Dear Barack Obama, Refugees From Myanmar Need A Place To Live

By Carrie Goldman, June 3, 2015 at 2:51 pm

My eight-year-old daughter pushed away the plate of eggs without even taking a bite.

“I’m not in the mood for eggs,” she whined.

She had asked for eggs five minutes earlier. Annoyed, I told her, “There are kids who would give anything for a fresh hot breakfast. Kids who are starving as we speak.”

Yep, I played that card. A) because it’s true; and B) I knew she would genuinely care.

She looked up at me with wide eyes. “Tell me about the kids. The ones who are starving this very second? How do you know them?”

I began to describe the Rohingya refugees who have been fleeing from Buddhist-majority Myanmar, the ones who have spent months stranded at sea because no country wants to take them in.

They have tried to land in Malaysia, but the country does not want to accept any more migrants, due to the fact that there are approximately 45,000 undocumented Rohingya refugees already stressing Malaysia’s resources.

Likewise, Indonesia and Thailand are turning additional refugees away, their countries are overburdened with caring for thousands of refugees, and they are asking for other countries to step up and provide assistance.

I showed my daughter pictures of men, women, and children who are suffering from dehydration, hunger, and sickness. “And all of this came AFTER they were mistreated by their government due to their beliefs.”

She and I talked about how our people, the Jewish people, have a history of being persecuted for our religious beliefs. Several generations ago, my own ancestors came to America on boats, seeking freedom from religious persecution in Russia.

My daughter crammed a huge bite of egg into her mouth and asked me question after question.

Later than evening, she disappeared into her room, shouting something about the refugees. I found her writing a letter to President Barack Obama.

“Dear Barack Obama,

I have a serious problem that I beg you to help. Refugees from Myanmar need a place to live. How would you feel if you were starving, exhausted, hungry, sick or dying? That’s how they feel. Please please please help them. I beg you!! I’ll donate money.

With care,

Annie Rose, age eight”

My daughter is donating her allowance for the next few weeks to help. She is also asking other people to help the cause. My husband told her, “For Father’s Day, I will match the money you raise, up to the first $250.”

Donate to help refugees

Information about how refugees in Myanmar are helped by the donations

We are making our donations to the above site, because we have confirmed it is legitimate. If you are so moved, please voice your support for the cause and consider making a donation!

Annie Rose said, “I hope Barack Obama helps! Daddy will match his donation for Father’s Day!”

http://www.chicagonow.com

Putrajaya says no to UN refugees working here

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ

Published: 24 June 2015 11:23 AM

A Rohingya asylum seeker shows his UNHCR card in this picture dated June 2. – Reuters pic, 

Putrajaya will not allow refugees holding United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards to work in Malaysia, Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Muttalib told the Senate today.

UNHCR had made an appeal to the government on Monday to allow UNHCR registered refugees, most of whom are from Myanmar to be allowed to work here.

According to statistics released by the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur, there were 153,004 asylum seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR up to May 31.

The deputy minister said allowing them to work was against the Immigration Act, which did not allow those without valid travel documents to be salaried in Malaysia.

He said another concern was that allowing them to work would encourage more refugees waiting at the borders to enter Malaysia, adding that it will cause the situation to spiral out of control.

"We already have 1.9 million registered foreign workers in Malaysia, we are also concerned that these people will now use this to try and apply for refugee status while they are here," Ismail told the Senate.

The deputy minister said Putrajaya did not want to send out the wrong signal on its policy on refugees by allowing them to work here.

"If we allow them to work, they are going to ask for other privileges such as education, medical and so on.

"We are sympathetic to their plight, but we cannot be giving them jobs," Ismail said. – June 24, 2015.

Governments fail to respond to ‘worst refugee crisis since WW2’

Jyothi Laldas

A REPORT by Amnesty International accuses world leaders of neglect as millions of refugees face “an unbearable existence”, while the world faces the “worst refugee crisis since World War 2”.

Amnesty International said that governments around the world have effectively let thousands of people who are fleeing wars in Africa and the Middle East, die by failing to provide them with basic human protection.

The number of people who have been displaced forcibly in the world is now thought to be above 50 million.

“We are witnessing the worst refugee crisis of our era, with millions of women, men and children struggling to survive amid brutal wars, networks of people traffickers and governments that pursue selfish political interests instead of showing basic human compassion,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s secretary-general, in a statement.

“The refugee crisis is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century, but the response of the international community has been a shameful failure.”

Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the situation in Syria is “the most dramatic humanitarian crisis the world has faced in a very long time”.

The report, called “The Global Refugee Crisis: A Conspiracy of Neglect”, pays particular attention to the situation in Syria, the Mediterranean, Africa and South-East Asia.

The UN’s humanitarian appeal for Syrian refuges has received less than a quarter of the funds it needs.

The report also blasted the international community for doing nothing to alleviate the massive displacement of people across sub-Saharan Africa.

An estimated three million refugees are thought to be living there, including hundreds of thousands of people who have fled conflict in countries such as Nigeria, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Burundi.

Conflict and wars raging across the Middle East and Africa have directly caused the Mediterranean migrant crisis, which has seen thousands of people drowning. About 3 500 people died while trying to make the sea crossing to Europe in 2014, with 1 865 thought to have perished so far this year.

Amnesty called on all of Europe to share the burden of dealing with the refugee crisis.

There were also incidents where Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand refused to allow boats carrying refugees from Bangladesh and Myanmar to land, putting migrants at further risk.

Amnesty is urging world leaders to call an international summit on tackling the refugee crisis, focusing on sharing the burden of dealing with it, and that all countries must ratify the Refugee Convention.

As the entire Muslim world enters the benevolent and beloved month of Ramadan, we pray that humankind shows compassion and heeds the needs of those who are desperately suffering strife, hardship, poverty and affliction due to war, unrest and crises in their respective countries, and for peace to prevail.

MEDIA DESK

Darul Ihsan Centre

Govt won’t offer jobs to Rohingya migrants in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Negara was today told that the government has no plan to allow Rohingya migrants registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to work in the country. Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Ismail Abd Muttalib said it was feared that this would bring about an uncontrolled influx of illegal immigrants holding the UNHCR card into Malaysia. “If we allow it, there will be manipulation of UNHCR refugees with the influx of more Rohingya migrants waiting at the border to enter the country. If we allow them to work, they will start demanding other needs, such as educational and medical facilities. “We understand and empathise with them. As human beings, our responsibility is to help, but not by giving jobs,” he said in response to a question from Senator Datuk Yoo Wei How on whether the government would allow Rohingya migrants with UNHCR status to work in the country. Referring to the Immigration Act, Ismail said Malaysian employers were not allowed to employ foreigners without valid travel documents. He said that though all workers were protected under the Employment Act, those who wanted to seek remedy under the law had to be employed legally. Meanwhile, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said a total of 1,303,126 illegal immigrants had been rounded up under the Comprehensive Settlement Programme for Illegal Immigrants (6P Programme). Of the number, he said, 503,161 were legalised to meet the needs of industries. He said that under the 6P programme, the government collected RM629,065,191 in revenue from levy payment for the first year based on the period of employment allowed under the programme. Wan Junaidi was responding to a question from Senator Chong Sin Woon who wanted to know the success of the 6P programme.

