Doctors Without Borders Washington Exhibit Explores Refugee Plight

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VOA Thursday 6th October, 2016

'Are those pets or food?' asks Sarah, the tour guide, as she begins to explain just how difficult the choices can be for people fleeing their homes.

The Forced from Home exhibit on the National Mall near the Washington Monument is a seemingly makeshift collection of tents, barricades, and photos of people fleeing their homes. But the display, sponsored by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), has a serious purpose: giving D.C. residents and tourists a small understanding of what it is like to be a refugee.

'Do you have any idea how many people in the world have been forced from home?' Sarah asks her group.

Some 65 million people are currently fleeing conflict and persecution, according to MSF.

Making hard choices

Many of the tour groups are students on organized visits from their schools. But the groups also include friends and supporters of MSF, D.C. residents, and tourists drawn in after visiting the Washington museums.

At the beginning of the journey, visitors assume the identity of a refugee or displaced person. They learn about the events that force people to leave their homes, including conflicts in Burundi, Mexico, Somalia, and, of course, Syria.

'In 2014, the U.N. stopped counting the number of civilians dead [in Syria],' Sarah tells her group. 'They were at 400,000.'

One D.C. resident leaves her stroller at registration and carries her 4-month-old baby through the hour-long tour.

'I thought it would be realistic this way,' she says.

As the 'refugees' move from station to station, they have to make choices: Do they pay for their journey with their remaining medicine, water, food or blankets?

Early in the exhibit, visitors are encouraged to sit in a rubber raft, designed to hold seven people. Sixteen people on the tour fit snugly in the raft, while Sarah explained that the boat would carry as many as 60 people across the Mediterranean Sea.

'Many people who take this journey die of asphyxiation,' she says.

The tour continues, showing markets, mosquito nets, and various types of tents. 'Refugee,' 'asylum seeker' or 'internally displaced' is written on the identity card given to each of the visitors. That identification determines what kind of accommodation each person would get.

Bearing witness

Every tour guide has his or her own story. Sarah first deployed to the Central African Republic before working in Gaza and in France, where she's from. To humanize some of the incomprehensibly large statistics and death tolls, Sarah told a story of some of the challenges she faced, including whether to separate a mother suffering from psychosis from her breastfeeding newborn.

'We need to raise awareness. We need to bear witness,' says Chris Tsarra of MSF. 'We need to bring back the voices from the field and share our experiences.'

By the end of the tour, only one of five items visitors took with them remains in their possession.

'Imagine, all you have to start your new life with is this, this one item,' Sarah says. For some, that's their passport. For others it's a blanket, or some cash.

The exhibit attempts to create a connection between refugees and Americans, who may see little reason to care about the global refugee crisis.

'They can just pretend that it's far away and not that big of a deal,' says Katherine Baer, a visitor on the tour. 'And especially if they don't see anybody responding to it: the politicians, the leaders. They can easily ignore it.'

The exhibit started in New York City, and will travel on to Boston and Philadelphia.

http://www.malaysiasun.com/



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Refugees in Malaysia: Victims of their identity — Shaun Kang

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MARCH 19 — I refer to the news report on March 17, 2016 titled “Cops warn of crime spike as cartels sell fake refugee cards to illegal immigrants.” Firstly, I share the authorities’ concern that the rising number of illegal immigrants is indeed troubling and should be addressed.

However, this concern should not serve to distort the distinction between refugees and illegal immigrants (including those who attempt to pose as refugees). Nor should it emit fear among the authorities for UNCHR to continue issuing identity cards (“refugee cards”).

Who are refugees and what are refugee cards?

Refugees are persons defined and protected by international law (in particular, the Refugee Convention). For a person to be recognised as a refugee, they would first have to undergo a complex interview and fact-finding process conducted by highly skilled and trained persons (often experts in the fields, including lawyers trained in international law).

A person will only be recognised as a refugee if he or she meets certain stringent criteria stipulated by the Refugee Convention. In Malaysia, this pivotal role of determining an applicant’s status is carried out by UNHCR on behalf of the government.

Essentially, refugees are not in Malaysia on their own terms. Rather, they are fellow human beings, who flee from their country for a variety of reasons, often including, torture, murder, rape, arbitrary arrests and deprivation of citizenship.

