to their home country.

- AFP

Suhakam: Check Rela’s powers

Suhakam: Check Rela’s powers
Bede Hong
Aug 17, 07 3:16pm Adjust font size:

The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) does not support an increase in enforcement powers for the volunteer security corp Rela, saying it would result in indiscriminate arrests against refugees in the country.

Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam also said Rela’s raids have created ill-repute for its members, whom he described as insensitive to human and civil rights.

“There’s no point in trying to get the message across to them on what the public thinks of them and what our Asean neighbours think of them,” he told a forum organised by the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall last night.

“They have become defensive at times, even when you tell them to train their people and to educate them on human rights,” he added.

The volunteer corp has over 480,000 members in the country. Serving as an auxiliary enforcement unit, Rela also carries out operations to round up illegal immigrants.

Human rights watchgroups, including Suhakam, have criticised Rela for indiscriminate arrests and human rights violations during its operations.

A Private Member’s Bill is expected to be tabled in the next Parliament sitting for the formation of a Rela department under the Home Ministry. The bill will also broaden the enforcement capability of Rela to assist the Immigration Department.

Original purpose

Siva said Rela’s responsibilities have been expanded beyond its original purpose and said there is lack of training for its officers.

“Their job was to take care of weddings and to take care of guests and the parking of cars. Their treatment of refugees is terrible … It shows that there’s something wrong with Malaysians when you (see them) hit them (the refugees),” he said.

Malaysia has not ratified the United Nations convention on refugees, thus recognising all refugees as illegal aliens. Suhakam estimates that there are 1.9 million migrant workers and refugees in the country.

Meanwhile, migrant workers rights group Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez said the government must reform the police and Immigration Department.

“Because they (migrant workers) are weak, the government has used them as scapegoats to explain the rise in crime,” she said.

She also claimed there is rampant corruption along the borders of Thailand and Malaysia, where human traffickers work in cohorts with immigration officers to bring in thousands of workers every week.

About 40 people attended the forum. Despite being invited, no representative from Rela turned up.

Indonesian girl: I was raped by Rela member

Indonesian girl: I was raped by Rela member
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz
Sep 7, 07 5:29pm Adjust font size:

Suriyani Nas, 20, gently rubbed her bulging stomach (she is five months pregnant) as she related her ordeal at the hands of a member of the people’s voluntary corp Rela.

“He tied my hands, gagged my mouth, and tied my feet together. He only unbound my feet whenever he came to rape me,” the Indonesian told reporters and members of the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

“He did it many times throughout the one month I was kept at a house in the middle of the rambutan orchard. Sometimes he did it twice a day,” she alleged when met at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur today.

Suriyani claimed she arrived in the country sometime in 2004 from Lombok, east of Bali.

Undocumented and illiterate, she had found a job as a domestic helper to a woman in Johor Baru.

According to Suriyani, she worked for two years without receiving a single sen. When she finally gathered enough courage to demand her pay, Suriyani claimed she was threatened at knife-point.

Having succeeded in escaping, she was able to flag down a police officer who brought her back to the house to question the employer.

“She denied everything. To my face, she denied any responsibility over me!” said a bewildered Suriyani.

Having escaped from one ordeal, however, she was soon to fall into another.

Placed in the care of an unknown number of persons – one of whom employed her for two weeks as a maid – Suriyani claimed she was at one point offered by a Johor-based lower-rank Rela member to bring her to Kajang, Selangor, to find work.

“But instead, he drove to an empty house in the middle of a rambutan orchard. Once inside, he tied me up, and that’s when he started. He raped me, treated me as if we were already married – for one whole month,” she said.

‘Good Samaritan’

After about 30 days of torment, Suriyani was surprised late one night – while her rapist was away – by an unknown man who suddenly broke down the door and brought her to the Kajang police station.

“He was also a Rela member, but he had heard that a woman was being held captive (by a fellow Rela member) at the empty house,” she explained.

At the police station, however, Suriyani was again punished – this time for being an ‘illegal immigrant’.

Sent to the Semenyih detention centre for undocumented migrants, she was only released about a month later by officials from the Indonesian Embassy.

It is believed the Rela member who had rescued her from captivity alerted the embassy of her detention in Semenyih.

Meanwhile, a senior Rela officer from Johor Baru is alleged to have offered Suriyani RM5,000 and to arrange for her return to Indonesia in order to keep things under wrap.

Three months into her stay at the shelter, however, that offer of assistance has yet to materialise.

“I just want to go back home. I hope that can be arranged,” she said quietly when asked of her next step.

Indonesian Embassy consular Tatang Razak (right) said representation had been made to Malaysia’s oreign Ministry and pressed to act on the claims made by Suriyani.

To his disappointment, however, the ministry responded that the deputy public prosecutor in Johor in charge of the case was of the view that based on the investigations of Johor state police, “there is insufficient evidence to press charges” against the suspect.

“However, DNA tests can be carried out to determine whether the child she is carrying is that of the person she has accused of raping her,” Tatang said in protest.

He noted that only disciplinary action was said to have been taken against the individual.

