Burma/Myanmar's steps toward reform bring opportunities, challenges

NEW YORK, NY--After six decades of civil conflict, recent steps toward democratization by Burma’s (Myanmar’s) new government are being met with widespread optimism, reports Jack Dunford, executive director of the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) and a 28-year veteran of service to Burma’s refugees and internally displaced.  Church World Service is a TBBC founding member and funder. 

Opposition party leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been freed from house arrest, and her National League for Democracy is now campaigning for April 1 by-elections to fill 48 vacant parliamentary seats.  Burma’s army has signed ceasefire agreements with several ethnic armed forces, including the Karen National Union, resulting in a significant decrease in clashes in parts of eastern Burma.

“This is the best opportunity we have seen in decades,” said Dunford during a visit to New York.  “It’s the first time since 1984, when the TBBC was founded, that I have seen Burma’s military regime acknowledge the political aspirations of the country’s ethnic nationalities and the need for dialogue.  If this fails, there may not be another chance.”

Necessary for peace, he said, is a careful process of national reconciliation with all parties at the table - including refugee and IDP (internally displaced persons) groups, and including both the Burman majority and Burma’s indigenous ethnic nationalities.

Dunford helped found the Bangkok-based TBBC in 1984 when Burma’s ruling regime drove the first 10,000 refugees permanently into Thailand.  Today the TBBC provides food, shelter and capacity-building support to 138,000 refugees in nine camps in Thailand, also assisting about 50,000 internally displaced persons in eastern Burma. 

Burma’s regime long accused the TBBC of supporting the ethnic opposition by providing assistance to indigenous ethnic refugees, but now the government is recognizing the consortium for caring for so many of Burma’s people for so long.  “Now we are seen as part of the solution, not as part of the problem,” Dunford said.

Even as it continues to sustain the refugees and IDPs, the TBBC is working to be sure refugees are not forced to return before conditions in Burma allow safe, lasting repatriation.  As hopes for real reform are raised, Dunford said it is crucial for all parties - including the international community - to exercise common sense and to continue to support the refugees until conditions allow safe, lasting repatriation.

More than 3,700 villages have been destroyed since 1996 alone, and the countryside is littered with landmines, according to TBBC documentation.  Some 450,000 people remain displaced in Burma’s southeastern region - at least 112,000 of them newly forced from their homes in just the past year.  TBBC’s latest survey in the region finds that nearly two-thirds of rural households in the region live in poverty, unable to meet their basic needs. 

Moreover, there is still conflict in some areas - most notably Northern Shan and Kachin states.  Some 70,000 people are currently displaced by fighting in Kachin State.  Human rights abuses against civilians, including forced labor and conscription of child soldiers, continue in conflict-affected areas. 

In addition to the 138,000 refugees from Burma living in the Thailand-Burma border camps, there also are 90,000 refugees from Burma living in Malaysia.  Seventy-five refugees from Burma have been resettled from Thailand to other countries, 50,000 of them to the United States. 

As part of “preparedness” for eventual repatriation, UNHCR (the United Nation’s refugee agency) has commissioned a survey of the skills and assets of the refugees in the Thailand-Burma border camps.  The camps are governed by the refugees and all services, from health to education to warehousing and distribution of rations. are staffed by the refugees.  As a result, if and when the refugees do repatriate, they will have a wide range of skills to offer.

For its part, the TBBC is convening as many “dialogues” as it can among refugees and, when appropriate, governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders, with two goals: to listen to the refugees’ concerns and aspirations, and to contribute to sharing of accurate information about what is going on in Burma.

“Refugees want to return home to Burma, but as always what’s stopping them is fear of Burma’s army,” Dunford said.  “They hear about ‘ceasefire’ and worry it is a ruse to push them back into danger.” 

He praised the U.S. government for never waivering in its support for the refugees from Burma.  Some 40 percent of the TBBC’s budget now comes from the U.S. government, which, Dunford said, is sympathetic to the plight of Burma’s ethnic nationalities and is also supportive of TBBC’s cross-border work.

We need to keep both cross-border and in-country humanitarian work,” Dunford said.  “These two approaches are complementary and it will take time before it becomes possible to access the conflict areas from the inside.” 

The TBBC is a consortium of 10 international nongovernmental organizations in eight countries.  Church World Service is one of two U.S.-based members, the other being the International Rescue Committee.

In addition to supporting the TBBC, CWS has been providing humanitarian assistance inside Burma via Rangoon since Cyclone Nargis in 2008.  CWS currently supports programs of disaster risk reduction, capacity building for local nongovernmental organizations, microcredit for farmers, maternal and newborn child health, snakebite prevention and treatment, and a small HIV/AIDS program.

Source and Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, 212-870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526, jdragin@gis.net

Protect Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Forced Labor and Human Trafficking

Why This Is Important

Dear Friends,

There are over 94,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, and they are among the most destitute and marginalized populations in the country.

Refugees do not have the right to work. Their children cannot go to public school. They have very poor access to health care. Poverty and hunger are daily realities. And because they fled from their home countries due to persecution, they cannot return home.

To survive and provide for their families, refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia often work in low paying jobs without legal protection. Because their labor rights are not upheld in Malaysia, unscrupulous employers and agents take advantage of them. They use a host of tactics– including deception, withholding of wages, physical confinement, debt bondage, and violence–to force refugees into jobs and keep them from leaving.

Refugees and asylum seekers are all around us in Malaysia. A refugee might have served you coffee this morning in a restaurant. Or built the apartment you are living in.