Further, refugees are not here with the intention to live indefinitely but are usually on transit, awaiting resettlement to a third country. The refugee card, which is often the only form of personal identification for a refugee, also commonly serves as the only means for UNHCR and the authorities to identify and distinguish between a refugee and an economic migrant.


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UNHCR and refugee cards

I turn to address the point made on UNHCR’s lack of legal standing to issue refugee cards. Firstly, the issuance of an identity document by UNHCR is not only practically necessary for monitoring and enforcement exercises but also consistent with the Refugee Convention and universal principles of International Law.

The government’s stance on the issuance of this identity document is arguable. In reality, UNHCR has been present in Malaysia for more than 40 years and its involvement in recognizing and documenting refugees throughout the years has never faced much objection from the authorities.

On one end, the authorities are now questioning the legality of UNHCR in issuing refugee cards, but on the other, it is evident that refugee cards are instrumental for the authorities in identity verification exercises. In fact, in countries where the government undertakes the responsibility of issuing refugee cards to refugees, UNHCR does not issue such cards but merely facilitates the government.

It is regrettable that the integrity of the refugee recognition process employed by UNHCR is being put to question. As explained, the detailed process carried out by UNHCR’s officers before recognising an applicant as a refugee is in line with international law and standards, therefore such claims are unwarranted.

It is also inaccurate to assume that UNHCR Malaysia has been unco-operative with the authorities in the verification of the authenticity of refugee cards. As it appears, UNHCR has a dedicated system catering for law enforcers to verify the identity of a refugee in Malaysia. 

UNHCR appears also to have played an active role in assisting the authorities to verify such persons by visiting detention centers and being present during raids carried out by authorities. Further, UNHCR has shown its commitment in cooperation by sharing its database with the authorities.



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Moving forward

It appears that the focus should not be on the legality and the process of recognizing refugees by UNHCR but rather, the need to improve the security features of the refugee card to ensure that it cannot be easily duplicated and that its authenticity can be easily verified by UNHCR and the authorities.

While the physical card itself is of importance, the involvement of the authorities in the process of documenting refugees is all the more pertinent.

UNHCR is seen to advocate this particularly when it invited the co-operation and involvement of the authorities by urging them to issue biometric identity cards for refugees. Legally, the government appears to have an international legal obligation to recognise UNHCR and to co-operate with it in the international protection of refugees even though Malaysia is not a party to the Refugee Convention.

It is important that the authorities take cognisance of the importance of the identity card issued by UNHCR, and of UNHCR’s presence in Malaysia.

Instead of identifying UNHCR as the source of the problem, it should be agreed that the involvement of UNHCR in the recognition of refugees in the past 40 years has to a great extent alleviated the difficulties that the authorities would have otherwise faced in handling refugees.

Ultimately, the success of weeding out illegal immigrants from refugees is contingent on the co-operation between the authorities and UNHCR on the basis of a common understanding.

* Shaun Kang is a researcher in international law.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.

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


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Job prospects for refugees in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: A high-level government committee will meet the stakeholders managing tens of thousands of refugees in the country to discuss the issue of allowing them to gain employment. It is understood that the committee is looking at five areas where foreigners given refugee status by the Malaysian chapter of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) could be employed.



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Those job sectors, deemed by the stakeholders as “appropriate, safe and easily monitored by the authorities”, include the hotel industry. Sources in the committee told the New Straits Times that the estimated 156,000 refugees, largely Rohingya people who were not recognised as foreign workers, could possibly be employed under “a very controlled environment and processes”. It is understood that the committee is looking at reviving a shelved pilot project between, among others, the Human Resources and Home Ministries involving the issuance of special employment permits to the Rohingyas. 

The sources said the committee, comprising representatives from the Home, Human Resources and Foreign Affairs Ministries, as well as the Immigration Department, was also banking on this system to better equip government officers in carrying out effective law enforcement. If the plan goes through and the refugees are allowed to work, law enforcers will be able to weed out the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants carrying fake UNHCR cards. “The problem now is when raids are carried out, the illegal immigrants will brandish their UNHCR cards.



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There is no way the authorities can tell if they are genuine as we do not have access to their database. “But if they are registered as workers under the employment programmes sanctioned by the government, they will need to produce their UNHCR cards and a letter allowing them to work. This is the only way the government can control the refugees sanctioned by UNHCR,” said one of the sources. 