Public inquiry

Commenting on the incident, Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam said he will apply immediately for Suhakam to begin a public inquiry into Suriyani’s allegations and to determine the facts of the matter.

“Suhakam is committed to (the human rights of) workers, and it must be said that they have as much human rights as any other human being in this country,” said Siva when met at the shelter.

“They cannot be set aside (by claims) there is a standard (of laws) for citizens and a different one foreigners,” he added.

Reluctance of the Johor state police to disclose further details on the issue notwithstanding, Suhakam will seek the truth of the issue by exercising its powers in the inquiry.

“We can subpoena all those involved in order to give the facts under oath,” he said.

When contacted, the Rela spokesperson declined to comment while the director-general could not be reached.

Suhakam to AG: Re-open Rela rape case

Suhakam to AG: Re-open Rela rape case
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz
Sep 11, 07 12:12pm Adjust font size:

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) wants the Attorney-General’s Chambers to reopen investigations into the claim by an Indonesian woman that she was raped by a member of the volunteer corp Rela.

Suhakam commissioner N Siva Subramaniam said an official request will be sent to the AG to reconsider the decision not to press charges against the alleged perpetrator.

The decision, reached during a commissioners meeting yesterday, followed new findings pertaining to the case. Among them is that there is a witness to the alleged crime and that the victim herself has come forward.

The 20-year-old victim, Suriayani Nas, an undocumented migrant, is now five months pregnant.

“In view of the additional evidence, we will ask the AG to review the decision to drop the charges,” said Siva when contacted.

“Among the additional measures is for DNA tests to be taken (to determine the paternity of the child),” he added.

Siva met with Suriyani last Friday when he visited the Indonesian embassy’s half-way house for Indonesians seeking shelter.

Suriyani, who hails from Lombok near Bali, alleged that after working for two years without pay for an abusive employer in Johor Baru, she met the Rela member who offered to find her a job in Kajang.

However, she claimed that the Rela member subjected her to a month of torture and sexual abuse.

The ordeal ended only when another Rela member, who came to know of her ordeal, rescued her from the house and brought her to a police station.

Disciplinary action

Speaking to reporters and Suhakam officers, Suriyani had named both her captor as well as her rescuer.

Also present was Indonesian embassy consular Tatang Razak, who expressed disappointment that representation made to the Malaysian government was met by the response that there is insufficient evidence to proceed further with the case.

The embassy was also told that Suriyani should be sent back to Indonesia as she is an illegal immigrant, he said, adding that only ‘disciplinary action’ was taken against the Rela member.

Meanwhile, Rela director-general Zaidon Asmuni said the Rela member had been stripped of his membership in the corp.

“This action was taken against him despite insufficient evidence. The discretion for the director-general to do so is provided for in the laws that regulate the body,” he said when contacted.

“We want all our Rela members to be clear of any such allegations,” he added.

Zaidon also said since the alleged perpetrator is no longer in Rela, it is not within the responsibility of the volunteer corp to issue any comments on the matter.

“Let the authorities investigate the case if there are claims of new evidence,” he added.

While local authorities have denied abuses of migrants are on the rise, the Indonesian embassy has claimed that more than 1,000 abused or unpaid workers seek refuge in its compound every year.

Relations between Malaysia and Indonesia have become strained after a string of embarrassing incidents – including an alleged assault on a senior Indonesian sports official by Malaysian police.

M’sian envoy: Treat Indon workers with dignity
Sep 10, 07 5:08am Adjust font size:

Malaysians must treat menial Indonesian labourers better or risk damaging relations between the two countries, Malaysia’s ambassador to Indonesia has warned.

“It’s only fair we change our perception towards Indonesians. Even if many of them are maids and contract labourers, they are human beings and should be treated with fairness and dignity,” Zainal Abidin Mohd Zin told the New Straits Times.

Zainal said Malaysians should realise many Indonesian professionals work in Malaysia and that millions more visit as tourists, adding the treatment of Indonesians aroused strong emotions and could affect bilateral relations.

The ambassador, speaking during Malaysian Deputy Premier Najib Razak’s trip to Indonesia’s Sulawesi province, said that bad treatment meted out to Indonesians had given Malaysians a reputation for arrogance.

He urged prompt handling of complaints of abuse towards Indonesian workers, which have triggered bad press in the Indonesian media after a string of disturbing cases.

Double standards

“With more than two million Indonesians working in Malaysia, legally or otherwise, there are bound to be problems and cases of abuse,” Zainal was quoted as saying by the Star newspaper.

“But the thing is, if they happened, why are these cases not resolved? From the point of view of the Indonesians, we are practising double standards.”

The Indonesian government last month upped the pressure on Malaysia to take swift action against abusive employers, saying too many Indonesian maids were being mistreated.

Malaysia relies heavily on foreign workers for menial jobs and the Indonesian embassy says about 300,000 Indonesian maids are employed here.

While local authorities have denied abuses are on the rise, the Indonesian embassy said more than 1,000 abused or unpaid workers seek refuge in its compound every year.

Relations between the neighbouring countries have become strained after an alleged assault on a karate referee by Malaysian police sparked protests outside the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta last month.