Unfortunately, forced labor and human trafficking are also all around us in Malaysia. In fact, in a recent study, 61% of refugees and asylums who had worked full-time in Malaysia had experienced forced labor.

How does this affect refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia?  Research in Malaysia found that refugees who had experienced forced labor had higher rates of Depression and Anxiety compared to those who had not. It is also known that survivors of human trafficking suffer tremendously, particularly in terms of their health. They are vulnerable to infectious diseases, malnourishment and injuries. Mental health is equally a concern.

Momentum is building around the issues of trafficking and forced labor in Malaysia. The government is waking up to the problems, and civil society is working to create an environment that reduces vulnerability and protects survivors. What is needed now is for more people to take a stand and call for substantial changes in laws, policies and programs in the country.

This is where you can do your part.

Sign the Petition Letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak, to take a stand against forced labor and human trafficking in Malaysia and to ask for a stronger protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers.

Source : http://www.change.org/petitions/wake-up-malaysia-protect-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-from-forced-labor-and-human-trafficking

Arrest of 33 refugees in Alor Star

Tenaganita reports it has just received information that about 33 Chin refugees, including women and children, were arrested in Alor Star on 24 February 2012.

A crowded immigration detention camp in Malaysia

The refugees had fled to Malaysia, via Thailand, and were arrested after crossing the border.

The refugee leaders understand that at least 15 of the 33 have been sent to Belantik Immigration Depot. They are currently trying to obtain more information.

If you have any information pertaining to this arrest, please contact Tenaganita’s Refugee Action Programme at: rap[at]tenaganita.net

***

6P: CRACKDOWN ON MIGRANTS & REFUGEES

Despite statements by the Home Ministry that the “amnesty period” has been extended to 10 April 2012, refugees and migrants continue to be arrested, detained & whipped.

Key concerns:

• Detention and deportation of refugees, stateless persons, trafficked victims and other vulnerable populations including children
• Use of violence by enforcement officers during raids, arrests and detention
• Violation of rights during arrests and detention : i.e. no access to lawyers, phone call to family, deprivation of basic needs, etc

In order to monitor and respond to this crackdown, several hotline numbers have been set up:

• Tenaganita: *hotline number pending; email: rap[at]tenaganita.net
• MSRI (hotline for refugees & asylum seekers): +6-012-6628483
• Suaram: +6-03-7784 3525 / 013 3470860, refugee@suaram.net /saradev14@yahoo.com

Please send information about raids, rights violations during this crackdown or any other relevant information to: raidwatch@gmail.com

Source : By Aliran, on 6 March 2012

KL plans crackdown on illegal migrants

Many foreign workers including Bangladeshis face arrest threats in Malaysia as the immigration authorities are conducting periodic raids following an announcement of massive crackdown on "illegal" migrants.

Malaysia's home ministry Secretary-General Tan Sri Mahmood Adam last week said they would start a massive crackdown on illegal foreign workers without mentioning the date.

Meanwhile, police on February 11 arrested over 100 migrant workers and refugees, said Kuala Lumpur-based migrants' rights body Tenaganita in a press statement on February 22.

"Many workers are living in a tense situation after the arrests," said Harun Al Rashid, a Bangladeshi working at a regional migrants' rights organisation, Caram Asia, in Kuala Lumpur.

It could not be learned immediately if there were any Bangladeshis among the arrestees, he said on February 26.

Bangladesh high commission's labour counsellor Mantu Kumar Biswas in Malaysia told The Daily Star he had no idea about such arrests.

"There might be some stray incidents of arrest, but not any wholesale roundup of foreign workers yet," he said over phone in his immediate response.

The foreign workers who have not registered or applied to the immigration authorities for regularisation under an amnesty programme are facing sheer threats of arrest, according to the Bangladeshi expatriates in Malaysia.

An estimated 5 lakh Bangladeshis work in Malaysia. According to the Bangladesh High Commission, around 2.7 lakh irregular Bangladeshis got registered and a few thousand of them returned home without giving any penalty.

The rest secured passports so they could apply for regularisation.

However, on average, 150 Bangladeshi expats are going to the high commission every day to secure passports so that they can apply for regularisation.

Under the amnesty programme, Malaysia started registering the irregular foreign workers and the immigration authorities started regularisation from October 10 last year. Since then, they extended the deadline thrice, last time from February 15 to April 10.

The country has so far registered around 1.3 million irregular foreign workers but regularised only around four lakh of them. Mantu Kumar Biswas said the Malaysian authorities did not mention the number of Bangladeshis regularised until now.

"The deadline for regularisation has been extended. I expect all Bangladeshis applying will be regularised," he said.

Meanwhile, Nazrul Islam Ajith, a Bangladeshi working in Kuala Lumpur, said he estimated there would be 1 to 1.5 lakh Bangladeshis who either did not get registered or did not maintain proper procedures in applying for work permits.

"One has to have a job and apply through the employer for work permit. But many Bangladeshis do not have employers," he said, adding that many applied through outsourcing companies. Both these types of workers' applications are being rejected, he said.

Earlier, outsourcing companies hired Bangladeshi workers to supply them to different companies, but many were involved in malpractices.

"I would suggest that those who wish to continue working in Malaysia immediately get a job and apply through employers for work permits," said the Bangladeshi who has been in Malaysia for over 10 years.

Meanwhile, Tenaganita condemned the arrest of migrants and said it was a failure of Malaysia that it could not regularise the workers who have got registered.

