Chin Refugees Extorted, Beaten up by Thugs in Malaysia

MALAYSIA :: A number of Chin refugees in Malaysia have faced extortion and physical attacks by a group of South Asian thugs in recent weeks.

Mr. Ngun Thawng, 54, was beaten up by four thugs near his rented flat in Kuala Lumpur when he came back from a church service around 4pm on 11 September while another incident on 10 September involved Mr. Cung Lian Hup, 31, and Mr. Bawi Lian Thang, 26, being attacked by a taxi driver and his four friends.

The Chin victims said they were stopped, threatened and beaten up by a group of thugs believed to be from South Asian countries after all their belongings including mobile phones and money were forcibly extorted.

"A group of four people near our house asked if I had a cigarette and I said I didn't. Then, they started asking if I had money and I said the same. After that, they asked for a mobile phone and I didn't have any. So, they slapped me three times for no reasons," explained the 54-year-old refugee from Thangzang village in Thantlang Township, Chin State.

The two Chin refugees, Cung Lian Hup and Bawi Lian Thang, got beaten up in an unprovoked attack when a taxi driver from Kotaraya in Kuala Lumpur deceived and took them to a group of thugs.

"We were driven to a different location and when we got there, there were his four South Asian friends waiting for us. They started asking for 1,000 Ringgits each. As we didn't have any money with us, they forced us to make a call to our friends and family members," the Chin refugees told Seihnam newsletter.

"As our calls didn't get through to anyone, they started threatening, beating and groping to see if there was anything valuable that they wanted to take from us. Finally, we managed to escape to the nearby Chinese restaurant," the victims told CDAC (Chin Disciplinary Action Committee).

The two Chins were said to have lost their UNHCR registration cards and 60 Malay Ringgits to the South Asian thugs.

One of the two Chin victims was taken to hospital with the help of the Malaysian police after the incident was reported to the Police Station.

Earlier this month, a group of six Chin refugees working on the cultivation farm near Kampah were robbed and attacked by thugs in the early morning while they were still in bed.

Source: Chinland Guardian