The Home Ministry source said the committee’s work was in the initial stages, and the plan, including its technical and legal aspects, was being studied to determine if it could be feasibly adopted in the country. “The government committee involves all relevant agencies to ensure a collective view and that all checks and balances are in place. “The UNHCR will not be involved as the government has to look into its policies first before deciding on the pilot project. They will come in later,” the source said. Immigration Director-General Datuk Sakib Kusmi said the cabinet had considered allowing UNHCR cardholders to work in the country.



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He told the NST that due processes had to be put in place before the green light was given to allow them to gain employment. Sakib said the authorities must be able to work closely with UNHCR, especially in determining the authenticity of UNHCR cards held by migrants, as fake ones could easily be bought off the streets. “The enforcers need to check the cardholders’ identity and their cards. It is important for the men to be able to determine if the person is a refugee or an illegal immigrant.” On potential employment, he said employers might also be given the right to offer refugees jobs either full-time or part-time. Sakib was all for allowing them employment, saying the refugees were experiencing hardship and would be more than happy to make an honest living here. “It is a better option than just letting them stay and beg for money from the public,” he said. In response to NST’s exclusive report yesterday, headlined “UNHCR Card Scandal”, Sakib said the department only recognised genuine UNHCR cardholders, adding that it was the United Nations’ responsibility to monitor any abuse.



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 He said during operations, Immigration officers would detain all, including those with UNHCR cards, to check for their authenticity. UNHCR, he said, should also take precautions and check on the use of fake cards, many of which shared the details of actual refugees in its database. “The UNHCR card comes in various shapes and forms, so it is difficult to be sure whether a card is original or fake. There are also no safety features on the card, which can be easily forged.” Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim yesterday blamed UNHCR for issuing cards without consulting the government. He expressed concern over the fake cards and will bring up the issue at today’s cabinet meeting.

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



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MAC on Sale

Children of women migrants suffer In Malaysia

Migrants Are stuck in destination countries due to lack of travel documents

Plight of 300 children born to undocumented Nepali women migrants in Malaysia

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: More than 300 children born to undocumented Nepali women migrants in Malaysia are currently languishing in the Southeast Asian country due to lack of legal clarity on whether or not they should be issued documents to travel to Nepal with their mothers. 

According to the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), there are around 300-400 such children in Malaysia waiting for a legal passage to Nepal.

The problem arises when the migrant woman worker gets pregnant because the company for which she works does not allow her to work there and also refuses to allow her to stay at the company hostel. 

In most cases related to pregnancy, it has been noticed that women who are pregnant run away from the company and this makes her status illegal in the destination. Her problem further worsens if the father of the child is not a Nepali. 

“If the husband is not a Nepali national then the Nepali embassy cannot issue travel documents to the child because the issue of citizenship of the husband complicates matters,” said executive director at the Institute of Foreign Affairs who is also former ambassador to Malaysia Dr Rishi Raj Adhikari.

Adhikari also pointed out that if both the mother and father of the child are Nepalis then travel documents can be issued but they have to produce a birth certificate of the child. 

Regarding this, coordinator of GEFONT Support Group, Malaysia (Nepali Migrant Workers’ Association) Bed Kumar Khatiwada said: “Most women do not deliver their child in a hospital because her status at this point is illegal as she had run away from the company after being pregnant. Hence, she is unable to submit a birth certificate of the child in the embassy due to which the entire problem starts.”

Considering the intensity of the matter, member of foreign department (Migration Desk) GEFONT advocate Nisha Baniya opined that the state needs to address this case because a large number of its public (women migrant workers with their children) in many other destination countries including Malaysia are making rounds at the Nepali embassy seeking help.

All most every migrant working in Malaysia are facing the same problems with this situation and many clinics are offering them abortions for their profits and it costs RM 500 to 800.

Shan groups fear refugee repatriation

Sai Khur Hseng 

Ying Harn Fah 

Shan community groups 

 The Nation 

 Shan community groups are concerned at signs that Myanmar authorities are preparing to repatriate Shan refugees from a camp in northern Thailand, even though there is no guarantee for their safety. Last month, Myanmar police from Tachilek visited Koung Jor camp in Wiang Haeng district, northern Chiang Mai province, asking whether the refugees wanted to return to Myanmar.

 Even though none expressed a desire to return, the camp leader was contacted shortly afterwards by the Myanmar military commander at Mong Taw, 15 kilometres across the border, to say that new housing would be built for returning families in his area. In August 2012, plans by a Norwegian NGO contracted under the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative to survey the Shan refugees about returning to Myanmar were cancelled, after it was publicised that the designated resettlement site at Mong Hta (near Mong Taw) was still an active war zone, strewn with land mines. 