In a statement on February 22, it said the government rejected many applications for work permits, saying their employers' factories are either operating illegally or are built on land designated for agriculture.

"Illegal factories are not the fault of the workers, but this rejection of applications will undoubtedly affect migrants who will be the target of arrest and detention," said Tenaganita chief Irene Fernandez.

Source : http://www.thedailystar.net/

Burmese Migrants in Malaysia Face Registration Woes

By PATRICK BOEHLER / THE IRRAWADDY

While a controversial government amnesty program for illegal migrants in Malaysia is expected to run out next month, a similar scheme may soon affect  tens of thousands of Burmese refugees in the nation.

The so-called “6P” scheme was introduced by the Malaysian authorities last summer to biometrically register and legalize illegal foreign workers, but most Burmese refugees were not eligible for the amnesty program.

Holders of refugee identity cards issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kuala Lumpur were excluded. By the end of January, 91 percent of the 97,000 refugees registered with UNHCR in Malaysia were Burmese.

They include 34,400 Chins, 23,000 Rohingyas, 10,500 Burmese Muslims, 4,600 Rakhine, 3,800 Mon, 3,300 Kachins and other ethnicities, UNHCR external relations officer Yante Ismail told The Irrawaddy.

Yet tens of thousands are still waiting to be granted asylum status, wrote Irene Fernandez, executive director of the non-governmental organization Tenaganita, in an open letter on the issue earlier this week.

And those who have been granted are at the mercy of enforcement officers who “arbitrarily acknowledge or reject UNHCR-issued documents,” she added.

In November last year, the UNHCR said it had agreed with the Malaysian authorities to set up a mechanism similar to the P6 program for UNHCR-registered refugees.

“The inclusion of their biodata within a government database will lead to greater protection for refugees, particularly against arrest and detention as their identities can be easily verified by law enforcement officials,” said UNHCR representative Alan Vernon at the time.

“This will also help prevent prosecution of persons holding UNHCR documents for immigration offenses or deportation,” he added.

The UNHCR refugee registration program was scheduled to begin in January 2012. However, it has not started yet due to technical problems, according to a person familiar with program who asked to remain anonymous.

But acceptance into a 6P-based scheme does not guarantee an easy ride for Burmese migrants working in Malaysia, with many current 6P participants finding themselves worse off than before.

Illegal foreign workers who register in the scheme escape criminal punishment, but will eventually have to return to their country of origin. Their employers are also granted equal amnesty.

“When their visas expire, they will be sent home. So both the worker and employer should know (…) that the government is not opening up for good,” Human Resources Minister S. Subramaniam told news website Free Malaysia Today.

Illegal migrants who have a police record, have left the specific employer who arranged their residence in Malaysia or do not pass a mandatory health check, are also excluded from the P6 program, according to regulations published by the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs.

Only 120,000 illegal foreign workers registered with 6P by the end of December so authorities decided to extend the program, Malaysian state news agency Bernama reported.

By the end of February, 379,000 people registered, with almost 95,000 of them returned to their country of origin, according to a press statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Official estimates put the number of illegal foreign migrants working in Malaysia  between 1.3 and 2 million.

But according to Fernandez, “2.6 million migrants came forward to register under 6P, half of whom were undocumented migrants.”

“More than 70 percent remain undocumented,” she wrote in her recent open letter blaming poor handling of the process by authorities. “The implementation of the program has thus far been chaotic and lacking in transparency and accountability,” she added.

Although it is uncertain what extra protection registering with the Malaysian authorities would afford Burmese migrant workers, there is little disputing that their current situation remains precarious.

Some Burmese refugees registered with the UNHCR have been arrested and detained in the last few weeks, according to a reader's letter sent to the Malaysian online news service Malaysiakini.

The letter tells of a raid on Feb. 25 at a bus station in Selangor and another similar raid on Dec. 5 last year.

“Asylum seekers received the inhumane and unacceptable punishment of caning while in Kajang Jail because they could not provide identification,” a reader calling herself Iang Hlei Par wrote regarding the latter case.

“We must not turn a blind eye to such abuse that is a result of disorganized and negligent government,” she added.

According to Fernandez, up to two hundred migrants including refugees were arrested in a raid in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 11.

An urgent concern and a call for protection

From Lang Hlei Par

My concerns are for the undue threat of arrest, actual arrests, and unjust detainment (involving caning), against the Burmese asylum seekers currently taking refuge in Malaysia. The Malaysian Government is disorganised and abusing innocent people in their process of dealing with refugees, asylum seekers, and illegal migrant workers.

Malaysian is trying to clear the country of the undocumented Illegal Migrant Workers, who have failed to register under the conveniently confusing and constantly changing 6P Programme, by using the force of Rela (ill-trained citizen volunteer corps), Immigration Police, and Malaysian Police.

This planned “Big Sweep” to eradicate all the ‘illegals’ who are in Malaysia to work, is directly threatening Burmese asylum seekers who were victims of one the most brutal military regimes in history.  (The refugees, not asylum seekers, should be protected by the registration with UNHCR, however some UNHCR card holders have been arrested and detained in the past couple of weeks.)

These asylum seekers and refugees need support from the international community to urge the Malaysia and UNHCR to cease all raids, hold a confidential and safe biometric registration (which will provide proof of identity) before any more raids or arrests can take place, to stop using ill-trained law enforcement such as Rela, and to accurately and clearly state what is expected from the 6P programme.