- BERNAMA

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my

Malaysia turns down UN plea to allow refugees to work

Malaysia will not allow refugees to work in the country despite a plea by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, a senior official said today.

Human Resources Deputy Minister Ismail Muttalib told the Senate that allowing the more than 150,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in the country to work could create more employment problems.

On Monday, the Malaysian UNHCR representative went to the parliament to ask legislators to allow UNHCR cardholders to have a work permit.

“The country might be flooded with the cardholders to a point we cannot control their entry,” he said, adding that there are already 1.9 million foreign workers in Malaysia and an estimated more than 1 million illegal workers.

Malaysia, which is one of the more developed countries in South-East Asia, is a favourite destination of workers from its less developed neighbours such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia.

- dpa

Rohingya Refugee Pines For Wife, Child Detained At Immigration Depot

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa

ALOR SETAR, June 24 (Bernama) -- In this blessed month of Ramadan, a former detainee at a human trafficking camp in Padang Besar, Thailand longs to meet his wife and child, currently detained at the Belantik immigration depot in Sik.

Such is Muzamil Hamid Hussein's desperation and longing for his family that he hopes the Malaysian authorities show some compassion in the holy month to fulfill his wish.

According to the Rohingya refugee, his wife, Menara Mohamad Shafi, 22, and their son, Nur Mustafa, two years and five months were nabbed last month when the boat they were travelling in, landed in Langkawi last month.

"The last time I met them was about a year ago before I left home in Maungdaw, Myanmar by boat to head for Malaysia.

"I hope the Malaysian authorities have some compassion in this month of Ramadan and on humanitarian grounds, allow me to be with my wife and child," Muzamil, 24, a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card holder told BERNAMA in Alor Setar.

--BERNAMA

UNHCR suggests using biometric ICs to regulate refugees in Malaysia

Majority of refugees in Malaysia are from Myanmar. UNHCR suggests a biometric identification card be implemented to regulate the refugees. – Reuters filepic, June 25, 2015.

In the face of the recent influx of ethnic Rohingyas fleeing from persecution in Myanmar, Malaysia finds itself caught between encountering a humanitarian crisis and having to deal with the security and social problems that are bound to arise when asylum-seekers are allowed to swarm into the nation.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia has, in the meantime, been busy seeking solutions which will find favour with the host nation, as well as safeguard the rights of the refugees so that they can live in dignity while waiting for resettlement.

According to press reports, a total of 153,004 refugees were registered with the UNHCR as of May this year, and 93% of them were from Myanmar.

But, according to the agency, "tens of thousands" of undocumented asylum-seekers could be roaming in the streets and they were the ones who were likely to fall into a life of crime or be exploited by human traffickers.

UNHCR Representative in Malaysia Richard Towle said the agency was advocating the introduction of an indentity card with advance biometric security features, to be issued to all refugees so that the government could keep tabs on them.

"We've already proposed this to the Malaysian government and the matter is currently under discussion."

Pointing out that only the UNHCR was involved in the registration of refugees presently, Towle said the agency could work together with the government to implement a more comprehensive system of registration to identify bona fide refugees and weed out economic migrants.

"We would like to work closely with the government (where registration of refugees is concerned) because we think this way, we can combat crime and trafficking issues (involving refugees) more effectively.

“If we can produce an identity card with advance biometric features and if the government finds it suitable, then it will go a long way in combating exploitation and crime."

Currently, UNHCR issues a standard identity card to all refugees registered under the agency. This card, said Towle, has "high commercial value" but "no legal value" in Malaysia.

"It has high commercial value because the card has helped thousands of refugees to get jobs in the informal sectors, particularly in the Klang Valley, and they are, in fact, contributing to the nation's economy.

"And, although it has no legal value, at least it's recognised by the enforcement agencies and reduces the chances of the UN cardholders being detained or imprisoned."

Biometric documentation, if approved by the government, will help to "legalise" the status of refugees in Malaysia which, the UNHCR believes, will lead to a win-win situation for both the nation and the refugees.

It foresees three "wins". Firstly, the refugees will be able secure proper employment during the duration of their stay in Malaysia and become self-sufficient, without having to resort to criminal activities.

Secondly, employers can have their pick of skilled and well-qualified workers from among the refugees, which reduces the chances of them (refugees) being exploited.

Thirdly, by keeping tabs on the whereabouts of the refugees, the government can check criminal activities involving them.

"A major challenge facing the government in the 21st century is having to deal with security threats and organised international crime involving human trafficking syndicates. This is why we're proposing a proper registration system (and biometric documentation) for refugees to regulate and manage the refugee situation more effectively."

Last month, Malaysian authorities made shocking discoveries of multiple graves and suspected human trafficking camps in Wang Kelian in Perlis, along the Malaysian-Thai border.

As of June 22, 106 bodies have been found, and they are believed to be the remains of Bangladeshi and Rohingya human trafficking victims.

On the extra financial burden Malaysia would have to bear if it implemented measures to legalise the status of refugees, Towle assured that it would be a cost-neutral situation for the government as "all of the support rendered to refugees in this country is provided by UNHCR and via NGOs”.

He added that UNHCR had also recently taken a private healthcare insurance policy to enable refugees to seek treatment at private hospitals at lower rates.

Asked if the various problems, as well as human rights issues, pertaining to refugees could be resolved if Malaysia ratified the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees 1951, Towle replied: "Not necessarily. All these things (like the proper registration of refugees and introduction of biometric identity cards) can be done by the government on a national level without it having to sign the convention.

"There are many domestic directives, regulations and even laws that can be passed to manage the refugee situation... these don't involve the signing of any convention."

Recently, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) called on the government to ratify the 1951 UN convention to facilitate the tackling of refugee and human rights issues.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, however, has made it clear that Malaysia did not intend to become a state party of the convention as it has to study "in depth the impact and implication of participating in any international instrument". 

– Bernama, June 25, 2015.

Malaysia to hire 1.5 million Bangladeshis

MALAYSIA will hire 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh in stages over the next three years, a senior official says, despite rejecting a plea from the UN to allow more than 150,000 refugees in the country to find jobs.

MALAYSIAN Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Friday that an agreement between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur would be signed next month to formalise the employment of Bangladeshi workers.

"These workers will be involved in various fields, especially in the plantation sector and will meet the demands of the job market in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak," the state-run Bernama news agency quoted Ahmad Zahid as saying.

