Desperate Burmese refugees in Malaysia jump for Australia

By James,

This year, UNHCR attached the "UDHR: Article-14(1)" in its blog but the office has yet to obey it.
During 2007, the office had criticized the demonstration of All Burma Democratic Force led by Mr Sadek called to respect. Instead, some leaders including him were referred to police. Several leaders who staged demonstrations at UNHCR in the end of 2008 and early 2009 were also threatened by police on the basic of UNHCR’s misinforming.

Secondary movement of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia is not an irregular since their safety, security are risked and their rights and dignity are deprived and facing new forms of human rights abuses in these regions. As well as, resettlement opportunity for Rohingya is very rare compare to other refugee groups despite Rohingyans are Burma’s first refugees.
Therefore, hundred of Rohingyans languishing years in Malaysia are heading for Australia through dangerous journey by open risky boats from year 2006. Currently, nearly five hundred Rohingya refugees are mounted on the mid way in Indonesia that included agents’ exploitation, rescued by authority and captured by authority.

No matter how dangerous and risky journey and even Australia-Malaysia swap-deal announced in the mid of last year, the number of Rohingya refugees heading to Australia from Malaysia is dramatically increased from year 2006.
Although the number is very small and just around 1% of total boat people arrivals per each year, it is raised up to two hundred persons for this year from average arrival around hundred persons in the past two years, 42 persons in 2009 and initially 8 persons in 2006.

However, the UNHCR and some selfish Rohingya leaders do not agree with this reality and blaming for these desperate refugees finding safe place and accusing against some honest Rohingya leaders. And at least two Rohingya leaders were interrogated by Malaysian intelligence police based on UNHCR’s referral in early 2010 and 2011.

It’s essential to stop these desperate refugees from risking their lives therefore resettlement countries including Australia must enhance UNHCR offices based in these regions to play its role fairly and treat equally in resettlemnt quota.

Last year, a press statement released by Rohingya political party- NDPHR(exile) stated clearly that Malaysia is not in position to treat refugees with dignity while UNHCR failed to treat equally in resettlement quota.

Similarly, Rohingya people are faced atrocities in the presence of UN organizations in Arakan state. But these organizations never interfered except from exploitation of international aid.

A western scholar, Dr Zarni’s article in Nov 2011 made criticism against Burma’s burmanizing policy and the west’s not backing to form truly democratization in Burma.
Therefore, elite Burmans plus Rakhine people are continuously launched to explore their domination over other ethnic minorities.

Source : http://thesail.wordpress.com