Currently, the registration of the 6P programme is over on the 10 April when the threat of raids will heighten once again.  However, there was even a raid on the morning of Feb 25 at the Kajang Bus Station in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur that involved unjust arrests.

At least seven detainees, from a raid that happened on 5 Dec 5, 2011, who are asylum seekers, had the inhumane and unacceptable punishment of caning while in Kajang prison because they could not provide identification, despite the fact that they have no way to acquire identification.  Those detainees have still not been released.

The protection of these people is necessary to prevent constant fear and further harm for those that have already endured and escaped forced labour, physical abuse and torture, religious persecution to the point of ethnic cleansing, and other violations of their basic human rights in Myanmar.

The protection of these people is necessary to prevent more wasted time and resources for everyone involved.  It is the right thing, to do our best to assist in stopping this crisis of further injustice on humanity.  We must not turn a blind eye to such abuse that is a result of disorganisation and negligence.

Source : FreeMalaysia

Does Malaysia deserve a seat in UNHRC?

Malaysia is currently one of the 47 member states in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and will serve in the council till 2013. The UNHRC was created by the UN General Assembly on 2006 under resolution 60/251 in order to strengthen the promotion and protection of human rights for every human being.

The question is whether Malaysia deserves to seat in the respected seat in promoting and protecting human rights? This letter does intend to look into this question whether Malaysia deserves or not by looking at the refugee situation and current state’s policy and implementation in regard to refugees’ survival in Malaysia.

I am, once again disenchanted with the statement made by one of the senior ministers that refugees can’t work because they were covered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It is not a matter of welfare.

It’s a matter of right – human right. To work is a right not welfare regardless of nationality, race and status. It is covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Furthermore, the right to work is a fundamental right enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention to which Malaysia is reluctant to ratify it.

Malaysia often promoted its self as a moderate country and committed to promote human rights. While doing that, Malaysia keeps reluctant to ratify many UN conventions and treaties including the Refugee Convention. Non-legally binding commitment is the best way in showing its commitment to promote human rights and helping refugees in the country.

Malaysia committed to provide assistances to refugees based on the humanitarian basis. Does this guarantee that refugees may enjoy their rights? Does this assurance the protection and empowerment of refugees? The statement made by the minister that refugee can’t work has shown that no one is able to make the government accountable to what they have committed to do.

Malaysia is reluctant to be a signatory to the Refugee Convention, and the domestic act has never protected refugees. Malaysian Immigration Act 1959/63 does not even differentiate between refugees and irregular migrants and therefore they can be arrested, detained, deported and caned for up to six strokes. While facing all the threats above, UNHCR’s role in protecting and providing immediate and necessary assistances are limited.

In terms of empowering refugee community and helping in need of immediate assistance refugees, how many refugees are now given allowance by the UNHCR since they are not allowed to work legally in this country? If they are given in cash, how much does UNHCR give them? Is it enough to cover one family (between 3 to 6 family members)?

If a refugee is handicapped, injured because of accident or has a chronic disease, is UNHCR able to provide assistances? If a refugee is not be able to pay for hospitalisation fees (even after 50% discount), is the UNHCR able to look into this and help? If refugess are not allowed to work and UNHCR does not provide them any assistance, how do they survive? Many of refugees in Malaysia I’ve met expressed their difficulty in getting assistance from UNHCR.

The government tends to look at the refugee issues in this country from a security perspective. Issues related to the inflow and daily survival of refugees has escalated beyond  humanitarianism.

Government institutions and agencies tend to look them as a threat to the state, and environmental security. My question is how many refugees involved in street crimes, robbery and any other serious crimes? Does the Malaysia statistic able to prove the alarming figures?

By looking their presence in the country as a threat, the war against refugees has long been undertaken. But not in a direct war and proclamation but war through proxy’s issues such as war against people smuggling, human trafficking and terrorism. Even the victims of people smuggling and trafficking to which many of them were genuine refugees – have been charged and criminalised under specific acts.

No right to seek asylum where they were arrested upon arrival. No genuine protection to not be forcibly returned to home country to which they will face serious threat. No right to gain education.

Nothing is given in the form of genuine and fundamental rights to refugees in Malaysia but Malaysia still seat in the UNHRC to so-called promoting and protecting human rights. Does Malaysia deserve to seat in the UNHRC?

Source : Free Malaysia

Burmese refugees victims of chaotic gov't ops

My concerns are for the undue threat of arrest, actual arrests, and unjust detention (involving caning), against Burmese asylum seekers currently taking refuge in Malaysia. The Malaysian government is disorganised in their operations against illegals, and abusing innocent people in their process of dealing with refugees, asylum seekers, and illegal migrant workers.

The ministry is trying to clear the country of the undocumented illegal migrant workers, who have failed to register under the conveniently confusing and constantly changing 6P Programme, by using the force of Rela (ill-trained citizen volunteer corps), Immigration enforcement officers, and Police.

This planned 'Big Sweep' to eradicate all the 'illegals' that are in Malaysia to work, is directly threatening the Burmese asylum seekers who had been victims of one the most brutal military regimes in history.

The refugees, asylum seekers, should be protected by the registration with UNHCR. However some UNHCR card holders have been arrested and detained in the past couple of weeks.

These asylum seekers and refugees need support from the international community to urge the ministry and UNHCR to cease all raids, hold a confidential and safe biometric registration (which will provide proof of identity) before any more raids or arrests can take place, to stop using ill-trained law enforcement such as Rela, and to accurately and clearly state what is expected from the 6P Programme.

