VOCR 15 August, 2009
On 15 August, the police without uniform raided Jalan Imbi and more than 7 people were arrested. The raid started at 3: 15 evening and many of the chin refugees were fled to hide in another place. On 16 August, Sunday evening, when the chin refugees were their way home from the church the police and CID were started to raid among them and around 50 people were arrested. At the same time, the police also raid Jalan Pudu where the Alliance of Chin Refugee office (ACR) located but we cannot confirm how many people were arrested in PUDU. They were taken to Bukit Jali lock-up. According to one of volunteer worker in Chin refugee office said that just we received a call and saying the police are raiding Jalan Imbi, the Chin Refugee Committee informed all the people in the office not to go out and they waited until the raid finished.
“After the raid finished one of community leader went to the police station and trying to intervene for their release but he failed because of private intervention. The private intruders had already promise with the police to fine the money for only their relative , so the police officer ignored demanding of a community leader. In previous time, we could release some detainees but today, we can not do nothing. I feel very sad for the people who are under arrested. We hope that the thing will go as usual in previous time but we failed everything because of private intruders” he said.
“We don’t know the reason why the police arrest those who have UNHCR card! Jalan Imbi is a place where the chin refugee office located and many of Chin refugees are staying. The raid is not only one time they had already raided many times before” one refugee man said.
Regarding to arrest and detention, one interpreter from the UNHCR office said that the Malaysia authority do not allow the UNHCR team to meet and register Burmese refugees in the jail, immigration camp and lock-up during fasting month that will be started on next month.
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