The announcement came a few days after human resources deputy minister Ismail Muttalib said that the predominantly Islamic South-East Asian country will not allow refugees and asylum seekers to work in the country despite a plea from the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

A senior official of the human resources ministry who asked not to be named said that Malaysia is allowing a set number of Bangladeshi workers into the country for a fixed number of years, after which they will return home.

"If their employers will have financial problems, these [Bangladeshi] workers have no choice but to return home," the official said.

"They cannot find other job outside the employers who hired them."

The official said that the case of UN refugees in Malaysia is different because allowing them to work would entice "more refugees to come into the country".

"It will be beyond the control of the government," the official added.

At present there are already 1.9 million foreign workers in Malaysia, and an estimated more than 1 million illegal workers, according to the human resources ministry.

Malaysia is one of the more developed countries in South-East Asia and has become a favourite destination of migrant workers from its less developed neighbours such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Many Bangladeshi have a good history of robbery, killing,  having STD and using fake UNHCR cards or passports and they may benefit Malaysia more. 

Burmese refugees watch as suspected robber kills father in Milwaukee

Jay Ro and his wife, Ca Na, were in their kitchen early Thursday morning, preparing a traditional Burmese breakfast. He was peeling garlic, she was washing dishes.

Then their 11-year-old son, Htee Ku Moo, walked into the room — with a stranger, holding a gun against the boy's neck.

While attempting to get his son out of danger, Ro, 48, was shot dead by the armed robber, who fled the family's home near N. 30th and W. Cherry streets in Milwaukee.

A language barrier, fear and bad luck converged that day; the family had spent years in a refugee camp in Thailand and were working hard to start a new life in Milwaukee. Police are seeking suspects and a motive for the homicide.

Ca Tri Na, 44, who spoke with composure Friday about the circumstances leading to her husband's death, said she hadn't felt unsafe in her home before Thursday but now she warns everyone to not open the door to strangers.

"We thought, 'We live here, and we don't bother anyone, so no one will bother us,'" Na said through a translator Friday.

The Burmese family — Ro and Na, their four children, ages 5, 7, 9 and 11, and Ro's parents — lived on the city's west side, after arriving in Milwaukee in 2011. They'd spent at least eight years living in a Thai refugee camp, where Ro and Na married in 2002.

Catholic Charities helped them resettle in Milwaukee, assisting with rent and helping secure work. Ro briefly worked at Cargill Meat Solutions in the Menomonee Valley but lost his job when the plant closed last year. He hadn't found employment since. He and his wife spent their time caring for their children and taking English language classes.

Early Thursday, around 6:30 a.m., the couple was making breakfast when the doorbell rang. Three of the children were awake. It was Moo who answered the door.

The strangers were pleasant and told the boy they were repairmen. The 11-year-old let them in.

That's when they stopped being friendly. The men pulled their sweatshirts over their mouths and tightened the hoods.

One man went into the grandparents' first-floor bedroom, rifling for valuables while the elderly couple watched — rendered silent by a language barrier, and fear.

With Ro and Na still unaware of intruders in the home, the other man grabbed Moo, wrapped his arm around the boy's head and pointed a gun to his neck. He dragged Moo through the living and dining rooms and into the kitchen.

The man demanded money. Ro and Na knew what he wanted, but not what to say — at least not in English.

"She got really scared, but she couldn't do anything," said Shu Ma, a translator with Catholic Charities who interpreted for the family Friday.

"She understood him but didn't know how to reply."

Ro moved to grab the stranger's hands and get the weapon off his son's neck. He was at arm's length when the man turned the gun to Ro's chest and fired, Na said.

After the single discharge, both intruders fled the house out of the front door, with Na screaming and chasing behind them.

She said they didn't look back.

Steven Xiong, the family's caseworker and director of refugee resettlement for Catholic Charities, said Ro was a hardworking man who just wanted to provide for his family.

"He was a nice guy, a smiling guy," he said of Ro. "He wanted to be friends with everyone. He had a big family here in Milwaukee, and many friends."

A memorial service for Ro will be held July 4 at St. Michael Parish, 1445 N. 24th St.

http://www.jsonline.com/

UNHCR wants Malaysia to give work permits to Rohingya refugees

Published: 22 June 2015 9:44 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has been urged by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to give work passes to 153,004 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic) said the UNHCR proposed the move to him in a meeting on Monday.

He said the total number of refugees included the 142,224 Myanmar nationals comprising the Rohingyas, Chin and Arakanese communities.

“However, I told the UNHCR that this matter needed to be brought up with the Home Ministry,” Shahidan told reporters when met at the Parliament lobby.

He also pointed out that some of the Myanmar groups, including the Arakanese, were involved in the persecution of the Rohingyas.

Aside from Myanmar, the other refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia registered with the UNHCR were from countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Palestine, Somalia and Syria.

Shahidan said some refugees were using fake UNHCR cards and this could be a problem if the Government decides to issue work permits to them.

The UNHCR cards issued to Rohingya refugeees, whom the international agency says should be given the opportunity to work in Malaysia. – The Malaysian Insider pic, June 22, 2015.The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has requested the Malaysian government to provide work permits to 46,581 Rohingya refugees residing in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the matter was recommended by UNHCR to provide work opportunities for refugees to earn their own income.

"In view of the circumstances in Malaysia, which require foreign workers, the UNHCR recommends granting work permits (foreigners) to Rohingya refugees who have been issued with UNHCR cards," he told reporters at Parliament lobby, in Kuala Lumpur today.

He, however, said his ministry had informed UNHCR that the application could only be made through the Home Ministry.

Meanwhile, Shahidan also requested UNHCR to investigate and take action on UNHCR card forgery cases as there were many reports of card forgery as well as buying and selling of these cards.

In the meantime, he said statistics released by the UNHCR Office, showed there were 153,004 asylum seekers and refugees registered with UNHCR up to May 31.

He said 142,224 refugees were from Myanmar, comprising 49,340 ethnic Chin, Rohingya (46,581), Muslim Myanmar (12,298), Arakanese (7,266), Mon (5,378), Kachin (4,476), Karen Kayin (4,508), Burmese (3,329), Shan/ Thai Yai (1,510) and others (7,538).

There are also refugees and asylum seekers from other countries, including 3,817 from Sri Lanka, Pakistan (1,193), Somalia (1,072) and Syria (938). – Bernama, June 22, 2015.

Rohingya not allowed to work in Malaysia, says Home Minister

BY MUZLIZA MUSTAFA

Published: 4 June 2015 1:33 PM

Today the Home Ministry says Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia are not allowed to work. – Reuters filepic, June 4, 2015.The Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia are not allowed to work in the country as it is against the law, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

He said Putrajaya has no plans to issue working permits to the refugees.

“The Rohingya have no right to work. Even if they have UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards they are not allowed to work here. Not by law,” said Zahid this morning.

Malaysia, on humanitarian grounds, recently allowed more than 1,000 boat people comprising Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi migrants to come ashore after their boats were abandoned by people smugglers in the open sea.