Currently, the registration of the 6P programme will be over on the 10 April after which the threat of raids will heighten once again. However, there was even a raid this morning, February 25, at the Kajang Bus Station in Selangor, that involves unjust arrests.

At least seven detainees, from a raid that happened on December 5, 2011, who are asylum seekers, received the inhumane and unacceptable punishment of caning while in Kajang Jail because they could not provide identification, despite the fact that they have no way to acquire identification. Those detainees have still not been released.

The protection of these people is necessary to prevent constant fear and further harm for those who have already endured and escaped forced labour, physical abuse and torture, religious persecution to the point of ethnic cleansing, and other violations of their basic human rights in Burma.

The protection of these people is necessary to prevent more wasted time and resources for everyone involved. It is the right thing to do our best to assist in stopping this crisis of further injustice on humanity. We must not turn a blind eye to such abuse that is a result of disorganised and negligent government.

Source : http://www.malaysiakini/.

102 Rohingya found floating off Nai Harn - youngest just 13 years-old

The Phuket News - Sunday, 26th Feb 2012

More than 90 Rohingya refugees were captured by Chalong police this morning, after their boat ran out of fuel off Nai Harn beach.

The Rohingya's boat, measuring just 10 metres long by five metres wide, with no apparent shelter for those onboard, was discovered wrecked just off Nai Harn beach.
It is reported that there were approximately 102 refugees on the boat, with some of them are believed to still be in hiding around Nai Harn and Promthep Cape.
One of the captured refugees, Suremula, 24, said that he and the others left their villages in Rakhine State, on the border between Burma and Bangladesh, about 12 days ago.
As with many of the predominately Muslim Rohingya, their final destination was Malaysia.
However, they ran out of food three days ago, and used up the last of their fuel early this morning off Nai Harn.
Their presence on Phuket was discovered by local villagers, who saw the refugees light a fire on the deck of the boat in order to warm themselves.
All of the refugees later left the boat to beg for food and water from people in the area.
Suremula said that life as a Rohingya in Burma is hard, as they are discriminated against as a minority, and pushed to the edge of society by the country's rulers.
"We don't receive help from the Burmese government," said Suremula through an interpreter. "Even though some of us have received basic education, we will never have the opportunity to find good jobs."
Suremula said that he earned about 1000 kyats (around B5,000) a year from whatever jobs he could find – ranging from rubber tappers to construction workers – to feed his family, which numbers more than ten.
"All of us onboard the boat decided that the only way out was to seek a better life in a new land," he said.
Among the refugees, the youngest are Dehuahusan, Aenatula and Sherfvic, all 13 years-old, who said they were only hoping for a brighter future.
"Do you know where we will be taken to?," asked Aenatula. "Will we be taken back to Burma? We don't want to go back to where we came from."
Local officials say that the Rohingya will be sent to a refugee centre in Ranong Province.
However, the Thai government can't send them back to Burma, as the Burmese government doesn't consider them to be citizens.
Their fate is unknown.

Youth refugees taught basic English in three-month language programme

TWENTY-two-year old Siti Zubaidah has just picked up English, thanks to the Project Self-Help, which is a collaboration between HELP University and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Siti, a Myanmar refugee who has been in Malaysia since 2008, is one of 92 students from the project’s first batch which was launched in September 2011. T

he young lady, who lives in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur, felt that the three-month English language programme had made her confident in the language.She can now write and read more confidently than she could ever do before the programme.

“I also liked my teachers. They taught like a friend. My favourite teacher is Miss Yee Li Lian. She was firm yet caring,” said Siti who moved from level four to level five during the three-month programme.

She has now moved on to skill-based classes that is also part of Project Self-Help and Siti has opted to learn culinary art.

The other choice is the basic of information technology and there are more options to come.

“I have a dream. I want to run a food business one day,” added Siti.

The Project Self-Help was envisioned with people like Siti on mind.

The on-going project would enable refugees to gain some skills that will help them to earn an income and live independently regardless of their circumstances, and provide them with dignity and self-respect.

HELP International Corporations corporate planning and investor relations executive director Adam Chan said there were 28,000 youth refugees in the country and most of them were from Myanmar.

He added that most did have some faith-based schools in their own communities here but it was not in a school environment and many of them had not been to a proper school.

Chan said the project’s English language training, which was more interactive by nature, had succeeded in helping the students, who were mostly between the ages of 16 and 20.

“They have improved their English and are more confident with others. Third party’s observation is that they are amazed at the students’ improvement. This has prompted other parents to also send their children,” explained Chan.

To ensure a low drop-out rate, every applicant is screened through an interview process which gives the project coordinators an opportunity to gauge the applicant’s proficiency level and dedication.

They are then given a test to be streamed into levels as there are four levels based on their English proficiency.

“The basic idea is to equip these refugee children with the English language and a basic skill so they can survive. It is a great tool for them when they are relocated to a third country,” added Chan.

The teachers for the programmes vary from volunteers, independent teachers to HELP university teachers.

“The teaching method is really up to the teachers although there is a syllabus. Some teachers use newspaper and magazine articles to teach, while some use audio help,” he said.

The project’s second batch of students start their classes in March.

Chan said funding for the project was raised from time to time. The estimated cost per student for a three-month course was RM500.

“Money is not so much for the lecturers but it’s more for the study materials,” he added.

To raise funds for the project, HELP University is presenting The Canticle Singers in a charity concert today and tomorrow at the university’s conference hall.