It is unclear if international donors will be supporting the latest plans to build housing for returning refugees in the Mong Taw-Mong Hta area. The security situation in this border area has not improved since last year. It remains heavily militarised, especially following increased tension between Myanmar and Wa forces in southern Shan State in recent months. There are currently about 500 refugees, almost half of whom are children, staying in Koung Jor camp, set up in 2002 after fighting on the border between the Myanmar army and the Shan State Army-South.

 It is the only Shan refugee camp in Thailand. Most of the hundreds of thousands displaced by conflict in the Shan State during the past few decades have had no access to refugee camps, and have been forced to survive as migrant workers throughout Thailand. Koung Jor camp has a less formal status than the other nine camps in Thailand, which primarily house Karen and Karenni refugees.

 Shan community groups therefore worry about a higher likelihood of involuntary repatriation. "The Shan refugee crisis has been pushed under the carpet for years," said Ying Harn Fah of the Shan Women's Action Network. "Just because most Shans don't have refugee status, that is no excuse to deny the few recognised Shan refugees the right to a safe return." The Shan groups are demanding that any plans by Myanmar, Thai and international stakeholders to repatriate Shan refugees be fully transparent and guarantee safety and dignity, and that any repatriation must be voluntary. 

 This article was released by the Shan Human Rights Foundation, Shan Sapawa Environmental Organisation, Shan Women's Action Network, Shan Youth Power and Shan Youth Network Group.

Amnesty International calls for ongoing monitoring of Burma

Amnesty International has called for ongoing assistance to some 150-thousand displaced Burmese people on the border with Thailand.

The national director of Amnesty International Australia, Claire Mallinson has just returned from a ten-day visit to Burma and Thailand.

Ms Mallinson, who spent much of her time with refugees in Thailand's Mae Sot area, found governments were withdrawing funding from these border camps, even before it's safe for the displaced Burmese to return to their home villages or regions.

Claire Mallinson hopes to brief the Australian government and AusAID soon.

Presenter: Sen Lam

Speaker: Claire Mallinson, national director, Amnesty International Australia

MALLINSON: There is a real opportunity here, to support the progress that has been made. But that means that checks and balances need to be in place and it means that there needs to be careful monitoring of the funding and the relief programs that the Australian tax-payer is providing for the people of Burma. And it also means that there needs to be a clear transition plan, so we need to continue funding the programs, the refugee camps, the clinics in Thailand, as well as supporting the new initiatives in Burma. And that will be the challenge to the big funders, particularly the funders from Europe, who're very worried about their economies because to make the transition successful, they will need to support both the Burmese people in Thailand as well as the Burmese people actually in Burma.

What I found when I met the Burmese people in Thailand and in Burma, is a real nervousness that actually they're going to be forced to return, before Burma is actually ready, before the things that need to be in place and the changes that need to happen in Burma have actually happened. I met some land mine survivors, I don't think most people realise how many land mines are still in Burma - there needs to be a clearance programme. Many people who fled Burma into Thailand have been in refugee camps for a long time, and the land they used to live on and work, is now being taken over - frequently by families of the military junta. So it's not safe to go back at the moment, and there isn't actually anywhere for them to go back to.

LAM: Are you saying that the slow pace of reform and the gradual opening up of Burmese politics, that instead of it being a source of optimism is creating feelings of uncertainty and doubt for these displaced people?

MALLINSON: Well, they're kind of torn in many respects. They do want to go back but some people I met in the refugee camps of the Karen population, they're very nervous that it's not safe yet. And there isn't really a transition plan in place, and one of the concerning issues - there are now funding cuts happening to the refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border. And certainly the camp that I visited, the food rations have been cut by twenty per cent, so they're below the minimum nutritional values and I've visited also the Mae Taw clinic, which is doing some astonishing work, some incredible people there - and they're dealing with 75-thousand people every year, half of whom travel from Burma to that clinic, half of whom live in Thailand but are Burmese. And they're getting free medical care, ranging from dealing with malaria, to having new prosthetics, because they survived a land mine, to also it being a maternity clinic. And they've had their funding cut as well. So I think the great excitement that the big funder countries in Europe and America - they're putting alot of resources into Burma, but actually, they're shifting those resources from existing services for the Burmese people living in Thailand.