They were placed in a temporary shelter in Kedah.

In a joint statement after the ministerial meeting on irregular movement of people in Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur on May 20, Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to 7,000 migrants still at sea.

They also agreed to offer them temporary shelter provided that the resettlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community.

Despite allowing the Rohingya to stay here, Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugees Convention. As such, there is no legal mechanism in place to give the refugees any form of status.

Because of this, most of them had to work illegally to feed their families.

The Rohingya were also used as cheap labour and vulnerable to ill-treatment from their “employers”. They were faced with constant harassment and detention.

The Rohingya have been seeking refuge in the country since the 80s, with the UNHCR stating that there are 36,290 of them here (as of April 2014). There are perhaps a few thousand more unaccounted for.

While UNHCR provides documentation, and support for the most vulnerable among them, a lot of support comes from the community itself. – June 4, 2015.

‘Refugees welcome here,’ say Berlin demonstrators

BERLIN: Some 1,800 people took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday to express their solidarity with migrants seeking refuge in Europe and against austerity measures in debt-ridden Greece, local police told AFP.

In a demonstration held on World Refugee Day by German opposition parties Die Linke (The Left) and Gruenen (The Greens), as well as several other leftist groups, protesters chanted: “No frontiers, no nations, stop deportation!”

“Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here,” cried others.

Marching from the bohemian Kreuzberg district to Brandenburg gate, some of the protesters held up flags of Greece and posters bearings slogans supporting Athens, as a critical June 30 deadline in debt talks looms.

Should Greece fail to reach a deal with its international creditors to secure the last tranche of funds from its massive bail-out, it risks a catastrophic crash out of the eurozone.

This “technocratic, cold and neoliberal Europe that is led by Germany is unbearable”, read one poster held up by a demonstrator.

Economic powerhouse Germany is seen by anti-austerity activists as taking uncompromising stances in the debt crises that have hit several European countries.

In Paris, hundreds including undocumented migrants also demonstrated their solidarity with the thousands risking their lives in the Mediterranean, and with Greece, chanting “together, together, against austerity.”

In Rome too, scores of protesters braved the rain and gathered under the slogan “Stop the massacre now” to express solidarity with migrants risking their lives to sail across the Mediterranean Europe on rickety, overcrowded boats.

“We are here to save our Europe, which includes immigrants, refugees and Greece. Europe must belong to everyone, not just to the Germans and the banks,” said Luciano Colletta, a 66-year-old pensioner, who stood along with the other protesters in front of the Colosseum.

Some 100,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year, most of them landing in Italy, Greece and Malta which all want their EU peers to share more of the burden.

At least 1,800 people have drowned trying to reach Europe by boat this year.

On Friday, EU member states approved plans to launch as early as next week the first phase of a military operation against people smugglers in the Mediterranean.

Human Rights Watch said Friday that most migrants who have reached Europe in recent months come from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia and Syria, among the world’s worst affected states by rights abuses and war.

Also on Friday, activists in Berlin staged a funeral for a Syrian refugee who died in the Mediterranean, plastering the capital with posters proclaiming: “The Dead Are Coming.” -AFP

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com

Bar: Putrajaya should accept asylum-seekers, refugees

Asylum seekers and refugees are exposed to arrest, detention, whipping and deportation.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Bar Council has renewed its call to Putrajaya to ratify the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol.

It wants the government to put in place a suitable legal and administrative framework for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers; and work closely with stakeholders such as UNHCR Malaysia, civil society organisations, and the Bar towards achieving holistic and humane solutions for them.

The Bar Council also called on the government to ensure that a proper recruitment and monitoring system under the Ministry of Human Resources was put in place. “This would ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are accorded basic employment rights in respect of wages, fair working hours, off-days, medical benefits, and workplace health and safety protection,” said Malaysian Bar Council President Steven Thiru.

In this regard, he added, the various measures and recommendations contained in the proposal entitled “Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Refugees and Asylum Seekers”, which was prepared by the Malaysian Bar Council in 2011, should be immediately implemented. “This will lead to an overall improvement in the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.”

Thiru was expressing why World Refugee Day 2015 assumes particular significance to Malaysia this year in the wake of the recent boat-people saga off the country’s shores and the discovery of mass graves as well as “death camps” at the Perlis-Thailand border.

It was also acknowledging the indomitable spirit and courage of all refugees on World Refugee Day 2015.

The Bar Council feels that it’s important to highlight a regional approach in dealing with concerns regarding asylum seekers and refugees.

In this connection, continued Thiru, a deeply worrying aspect of the problem was that of human trafficking and migrant smuggling. “All nations in this region share a common responsibility to confront and deal with this scourge.”

“The recent reported allegation that the Government of Australia paid human traffickers to return 65 asylum seekers to Indonesia was very shocking.”

Such irresponsible conduct, if proven, deserves condemnation and must attract criminal prosecution, said Thiru. “It certainly militates against the fight to eradicate human trafficking and migrant smuggling in this region.”

He argued that this was an unmitigated tragedy of human suffering and loss of lives.

It has brought into sharp focus Malaysia’s approach towards asylum seekers, refugees, as well as the perpetrators and victims of human trafficking and migrant smuggling, he stressed. “It is a timely reminder to the government to respect the rights and dignity of asylum seekers and refugees.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia reported that as at July 2014 there were 47,352 asylum seekers (pending cases), 98,207 refugees, 40,000 stateless persons, and 80,000 individuals who do not fall into any of these other categories, residing in Malaysia. This brings the population to a staggering total of 265,559.

Unlike economic migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia are often victims of various forms of persecution, oppression and deprivation. They are subjected to harassment, extortion, physical abuse or assault and ill treatment. These persons live in an environment of fear, and insecurity.

The country’s laws do not accord asylum seekers and refugees due recognition, care and protection. They are treated as “illegal immigrants” under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.

They are exposed to arrest, detention, whipping and deportation.

This was compounded by Malaysia’s refusal to ratify the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (the 1951 Convention) and the 1967 Protocol Relating (the 1967 Protocol) to the Status of Refugees, both of which are instruments encapsulating customary international law in relation to the recognition of the socio-economic rights of refugees and the provision of humanitarian assistance and social integration.

Asylum seekers and refugees are prohibited from seeking lawful employment.

They are forced to support themselves on a casual engagement basis without any lawfully binding employment contract. This makes them vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination as regards the non-payment of wages, long working hours, and harsh working conditions.

Malaysia must sign refugee convention, says UNHCR official

PETALING JAYA, June 6, 2015:

Malaysia’s United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative Richard Towle said they had tried for many years to get the Malaysian government to sign the refugee convention, but had not been successful yet.

“We feel that by signing it, Malaysia would send a good signal of solidarity with the other 148 countries that have signed it globally.