Titled Odds and Ends, the concert is an arrangement of solo duets and choral songs. Admission is by donation. Tickets for the public cost RM50 each.

For detail, contact 012-287 2686.

Source : TheStarOnline

6P: Gross Attacks On Migrants & Refugees For Failures By The State 4

Dr Irene Fernandez - Tenaganita Wednesday, 22 February 2012 15:30

The recent status report given by the Home Ministry together with the new deadline for April 10 2012 reveals that out of the 1.3 million undocumented workers registered into the biometric system, 1 million or more still remain as undocumented workers with no work permits or permits rejected by the Immigration department. It is indeed a clear sign of a program doomed to fail. The 6P program is hailed by the government as an effective means to resolve the problem of ‘illegal migrants and workers’ in Malaysia. There are two problematic premises here: Firstly, it places the burden of proof of her legality of stay in Malaysia on the migrant and refugee, who in actual fact has no control over existing legislation and labour practices that render him/her undocumented., Secondly, it reinforces the inhumane notion that any person without adequate administrative documents is not worthy of existing (illegal), and should be treated with the harshest of punishments, including torture (whipping), restriction of fundamental freedoms (detention) and forced return. The reality, however, is that in the case of migrant workers, through a system that facilitates corruption by agents and employers, institutionalized labour trafficking through the practice of outsourcing, and widespread cheating by recruitment agents, 80% of migrants become undocumented in Malaysia. The power to renew the work permit also lies with the employer or the agent, not the migrant, but the current enforcement and legal framework’ holds the migrant accountable when employers shirk their responsibilities. In the case of refugees, an absence of a legal framework to recognize and protect refugees renders them ‘undocumented’. Almost 100, 000 refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while tens of thousands more wait in line to seek asylum. Without any legislation or comprehensive policies to protect the rights of refugees, genuine asylum-seekers who have yet to be registered with UNHCR are treated as criminals who have breached Immigration laws; while in the case of registered refugees, enforcement officers arbitrarily either acknowledge or reject their UNHCR-issued documents. In both instances, refugees in Malaysia are subjected to arrest, detention, even whipping and deportation (a violation of the international principle of non-refoulement). The State renders the refugee ‘undocumented’ – the State therefore must be held accountable, not the refugee. The Malaysian government is overdue in rectifying this institutionalized breach of human rights. In addition to these notoriously unjust premises of the 6P, the implementation of the programme has thus far been chaotic and lacking in transparency and accountability. The Home Minister has also been bullish and bloating in a force of power; stating that 4 million enforcement personnel, including 2.8 million civilians clothed as RELA are waiting to pounce on migrants (a threat also on the refugee community). The fear and terror is intense in the migrant and refugee community. On 11th February 2012 (four days before the then deadline of 15th February), between 100 to 200 migrants (including refugees) were arrested near Pasar Seni (Central Market), Kuala Lumpur. Eyewitnesses state that immigration officers placed ‘yellow tags’ on the migrants and refugees, before carting them away into 4 Immigration trucks. Despite contacting the Immigration Department for more information, Tenaganita (but more importantly, the migrants & refugees) do not know the reasons for their arrest; there is no transparency in the numbers of migrants and refugees arrested, nor do we know where they are detained. Mahmood Adam, Secretary-General of the Home Ministry in a press statement issued on 14th February 2012 stated that 94,856 migrants have been deported since the 6P programme began. No further information was provided about these migrants; what are their nationalities? Why were they deported? Are they persons of concern / asylum seekers? We’ve received unconfirmed reports that there may be detainees from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kashmir currently in the KLIA Depot – are they potential asylum seekers waiting to be deported? These questions are even more urgent in the context of Malaysia flagrantly endangering the lives of asylum seekers, as clearly seen in the rapid deportation of Hamza Kashgari, the Saudi Arabian asylum seeker (2012) and in the deportation of 11 Uighur refugees back to China (2011). The guise of a ‘migration management programme’ to deport persons of concern to the international community cannot continue, and the Malaysian government must meet the demands of transparency and accountability, as its actions have detrimental consequences to the lives of people. The lack of transparency, clarity and goodwill throughout the 6P programme has not only created anxiety among migrants, refugees and even employers, but it has also swung the doors for corruption wide open. As of December 2011, 2.6 million migrants came forward to register under the 6P, half of whom were undocumented migrants. Despite the uncertainties, migrants have demonstrated a clear willingness to ‘regularize’ their status in Malaysia. Many migrants have paid the initial RM300 to agents for registration under the biometric system (an amount sanctioned by the Malaysian government, before it was reduced to RM35 amidst criticism) and then between RM3000 to RM4000 for work permits (also to agents). According to the Home Ministry, however, only 379,020 undocumented migrants working for 33,053 employers have been legalized. More than 70% remain undocumented – not only is this a colossal waste of money for the 1 million migrants who registered under the programme, it also raises serious questions as to where (or to whom) this money has been channeled to. This also leaves these 1 million migrants in a state of terrifying limbo, as the marching drums of 4 million enforcement officers coming their way grow louder. Some agents (approved by the Home Ministry) have also expressed frustration with this 6P programme. The applications for work permits (for migrant workers) have been rejected because the factories are either operating illegally or are built on land designated for agriculture. Illegal factories are not the fault of the workers, but this rejection of applications will undoubtedly affect migrants who will be the target of arrest and detention. It is the responsibility of the government to address the issue of illegal factories, which is a national phenomena and a consequence of corruption. Migrants should not be targeted for this failure of the State to practice good governance. Before any of these problems are addressed, our sources inform us that new recruitment of migrant workers from Bangladesh will begin in June 2012, especially for placements in FELDA schemes. Why is there a need for new recruitment when more than a million migrants are registered and waiting to be ‘regularised’? Will the failure of this amnesty program called 6P be the rationale for the government to approve new recruitment of migrant workers? And will the recruitment of migrants be used again as a means for political financing as revealed in the graft trial of the Director-General of Immigration in 2007? Understanding that lists of names and fingerprints do not rectify the structural flaws in our migration system, the 6P begs the question if there is a greater incentive to maintaining the status quo. The Home Minister seems to be in a state of self-inflicted paralysis when it comes to accountability and addressing the embedded corruption in our migration system. The government appears intent in continuing this oppressive and corrupt system that continuously profits from the poor and vulnerable. Through this, there is continued disrespect for fundamental human rights of people especially migrants and refugees. Tenaganita therefore calls for: 1. The immediate halt to the crackdown on migrants and refugees 2. The release of detainees, and an end to forced deportations of migrants and refugees 3. A systematic plan to address the structural flaws in our migration system, including enacting legalisation to recognize refugees and a comprehensive rights-based policy for the recruitment, placement and employment of migrants and refugees in Malaysia. We also firmly call for an immediate end to the attacks on migrants and refugees for the failures of the State. DR IRENE FERNANDEZ - Executive Director of Tenaganita (The views expressed above belongs to the author in its entirety and does not represent the opinion of Malaysian Mirror in any way)