LAM: So there is actual evidence that foreign governments are withdrawing funding from these border camps?

MALLINSON: Absolutely, and also in the clinics and in the schools and their services. I met some incredible people from an organisation, who go into rural communities - a backpack health worker team - they've lost ten staff in the last nine years to land mines. They had two last year arrested and jailed for three months, because they were carrying medical drugs. And very sadly, the woman they were treating, because they were stopped from treat her, she died. As well as the baby that was being delivered. So they've experienced funding cuts - the clinic and the refugee camp.

Everybody wants to see a new Burma. Everybody wants to see the rest of the prisoners-of-conscience being released. Obviously Amnesty INternational's been campaigning on these issues for a number of years. But what we do need to see is checks and balances in the system - so the significant funding that governments are pumping into Burma, needs to be really carefully monitored, there needs to be .. the rest of the prisoners of conscience released, we need to see an independent judiciary established - freedom of the press and there needs to be justice and accountability, that those who've carried out human rights violations for a number of years, need to be brought to account.

MALAYSIA : EMPOWER REFUGEES

From The Editor’s Desk

Who are refugees?

“A refugee is a person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.”

~ 1951 Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees, Article 1(a) (2)
Dear readers,

We are the Social Protection Fund team of the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur and welcome to our inaugural newsletter. Wait, don’t go away. We are just about to tell you that this newsletter, unlike any other is not selling you anything, only seeking your compassion.

In Malaysia, there are some 96,000 refugee men, women and children who struggle every day to rebuild their lives safely and in dignity. They are mostly Mothers with courage!

Being a refugee and single mother in a foreign land with different language and culture can be a nightmare. UNHCR works with many refugee single mothers from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Somali and Afghanistan living in Malaysia. Most of them live in poverty and it’s extremely difficult to get a decent paid job.

At times they have very young children and it hinders them from any employment. Sometimes, the older children have to sacrifice their education and care for the younger from Myanmar, but there are also refugees from other countries like Sri Lanka, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

They need your help. Refugees work hard every day to support themselves and each other in so many different ways – education, livelihoods, healthcare,
community development and many other areas. What they need is our understanding and support so that they are better able to help themselves.

You can help them to help themselves. Be the one to empower refugees.

siblings while their mother at work.

Some mothers face eviction when they can’t afford to pay their room rent. These mothers often ignore their health until it becomes intolerable!

Throughout the month of March 2012, SPF team met with many such MOMS of various age – despite all these challenges none of them sounded as though they have given up on life!

Instead some of them decided to start Day Care Centers to help other
mothers.

Refugee Community Clean-up activity @ ‘gotong-royong’ in Setapak & Imbi, KL
Peaceful Co-Existence

A smile from a neighbor would make our day, not a grim face or a blank stare!!

Being a refugee, that smile is hard to earn. We found a way….

In October 2011, SPF (UNHCR) team launched a community clean-up competition. Refugee groups from 23 locations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor took part. The result was gratifying. Smiles from neighbors, policemen, and people on the street. This revealed to us the importance of the co-existence activities for a more harmonious environment.

We took a step forward. Since the year started, we approached:

Refugee communities - to organize such competitions to sustain the good values.

o State assemblymen’s offices in Kota Damansara and Kajang in Selangor,
and Prai in Penang for joint venture projects among refugees and local people – it looks promising.

o Non-profit institutions like VTOC and Soroptimist International for integration projects – they are keen.

o We believe the peaceful co- existence program would enhance the local community’s acceptance of the refugees in Malaysia.

Special Message

In a very real way, the SPF programme places
the decision-making control in the hands of
refugees in determining what works best for
their own communities and what works best in
implementing these ideas. Concrete benefits of
the SPF programme

Capacity building - it enhances skills and
education of the refugee community
regardless of their age, gender and
ethnic. Their quality of life improves.

o Enhance community mobilization and unity through
projects such as community centers, recreational and
support programs.

 

o Peaceful co-existence among the refugee communities and with local communities via various joint activities.

o Be the one to empower refugees….
 

1. Full financial sponsorship of a project 

2. Partial financial sponsorship of a project

3. In kind support for a project

Social Protection Fund, UNHCR

Known as SPF, we started in July 2009. Our aim is to
assist and promote self help and independence among the refugee communities in Malaysia. As of Feb 2012, we have provided grants to 242 community projects that are located in Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu, Pahang, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

The projects range from income generating projects, skills training (computer, tailoring and handicraft) and community services and development (shelter, youth club and peaceful co-existence). These projects benefit about 35,000 people.