“We feel that regional solidarity was the key way to deal with refugees. Events of the last few weeks have shown that no nation can deal with this issue alone and that’s why cooperation was essential,” he said at the World Refugee Day event here today.

He said Malaysia must also have the right laws and regulations to deal with refugees.

“At the moment, there is no legal policy and framework to deal with refugees.

“This can be done even without signing the convention.”

He said Malaysia had been doing a lot for refugees for the last 50 years.

“Signing the convention was not the only thing that was needed to be done, but it would provide a good signal.”

He said UNHCR would always want to work more closely with the Malaysian government regarding refugees.

“We have been working with refugees for a long time and we believe that we have a lot to offer the government,” he said, adding that UNHCR was yet to be given access to the people in the Belantik detention centre in Kedah.

“We have been offering our services to the government and for the time being we have yet to be given access.

“We are happy that Malaysia and other countries have at least stopped the ‘push off’ of boat people that approach their countries.

“We now need a regional plan to deal with future occurrences of boat people making their way to these countries.”

The Belantik detention centre in Kedah is the temporary home for the 1,158 Bangladeshis and Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, including women and children, who had landed illegally by boat in Langkawi on May 10.

He said despite the recent tragic news that plagued the nation about refugees and human trafficking victims, Malaysia had a general good spirit for the “support for refugees”.

“I wanted to thank the Malaysian society who has provided a home to these refugees for a little while. Without a place to call home for themselves, people will continue to live in difficult situations and circumstances as we have seen over the news reports for the last two weeks,” he said.

Towle added that the events of the last two weeks had shown Malaysians the horrors that refugees were exposed to and the true spirit of hospitality that lives in Malaysian society.

“If you take politics out, you would see the huge outpouring from fellow Malaysians in support of these refugees.

“This is in fact the theme of World Refugee Week, ‘Refugees are just like us’. They are ordinary people who have escaped extraordinary circumstances.”

He said there were 150,000 refugees living in Malaysia today.

“They are here and living here for decades with the help and support of a small group of very generous non-government organisations (NGOs).

“They don’t live in camps, they live in the city among us. They are schooling and working.”

He said UNHCR had to forge new relationships with governments in order to make things easier for refugees.

“How do we give refugees a hope for a better future?”

Art For Grabs teamed with UNHCR to organise a World Refugee Day event that is being held at The School, Jaya One today and tomorrow.

The initiative celebrates World Refugee Day, two weeks earlier than the June 20 date, and aims to create awareness on issues that have been making the headlines recently as well as the plight of refugees that are already in the country.

Source : http://www.therakyatpost.com

Four Immigration officers nabbed for ‘releasing’ refugees from depots

Four Immigration Department officers are remanded on allegation of soliciting and receiving money for the early release of UNHCR refugees detained at the Langkap detention depot. — Picture by Farhan Najib 

IPOH, June 10 — Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers believe they have stumbled upon syndicates that arrange the “early release” of Rohingya and Chin refugees from immigration depots in Perak, Penang, Pahang and Kuala Lumpur with the arrest of four officers from the Langkap Immigration Detention Depot near Teluk Intan on Monday.

It is learnt they are hot on the heels of others from the depot who had helped in the deals that cost refugees between RM2,000 and RM3,000 per person.

At least 10 refugees, all not holders of United Nations Human Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards, are said to have been released by the officers who took them out on the pretext of meeting UNHCR officials.

The officers, support staff in the KP17 grade category in their 30s, were ordered to be remanded for seven days by the magistrates court yesterday to facilitate investigations into alleged soliciting and receiving of money to release Rohingya and Chin refugees.

Sources said MACC had got wind of their activities in November after several people lodged reports.

The officers had escaped detection as they had used the excuse UNHCR rules required non-cardholders detained by the department to be taken out of the depot to meet officials from the agency.

The syndicates, which operated closely, are said to also comprise middlemen who discussed arrangements with the immigration officers.

The Langkap depot is one of the Immigration Department’s major detention facilities and is equipped to deal with a large number of refugees.

Asked if MACC had frozen the banking accounts of the officers, the source said this was in the process of being done.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com

Suhakam commemorates World Refugee Day

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20, 2015;

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) today commemorated the 2015 World Refugee Day.

Themed “with courage let us all combine”, it depicted and recognised the resilience of forcibly displaced people around the world due to human rights crises.

Suhakam Chairman, Tan Sri Hasmy Agam stated that the commemoration of this year’s event signifies the Malaysian Government’s efforts to respect and protect the non-debatable right to life.

“Refugees are not economic migrants but are persons who are outside their own country and are unable or unwilling to return due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”

He also appraised the governments decision to provide temporary shelter for up to 7,000 boat people fleeing persecution for one year on condition that the international community would help with repatriation, after initially turning them away.

“The Commission welcomes this humanitarian gesture but opines that the problem remains intractable with impermanent steps.

“The Commission is deeply concerned with the continuing refugee crisis, resulting in loss of lives and the registered refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia reaching 153,004 as at May 2015.”

Hasmy also stated that the Commission is also alarmed with allegations of complicity, corruption and involvement of Malaysian law enforcement officials in the trafficking and smuggling of migrants and refugees.

“The Commission has been called on to conduct an inquiry in respect of these human rights concerns in line with its statutory powers.

“While the Commission deliberates, it urges the Government to immediately take firmer steps to address this humanitarian crisis in a dignified and humane manner, notwithstanding Parliament’s recent rejection of a motion to discuss the plight of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants stranded at our shores.

“As this humanitarian and security crisis affects a number of Asean states including Malaysia, the Commission urges the Government to call on the Asean governments to confront issues concerning the legal status of these stateless refugees immediately.

He also stressed for Malaysia to play a leadership role in its capacity as Chair of Asean despite the fact that the country is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention to generate regional and international commitment with respect to international human rights law, international refugee law, international humanitarian law and the law of the sea.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam says he is deeply concerned with the continuing refugee crisis, resulting in loss of lives and the registered refugee and asylum-seeker population in Malaysia reaching 153,004 as at May 2015.

Source : http://www.therakyatpost.com

Suhakam, ABIM Call On Government To Ratify UN Convention On Refugees

KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 (Bernama)-- In conjunction with World Refugees Day 2015 tomorrow, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) today called on the government to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees 1951.

This is to facilitate tackling of the increasingly worrying refugee and human rights issues.

Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, in a statement, said that up to May this year, the number of refugees and political asylum seekers in Malaysia had reached 153,004, while the ongoing refugee crisis had also caused the loss of many lives.

He said Suhakam was confident that ratifying the UN convention would be a wise move in tackling the refugee issue.

"As a member of the convention, delivery of international assistance will be better including repartriation, compared to not being a member of the convention."

Hasmy also said that Malaysia, as the ASEAN chair, also needed to play a role in obtaining regional and international commitment to respecting international law involving human rights, refugees, humanity and matters related to a country's territorial waters.