Dr Irene Fernandez - Tenaganita Wednesday, 22 February 2012 15:30

The recent status report given by the Home Ministry together with the new deadline for April 10 2012 reveals that out of the 1.3 million undocumented workers registered into the biometric system, 1 million or more still remain as undocumented workers with no work permits or permits rejected by the Immigration department. It is indeed a clear sign of a program doomed to fail. The 6P program is hailed by the government as an effective means to resolve the problem of ‘illegal migrants and workers’ in Malaysia. There are two problematic premises here: Firstly, it places the burden of proof of her legality of stay in Malaysia on the migrant and refugee, who in actual fact has no control over existing legislation and labour practices that render him/her undocumented., Secondly, it reinforces the inhumane notion that any person without adequate administrative documents is not worthy of existing (illegal), and should be treated with the harshest of punishments, including torture (whipping), restriction of fundamental freedoms (detention) and forced return. The reality, however, is that in the case of migrant workers, through a system that facilitates corruption by agents and employers, institutionalized labour trafficking through the practice of outsourcing, and widespread cheating by recruitment agents, 80% of migrants become undocumented in Malaysia. The power to renew the work permit also lies with the employer or the agent, not the migrant, but the current enforcement and legal framework’ holds the migrant accountable when employers shirk their responsibilities. In the case of refugees, an absence of a legal framework to recognize and protect refugees renders them ‘undocumented’. Almost 100, 000 refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while tens of thousands more wait in line to seek asylum. Without any legislation or comprehensive policies to protect the rights of refugees, genuine asylum-seekers who have yet to be registered with UNHCR are treated as criminals who have breached Immigration laws; while in the case of registered refugees, enforcement officers arbitrarily either acknowledge or reject their UNHCR-issued documents. In both instances, refugees in Malaysia are subjected to arrest, detention, even whipping and deportation (a violation of the international principle of non-refoulement). The State renders the refugee ‘undocumented’ – the State therefore must be held accountable, not the refugee. The Malaysian government is overdue in rectifying this institutionalized breach of human rights. In addition to these notoriously unjust premises of the 6P, the implementation of the programme has thus far been chaotic and lacking in transparency and accountability. The Home Minister has also been bullish and bloating in a force of power; stating that 4 million enforcement personnel, including 2.8 million civilians clothed as RELA are waiting to pounce on migrants (a threat also on the refugee community). The fear and terror is intense in the migrant and refugee community. On 11th February 2012 (four days before the then deadline of 15th February), between 100 to 200 migrants (including refugees) were arrested near Pasar Seni (Central Market), Kuala Lumpur. Eyewitnesses state that immigration officers placed ‘yellow tags’ on the migrants and refugees, before carting them away into 4 Immigration trucks. Despite contacting the Immigration Department for more information, Tenaganita (but more importantly, the migrants & refugees) do not know the reasons for their arrest; there is no transparency in the numbers of migrants and refugees arrested, nor do we know where they are detained. Mahmood Adam, Secretary-General of the Home Ministry in a press statement issued on 14th February 2012 stated that 94,856 migrants have been deported since the 6P programme began. No further information was provided about these migrants; what are their nationalities? Why were they deported? Are they persons of concern / asylum seekers? We’ve received unconfirmed reports that there may be detainees from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kashmir currently in the KLIA Depot – are they potential asylum seekers waiting to be deported? These questions are even more urgent in the context of Malaysia flagrantly endangering the lives of asylum seekers, as clearly seen in the rapid deportation of Hamza Kashgari, the Saudi Arabian asylum seeker (2012) and in the deportation of 11 Uighur refugees back to China (2011). The guise of a ‘migration management programme’ to deport persons of concern to the international community cannot continue, and the Malaysian government must meet the demands of transparency and accountability, as its actions have detrimental consequences to the lives of people. The lack of transparency, clarity and goodwill throughout the 6P programme has not only created anxiety among migrants, refugees and even employers, but it has also swung the doors for corruption wide open. As of December 2011, 2.6 million migrants came forward to register under the 6P, half of whom were undocumented migrants. Despite the uncertainties, migrants have demonstrated a clear willingness to ‘regularize’ their status in Malaysia. Many migrants have paid the initial RM300 to agents for registration under the biometric system (an amount sanctioned by the Malaysian government, before it was reduced to RM35 amidst criticism) and then between RM3000 to RM4000 for work permits (also to agents). According to the Home Ministry, however, only 379,020 undocumented migrants working for 33,053 employers have been legalized. More than 70% remain undocumented – not only is this a colossal waste of money for the 1 million migrants who registered under the programme, it also raises serious questions as to where (or to whom) this money has been channeled to. This also leaves these 1 million migrants in a state of terrifying limbo, as the marching drums of 4 million enforcement officers coming their way grow louder. Some agents (approved by the Home Ministry) have also expressed frustration with this 6P programme. The applications for work permits (for migrant workers) have been rejected because the factories are either operating illegally or are built on land designated for agriculture. Illegal factories are not the fault of the workers, but this rejection of applications will undoubtedly affect migrants who will be the target of arrest and detention. It is the responsibility of the government to address the issue of illegal factories, which is a national phenomena and a consequence of corruption. Migrants should not be targeted for this failure of the State to practice good governance. Before any of these problems are addressed, our sources inform us that new recruitment of migrant workers from Bangladesh will begin in June 2012, especially for placements in FELDA schemes. Why is there a need for new recruitment when more than a million migrants are registered and waiting to be ‘regularised’? Will the failure of this amnesty program called 6P be the rationale for the government to approve new recruitment of migrant workers? And will the recruitment of migrants be used again as a means for political financing as revealed in the graft trial of the Director-General of Immigration in 2007? Understanding that lists of names and fingerprints do not rectify the structural flaws in our migration system, the 6P begs the question if there is a greater incentive to maintaining the status quo. The Home Minister seems to be in a state of self-inflicted paralysis when it comes to accountability and addressing the embedded corruption in our migration system. The government appears intent in continuing this oppressive and corrupt system that continuously profits from the poor and vulnerable. Through this, there is continued disrespect for fundamental human rights of people especially migrants and refugees. Tenaganita therefore calls for: 1. The immediate halt to the crackdown on migrants and refugees 2. The release of detainees, and an end to forced deportations of migrants and refugees 3. A systematic plan to address the structural flaws in our migration system, including enacting legalisation to recognize refugees and a comprehensive rights-based policy for the recruitment, placement and employment of migrants and refugees in Malaysia. We also firmly call for an immediate end to the attacks on migrants and refugees for the failures of the State. DR IRENE FERNANDEZ - Executive Director of Tenaganita (The views expressed above belongs to the author in its entirety and does not represent the opinion of Malaysian Mirror in any way) Source : http://malaysianmirror.com/

