Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia(MERHROM) is deeply concerns over the plan of Australian government to deport 800 Asylum Seekers to Malaysia. This raise few fundamental questions. Why the Australian government who is the signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention want to deport the 800 Asylum Seekers to Malaysia which is not a signatory to the Convention? Who are the 800 Asylum Seekers and where they come from? What kind of protection Malaysian government can give to them? How long the identification process by the UNHCR and where they will be placed during the whole process? Who will be the 4000 Refugee that will be resettled to Australia? It also raise a question of how long the Australian government will send the asylum seekers to Malaysia and how Malaysia managing it when the number increase over the years?
MERHROM believed not all the 800 Asylum Seekers are smuggled to Australia. We believe there are genuine Asylum Seekers among them. We believe among them there will be Rohingya who flee prosecution from our country. Back in 2008 we were shocked by the boat people tragedy where the Asylum Seekers from Myanmar drift in the see and some of them died. Some landed in Andaman Sea and some in Indonesia. We also shocked to see how the Thailand Authority treated them when they landed in Thai ocean. They risk their live in order to save their live from the brutal junta. Experience showed where ever they reached, they are not treated as Asylum Seekers.
We, the Rohingya were made Stateless by the junta. We faced systematic prosecution and persecution by the junta in many ways for many years. That is the only reason why many of us fled and became refugee in foreign land. Many International Organizations came out with the reports on the prosecution faced by the Rohingya. However, until now many world leaders close their eyes on our plights. There is no real solution for us.
According to the Australian government the deportation will help put people smugglers out of business and prevent asylum seekers making the dangerous journey to Australia by boat. However this is not clear how it will stop the smuggler from doing their business knowing that smuggler as smart as traffickers. This also cannot stop the asylum seekers from making the dangerous way to which ever their destination if their live is in danger.
It is also confusing if the Australian government can accept thousands of refugees and asylum seekers over the years, why they cannot accept these 800 Asylum Seekers? Who are these 800 Asylum Seekers.
The plan by the Australian government cannot be accepted at all as it will bring more problem than solution. The Asylum Seekers are not commodity that can be exchanged at any time. We are human with feeling just like you. Sending the Asylum Seekers to Malaysia will not solve the problem of Refugees and Asylum seekers in the region. The root causes of the problem must be targeted if the world leaders serious in tackling the problem.
We urged the Australian and Malaysian government to stop the deportation and conduct thorough investigation for these Asylum Seekers so that their rights are protected. Since the Australian government is a signatory to the 1951 Convention, they are obliged to protect the rights and safety of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. The Australian government only can send the Asylum Seekers to Malaysia after Malaysia grant full protection for refugees and Asylum Seekers. This means Malaysia must signed the 1951 Refugee Convention before making bigger commitment on Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
On 1-17th August 2006 over 5000 Rohingya refugees registered with Immigration Department for IMM 13 document. We paid RM90 per head. The IMM 13 document will allow Rohingya Refugees to work, access to education and health care. However until now we do not get the IMM 13 document. Our situation remains the same for the past 3 decades. There is no future for our next generation. What will happen to us? We appeal to the Malaysia government to solve the problem of refugees and Asylum Seekers in Malaysia first before taking new group of Asylum Seekers.
We urge the UNHCR and the World Leaders to play its role in making sure the rights of Refugees and Asylum Seekers are protected and guaranteed at all time. The silent of UNHCR and the World LEADERS over this issue raise a question mark.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Zafar Ahmad Abdul Ghani
President
Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia(MERHROM)
Tel: 016-6827287
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