The Malaysia Islamic Youth Movement (ABIM) which made the same call, also described the document (convention) as legal and political legitimacy in caring for the fate of refugees worldwide.

It also urged the government and society to totally reject human trafficking syndicates and the corrupt practices of abetting parties out to reap profits by victimising refugees.

In its statement, ABIM said the recent discovery of several graves and transit camps for human trafficking victims in Wang Kelian, Perlis, should create a realisation among Malaysians to be sensitive to the refugee issue.

It alo urged Malaysians to assist the refugees already in this country by registering as volunteers to assist them financially and in meeting their health needs and providing education for the refugee children and women.

-- BERNAMA

Recognise the rights and dignity of asylum seekers and refugees, and eliminate human trafficking

JUNE 20 — The Malaysian Bar acknowledges the indomitable spirit and courage of all refugees on World Refugee Day 2015.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ("UNHCR") in Malaysia reported that as at July 2014 there were 47,352 asylum seekers (pending cases), 98,207 refugees, 40,000 stateless persons, and 80,000 individuals who do not fall into any of these other categories, residing in Malaysia. This brings the population of concern to a staggering total of 265,559.[1]

Unlike economic migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia are often victims of various forms of persecution, oppression and deprivation. They are subjected to harassment, extortion, physical abuse or assault and ill treatment. These persons live in an environment of fear, and insecurity.

Our laws do not accord asylum seekers and refugees due recognition, care and protection. They are treated as "illegal immigrants" under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.[2] Thus, they are exposed to arrest, detention, whipping and deportation. This unacceptable state of affairs is compounded by Malaysia's obdurate reticence to ratify the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees ("the 1951 Convention") and the 1967 Protocol Relating (“the 1967 Protocol”) to the Status of Refugees, both which are instruments encapsulating customary international law in relation to the recognition of the socio-economic rights of refugees and the provision of humanitarian assistance and social integration.

Thus, asylum seekers and refugees are prohibited from seeking lawful employment. They are therefore forced to support themselves on a casual engagement basis without any lawfully binding employment contract. This makes them vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination as regards the non-payment of wages, long working hours, and harsh working conditions.

The Malaysian Bar renews its call to the Government to ratify the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol; to put in place a suitable legal and administrative framework for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers; and to work closely with stakeholders such as UNHCR Malaysia, civil society organisations, and the Bar towards achieving holistic and humane solutions for them.

The Malaysian Bar also calls on the government to ensure that a proper recruitment and monitoring system under the Ministry of Human Resources is put in place to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are accorded basic employment rights in respect of wages, fair working hours, off-days, medical benefits, and workplace health and safety protection. In this regard, the various measures and recommendations contained in the proposal entitled "Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Refugees and Asylum Seekers", which was prepared by the Malaysian Bar in 2011, should be immediately implemented.[3] This will lead to an overall improvement in the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

The Malaysian Bar also wishes to highlight the importance of a regional approach in dealing with concerns regarding asylum seekers and refugees. In this connection, a deeply worrying aspect of the problem is that of human trafficking and migrant smuggling. All nations in this region share a common responsibility to confront and deal with this scourge. The recent reported allegation that the Government of Australia paid human traffickers to return 65 asylum seekers to Indonesia is very shocking.[4] Such irresponsible conduct, if proven, deserves condemnation and must attract criminal prosecution. It certainly militates against the fight to eradicate human trafficking and migrant smuggling in this region.

World Refugee Day assumes particular significance to Malaysia this year due to the recent boat-people saga off our shores and the discovery of mass graves as well as “death camps” at the Perlis-Thailand border.[5] This was an unmitigated tragedy of human suffering and loss of lives. It has brought into sharp focus Malaysia’s approach towards asylum seekers, refugees, as well as the perpetrators and victims of human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It is a timely reminder to the Government to respect the rights and dignity of asylum seekers and refugees.

[1] “2015 UNHCR subregional operations profile – South-East Asia”, UNHCR: The UN Refugee Agency (accessed at http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e4884c6.html# on 17 June 2015)

[2] Immigration Act 1959/1963 [Act 155] section 55E(7)

[3] Bar Council Malaysia Memorandum on “Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Malaysia” dated 20 June 2011, developed at the Roundtable on Developing a Comprehensive Policy Framework for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers organised by the Bar Council on 23 June 2009.

[4] “Prime Minister Tony Abbott dodges questions on people-smuggler payment claims”, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 June 2015 (accessed at http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/prime-minister-tony-abbott-dodges-questions-on-peoplesmuggler-payment-claims-20150614-ghnger on 18 June 2015); “People smuggler cash: Stacks police say were paid to send asylum seekers on a ‘suicide mission’”,Sydney Morning Herald, 16 June 2015 (accessed athttp://www.smh.com.au/world/people-smuggler-cash-stacks-police-say-were-paid-to-send-asylum-seekers-on-a-suicide-mission-20150616-ghpa36 on 19 June 2015).

[5] “Rohingya and Bangladeshi Boat People Humanitarian Crisis: Prompt and Concrete Measures Needed”, Malaysian Bar, 19 May 2015 (accessed at http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_%7C_rohingya_and_bangladeshi_boat_people_humanitarian_crisis_prompt_and_concrete_measures_needed.html on 15 June 2015); “Malaysian Government Must Bring the “Death Camps” Human Traffickers and Migrant Smugglers to Justice”, Malaysian Bar, 28 May 2015 (accessed at http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_%7C_malaysian_government_must_bring_the_death_camps_human_traffickers_and_migrant_smugglers_to_justice.html on 15 June 2015); “Eradicate Rampant Corruption, and Stem the Loss of Lives”, Malaysian Bar, 8 June 2015 (accessed at http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_%7C_eradicate_rampant_corruption_and_stem_the_loss_of_lives.html on 15 June 2015).

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com

The Netherlands NGO applauds Malaysia's assistance to Rohingya refugees

PADANG BESAR: The Malaysian Government's efforts in assisting the plight of Rohingya refugees to date, has received the thumbs-up from a Netherlands non-governmental organisation (NGO).

Salaamah Wal Adaalah president, Nourdeen Wilderman said he and his team were impressed with the treatment accorded by the Malaysian Government to the refugees at the Belantik Detention Depot Centre in Kedah.

"It looks very good and very nice, we are not able to enter but we saw from the outside, we were really impressed, they are looking good," he told Bernama and TV3 when met on a visit with the NGO at a mass grave believed to be that of Rohingya refugees discovered at Ban Ta Lok here recently.

The discovery of the mass grave located about 40 minutes' drive from the Malaysia-Thai border in Padang Besar was also believed to have led to the discovery of another mass grave at Wang Kelian, Malaysia, about two weeks later.

Nourdeen, who has been dealing with Rohingya issues for more than 10 years, applauded the moves and attention given by the Malaysian Government in handling the issue.

