Refugees sold to traffickers at the border

The report said that in 2007, nearly 2,300 refugees in Malaysia were deported to Thailand, of whom at least 14 were re-deported to Burma.

In the deportation of refugees to Thailand, officials are said to often give advance notice to human traffickers who buy the deportees directly from immigration officials for as much as RM900 per person.

If the deportees cannot come up with the money to buy their freedom from the traffickers – one deportee reported having to pay RM1,800 – they are either sold to Thai fishing boats, in the case of men, or brothels, in the case of women – said USCRI.

The group also cited the constant raids and detentions to which refugees and asylum-seekers are subjected along with other undocumented migrants.

“At any given time, an average of 730 refugees and asylum seekers were in immigration detention,” it said.

Also highlighted was the powerful volunteer security corps Rela, which USCRI described as “infamous for its violent raids, and refugees were frequently injured or killed fleeing them.”

Rela conducted as many as 40 raids a night during 2007, and through November, it had detained more than 30,000 undocumented migrants, an increase from 25,000 in all during 2006, it said.

USCRI also cited a June 25 raid which resulted in the detention of 230 refugees.

“Among the detainees were 30 children, 10 refugees slated for resettlement to the United States the next day, 5 pregnant women, and a Chin refugee leader.

“Malaysia released the Chin leader and the 10 refugees slated for resettlement, but transferred the rest to the Semenyih (Selangor) detention centre,” it said.

Poor conditions in detention camps

USCRI also cited the announcement in November that Rela members would staff the immigration detention centres temporarily after the decision to transfer management of these facilities from the Prisons Department to the Immigration Department.

It added that these immigration detention centres still face problems of overcrowding, poor sanitation, insufficient food and health services, and abusive guards.

Commenting on the plight of refugees in general, USCRI president Lavinia Limón said the group had tried to call attention to these countries because they have been particularly egregious in their treatment of refugees.

“Some of them have forced refugees back into dangerous situations, some of them have warehoused refugees in camps for decades, and some of them have done their best to make sure refugees never enter their territory. Some of them have done all of the above,” she said.