We seek your support to directly sponsor some of the existing projects or new projects either financially or in kind. 

For more information, contact us at:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Tel: 03-2141 1322 (ext 209 @ 210)
Website: www.unhcr.org.my or
http://spfunhcr.wordpress.com or
www.facebook.com/unhcr.spf

Letter Writing Marathon & Human Rights Day Celebration

Annually around December 10, Amnesty International M’sia celebrates the International Human Rights Day with its Solidarity and Mass Action Event: The Letter Writing Marathon.

The Letter Writing Marathon is Amnesty’s Global Initiative to moblize the public to speak on various human rights cases everywhere in form of personal letters and foster international solidarity to end human rights violation beyond ones own country.

Sending letters is one of the most effective ways for individuals to communicate their concerns to people responsible for violating human rights and to those in positions to influence their actions.
" We know of many people, who have been released from detention or saved from torture,rape and disappearance or even possible death because of these letters "

This year we have scheduled various side events to highlight and facilitate discussion and action on the cases and country focus that Amnesty Int works on.


Come and Join Us and Write Up For Human Rights .Every Letter Counts

The Program

12 December: DAY 1

11.00 am: Launch of Homelessness Photo Exhibition


The Homelessness Photo Exhibition project seeks to address the issue of poverty and to highlight the human story of homelessness and to give street photographers an avenue to publish their talent in photography of this issue. The photos herein were taken to reduce the false perception and stigma. The exhibition aimed to express that these excluded people are indeed equal in rights and dignity just like rest of us.

The Homelessness Photo Exhibition will continue until the 13th of December


2.00pm:Sharing by the photographers of the Homelessness Photo Project.


6.30 pm: Film screening: Persepolis & Discussion: Human rights Situation in Iran.

Persepolis is a story of a young girl coming-of-age in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of precocious and outspoken nine-year-old Marjane that we see a people's hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power. The film won the Jury Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Visit http://www.persepolismovie.co.uk/ for further information.

13 December : DAY 2

12.00 pm: Children For Dignity, an Art Workshop for Children.
A mini workshop for children to express on the issue of poverty and human rights through drawing.


2.00 pm: Screening of Documentary : Deep Sea


Deep Sea is a story of Inhabitants of the Deep Sea settlement in Kenya live under constant threat of forced eviction. The Nairobi 'slum' is home to around 7,000 people but private companies are trying to take the land for development. In 2005, contractors (with police support) evicted hundreds of people in the middle of the night and then, despite a ruling by the Kenyan high court that it was illegal, demolished their houses.


2.30pm: Homes Taken Away: Housing Rights in Cambodia


The number of land disputes, land confiscations and evictions, including forced eviction reported in Cambodia has steadily risen in recent years. Victims are almost exclusively marginalized families and individuals living in poverty

(The Letter Writing Marathon will continue until 7.00 pm )

7.00 pm: Solidarity Night : Dari Rakyat Untuk Rakyat.


A Special Tribute to Human Rights Defenders by the artist of the Dari Rakyat Untuk Rakyat Project and Friends. The Project, an independent initiative undertaken by singer songwriter Meor Yusof Izzidin and friends is best described as the first of is kind in the history of Malaysian folk music featuring various artists including Amin Iskandar & Mei Chern expressing the many various human rights and social justice issues in Malaysia. Also featured are social activist singer songwriters/band The Carberator Dung & Jerome Kugan, poet and artist Rahmat Haron and performance artist Khuber & Han

Please contact the office for further details (03 79552680)


(The Event will continue until 11.00 pm)

More help needed for Burmese in Malaysia: Amnesty

More help needed for Burmese in Malaysia: Amnesty

Amnesty International is calling for more assistance to be given to the estimated 90,000 Burmese asylum seekers living illegally in Malaysia.

The group says most of the refugees are from ethnic minorities who have fled violence and persecution in Burma. However, because Malaysia has never signed the UN Refugee Convention, the Burmese people are not recognised as refugees and often end up working illegally or being detained in overcrowded centres.

Presenter: Liam Cochrane
Speakers: Dr Graeme Thom, co-ordinator for Amnesty International Australia

Listen: Windows Media

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/200909/s2675392.htm