He however, said serious action needed to be taken by all countries in handling the Rohingya issue, and the need to focus on the begining of the issues, that is, the ethnic cleansing by Myanmar.

"It's like a virus. First, you have the ethnic (Rohingya) cleansing, then the influx of refugees (Rohingya) in Bangladesh, then you have people (the refugees) who are dying in boats. Then, because they have became weak, you have people who see (the opportunity to) market (them), and then the human traffickers.

"At the end of the day, we see here mass graves. What you see here behind us, is what happened when you hoped that the problem will eventually solve itself," he added.

Nourdeen and three other members of the NGO plan to be in Malaysia for a week, and have been here for the last four days, visiting several significant places related to the Rohingya issue.

They did a quick stop in Padang Besar, Thailand for about three hours yesterday, before returning to Malaysia.

Salaamah Wal Adaalah is an NGO that is supported through charity and endowment and only focuses on the Rohingya issue.

Apart from delivering aid to Rohingya refugees worldwide, the NGO had been touring to create awareness on the issue.

To date, 35 bodies, believed to be victims of human trafficking activities, had been exhumed since the discovery of graves in Bukit Wang Burma, Wang Kelian, Perlis last Monday.

The bodies were exhumed from 139 graves discovered by the authorities at 28 transit camps set up by human trafficking syndicates along the Perlis-Thailand border.

On May 10, a total of 1,158 Bangladeshi illegal immigrants and Rohingya refugees were reported to have landed in Langkawi.

About 10,000 more are said to be still at sea and attempting to land in nearby countries. –Bernama

Rohingya hope to seek better life in Malaysia

By Eileen Ng

Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia has been a sort of promised land for Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar. The tens of thousands who endured perilous journeys to get here find more work opportunities than in Indonesia and a more Muslim-friendly environment than in Thailand.

But in the 25 years since Hamid Hussein Abul Khair arrived, that promise has been worn away by the statelessness and poverty that have never left him.

Rohingya face a tenuous existence here, unable to legally work because Malaysia, like Thailand and Indonesia, doesn’t recognize asylum seekers and refugees and hasn’t signed the U.N. Refugee Convention. They mostly scrape by on dirty or dangerous jobs shunned by Malaysians, live in squalid conditions and have no access to free health care and state-run schools.

For many Rohingya, even living on the margins of Malaysian society is a step forward.

But those who have been here for years yearn for something better — at least for their children.

“God willing, we can make a living here. We are thankful to Malaysia but what future do we have? My children can’t get citizenship, they have no formal education and they can’t get proper jobs,” Hamid, 54, said in his austere apartment on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

Denied citizenship by Myanmar and chased off their land in repeated outbreaks of communal violence, the 1.3 million Rohingya there have been identified by the U.N. as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities. Some 140,000 have been displaced from their homes, and many live in camps. Myanmar regards them as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even though many have lived in the country for generations.

The desperation of the Rohingya has been highlighted in recent weeks by boatloads of people from Myanmar and Bangladesh stranded in Malacca Strait waters after their traffickers abandoned them near the end of risky 1,700-kilometer (1,000-mile) voyages amid a clampdown by local authorities. Some 3,500 came ashore in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, but many of those now at shelters say their goal was to get to Malaysia.

Nearly 46,000 Rohingya in Malaysia have been registered as refugees by the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, and there are an estimated 40,000 more whose status has yet to be assessed. Obtaining a U.N. refugee card generally protects people from arrest.

The economic prosperity, Islamic culture and the large population of Rohingya in Malaysia are all pull factors.

“Malaysia is a modern Muslim urban society, with a booming construction business and economy. As a place of income, it’s many times better than where they come from. In terms of security, although it’s not easy with risks of arrests and exploitation, it’s still significantly better than what they have left behind,” said Richard Towle, the UNHCR representative in Malaysia.

Refugees from Myanmar make up the biggest chunk of the more than 150,000 asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia, one of the highest numbers in Asia, according to the UNHCR. The country has no refugee camps, so they live as “urban refugees” in shantytown settlements, cramped low-cost flats or isolated houses where they work on construction sites, restaurants, factories and plantations.

Nurjan Nur Mohamad, an 18-year-old Rohingya woman who arrived in Malaysia two months ago after a dangerous boat journey, said that while she is afraid of getting arrested, she is also extremely relieved to have left behind the threats and violence of Myanmar.

“I live in fear of the police here, but there is peace and I get enough food. It’s so much better than in the village,” she said. She hopes she and her new husband can win refugee status from the UNHCR to get some protection.

When he first arrived in Malaysia at age 29, Hamid also was constantly afraid of getting caught by police. He took up various odd jobs and then set up a small food stall selling roti canai, a popular Indian flatbread, and potato samosa. Later, his wife joined him in Malaysia and they had four children. Life became more tolerable when they were recognized as refugees by the UNHCR, but the future was — and is — still murky.

He worries most about his children. The younger two attend a community school for Rohingya refugees funded by a local Muslim group. They learn to speak the Malay language, Islamic studies and other subjects. His 11-year-old son wants to be a doctor and youngest daughter a professor, he said.

Hamid and his family have put in for resettlement in the U.S. or a third country through the UNHCR, but haven’t heard anything back. He holds out hope that his children might be granted citizenship in Malaysia.

“I have spent half of my life here. I love Malaysia but after 25 years, what do I get? It’s OK for me, I am growing old but what about my children? I don’t want them to suffer like me,” he said. “Our hope now is to go to America where they can be citizens and get higher education.”

Hamid’s views are echoed by many Rohingya families in Malaysia, who initially didn’t view resettlement as an option but now see it as the only way for their children to escape an impoverished future.

Globally, only 80,000 refugees are resettled each year, with the U.S. taking about 70 percent of them. Refugees from Myanmar make up the largest group, followed by Iraq, Congo and Somalia. But many of those from Myanmar are ethnic Chins who are Christians and English-speaking.

Apart from the U.S., most other countries are not eager to take in Rohingya Muslims amid concerns that they could not integrate successfully because of religious values, community structures and language issues, said Towle of the UNHCR.

“Rohingya have not featured very significantly in numbers in resettlement programs apart from the last few years but the numbers are increasing,” he said.

Towle urged Malaysia to consider giving Rohingya protected status and work permits, which could help plug gaps in the workforce.

“If you allow people who are going to be here anyway the right to work, you will flush them out of the gray economy and they will be more dignified contributors to Malaysia,” he said.

But Malaysia fears that allowing refugees to stay permanently will just encourage more to come.

Hamid said his family cried when they watched scenes of the scrawny Rohingya boat people on television. He said he has told his relatives in Myanmar not to come to Malaysia, mainly because of the risks of the sea journey and mistreatment by traffickers.

“Many people have died at sea due to being beaten, starvation or illness. It’s suicidal to come here,” he said. “It’s better to die in your homeland than at sea.” (end)

Refugees in Thai Border Camps Want Myanmar Government to Recognizer Their Education

Refugee schools in Mae La providing the children who live in the camp with primary and secondary education.

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MAE LA – An old cartoon is circulating on social media. It depicts a tree, a schoolmaster and assorted creatures lined up including a goldfish, an elephant and a seal.

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The schoolmaster says, “For a fair selection, everybody has to take the same exam – please climb that tree.” Beneath the cartoon is a quote from Albert Einstein: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it’s stupid.”

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Houng Hsar, a refugee from Karenni camp 1 in far northern Thailand, is metaphorically the goldfish who tried to climb a tree. A polite, self-assured 17-year-old, Houng Hsar faced a problem last year: If he completed high-school education in camp his graduation certificate would not be recognized in his home country, Myanmar, or his host country, Thailand.

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As a consequence, he returned to Myanmar to try to enter the government education system and get a recognized high-school graduate’s certificate.”I went back to Myanmar last summer and tried to get into Standard 10 there,” he said. “The principal said I needed to take the tests in all subjects of Standard 9. But in almost every subject the curriculum was very different.

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Therefore, I did not take the tests. I choose to come back [to the camp].”Curriculum is not the only challenge presented to returning refugee students. The majority of refugees are ethnic Karen who are not taught in Myanmar language, nor do they speak it in domestic or social environments. School-level entrance tests in Myanmar, however, are only in Myanmar language.

These requisites – having to sit entrance exams in an unfamiliar language based on unfamiliar curriculum – will, for many returning refugee students, be an insurmountable barrier to accessing government education systems. Those undertaking the process face being placed in age inappropriate classes, impacting a child’s learning, social and psychological development. Other refugee children will invariably forgo education altogether. This leads to child protection issues: Keeping children in school is acknowledged as a very good way to protect them from abuse.

A recently released study titled “Beyond Access” conducted by Save The Children Thailand confirms that returning refugee students are struggling not only to gain access to the government education system but also that they have no support even if they succeed. These challenges are compounded by issues related to teaching methods.

While refugee students are likely to have had some exposure to student-centered, participatory learning, education in Myanmar is predominantly by rote, even at tertiary levels. Thein Lwin, director of the National Network for Education Reform (NNER), said: “The system of government testing is reciting the exact same words from the textbooks in the government schools. The grading system depends on how much children can memorize.”

More fundamental issues regarding Myanmar’s education system are made clear in the Unicef 2013 Myanmar annual report. At 1.7 per cent, the ratio of government spending on education is one of the lowest in the world. The end result is that just over half of Myanmar’s children |complete primary education. The figure is even lower among ethnic groups.

Comparisons between refugee camp and Myanmar government education lead to a disconcerting hypocrisy. While the government is reluctant to recognize refugee education, observations from The Border Consortium (TBC), in its report ‘What Refugees Say’, note “The comparative low-cost access to and quality of |education opportunities in the refugee camps is a highly sought alternative to the expensive and low-quality opportunities in rural areas of southeast Burma.”

Sai Thip, a student from Shan State, said: “…we don’t have basic levels, like government school. As I cannot continue in Burma, it is better if I move to the refugee camp. If I improve or graduate here, maybe I can go back and help my community.”

This desire to become educated, return to Myanmar and help struggling, local communities is shared by many refugees. Naw Mu, a petite 11-year-old, said: “I would like to become a nurse, to heal patients. Children will be able to learn |better if they are healthy.” Other students want to be teachers because villages don’t have teachers, or engineers because building standards in Myanmar are poor.

K’ Paw Shee, headmaster of a camp-based high school, asserts that older and graduated refugee students can positively contribute to development in Myanmar.

Currently, however, camp-based high-school graduation certificates are not formally recognised in Myanmar when applying for tertiary education or jobs requiring high school completion. This affects their access to livelihoods.

These conditions for returning refugee students have ramifications in the broader context of refugee repatriation from the Thai-Myanmar border. The governing international humanitarian principle is that refugees return voluntarily and with dignity. Non-recognition of refugee |education, however, represents a serious impediment to any meaningful definition of a voluntary return.

The corollary of these factors begs the question, why does the Myanmar government not take a more reconciliatory approach to the issue of refugee camp-based education? Part of the answer lies in the historically interwoven, often acrimonious, relationship between Myanmar’s |government and education.

For almost 50 years (1962-2010), under successive totalitarian military regimes, education suffered in Myanmar. Bans on teaching in the mother tongue as a means of cultural and political oppression of |ethnic groups, the closure for more than a decade of tertiary institutions nationwide following the 1988 student-led demonstrations, the grotesquely inadequate military expenditure on education – these are examples of what led the once enviable Myanmar education system to become one of the worst in Asia.

This repression saw an increasing reliance upon parallel education systems. Ethnic governments established de facto education departments – the Karen, the Karenni, Kachin, Mon, Shan. These taught a non-military curriculum in the mother tongue. Monastic, Christian and Islamic faith-based schools provided further education as did after-school schools supplementing the inadequate Myanmar education system.Today, after four years of fledgling democracy, these parallel education systems, like refugee-camp education, are not recognized by the government. Instead the government, often in partnership with Myanmar-based international aid organizations, pursues its own education agenda.In September 2014 the National Education Law was adopted by Parliament. Thein Lwin of the NNER said: “The National Education Law is controlled by the National Education Commission. The government formed this National Education Commission. Government |ministers sit on the commission. In this law, democratic rights are deprived, |human rights are deprived, and freedom of education is also deprived.”Students, local non-government organizations, and civil society opposed the bill. Concern focused on curriculum review and decentralization, opportunities for native language instruction, restrictions on |student assembly, and the powers of the National Education Commission, which was widely perceived as a proxy for state control.Returning to Karenni Camp 1, Houng Hsar maintained his ambitions. “If I have enough education, I want to accomplish one of my dreams.”

His plan now is to travel 600km to a border town in Thailand. “I will try to get in to a school in Mae Sot or other schools,” he said. “After studying, I plan to work in an organization. After that, step by step, I plan to do politics.” This is his dream.

The ultimate question is who is going to help Houng Hsar and 30,000 other refugee students fulfill their dreams for a recognized education? Will it be UNHCR that lobbies for tangible substance to the notion of voluntary repatriation with |dignity? Will it be the Myanmar government acknowledging that time has come for transparent and inclusive reform of national education? Will the leadership of ethnic groups play their part placing education on the table at ceasefire discussions? It is incumbent upon each of these stakeholders to play its role. Currently, this is not happening. If it were, Houng Hsar would not be the goldfish who tried but failed to climb a tree. Instead he would be a student about to begin his final year of schooling in Myanmar, and with a very real prospect of a university education in Yangon ahead of him.

Timothy Syrota is an author, photographer and film director. He recently directed an advocacy film on behalf of Save the Children Thailand supporting the rights of refugees to have their education recognized. (timothysyrota@gmail.com)