Refugees fear mass deportation

They fear being caught up in the impending crackdown on illegal workers.

PETALING JAYA: Refugees and asylum seekers have been allegedly sacked by their bosses with the introduction of the 6P amnesty programme, and they fear an impending crackdown.

Myanmarese asylum seeker Patrick Sang claimed that local employers didn’t want to go through the trouble of registering this group with the Immigration Department.

“Since the news of the major crackdowns and accompanying measures, many of the refugees and asylum seekers and their families have been fired by their bosses.”

“They lost their jobs…because employers didn’t register them under the 6P programme,” he told reporters today at Tenaganita’s office.

Sang was referring to the government’s 6P amnesty programme which started last June to legalise illegal foreign workers.

Thus far, only 379,020 illegal foreign workers have been legalised by the Immigration Department.

One million undocumented individuals, however, have either no work permits or have seen them rejected thus far.

A total of 94,856 migrants have been deported to their home countries since the programme’s inception.

Refugees and asylum seekers at risk

Some have speculated that the programme, which has been extended to April 10, will see a crackdown on migrant workers who have not yet been legalised by the government.

Refugees and asylum seekers are especially at risk, as they are not recognised as such in Malaysia. Instead, they are classified by the government as undocumented individuals.

They are especially concerned with the federal government boasting a four-million-enforcement-agent deployment against illegals after programme’s deadline.

This, according to Sang, was a very real fear for asylum seekers like him who face detention and deportation.

“It seem like there’s going to be huge crackdown (after April 10). Why don’t they just postpone the crackdown? If they want to exercise it, do it after all the refugees and asylum seekers are recognised.”

“If the registration for the refugee does not take place before April 10, all the refugees and asylum seekers are going to be in big trouble.”

“It heightens our fear. (If they register us) we don’t have to live with this fear daily,” he said.

Even a registration in March for nearly 100,000 refugees would be too late, Sang added. He said that it would take two or three months to fully register and legalise an individual.

Tenaganita executive director Irene Fernandez called for an immediate halt on the impending crackdown on migrants and refugees.

She also asked for migrant and refugee detainees to be released, as well as the government to stop deporting them.

Criticising the 6P programme, Fernandez said that a systematic plan was needed to address the “structural flaws” in the country’s migration system.

Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/

Myanmar refugees not eligible for 6P programme

MENTAKAB: Refugees from Myanmar are not eligible for the Comprehensive Legalisation Programme for Illegal Immigrants (6P), Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said Friday.

This, he said, was because they were covered and protected under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the government could not interfere into their affairs.

"According to the UNHCR law, they are placed in the country temporarily pending their transfer to countries which are willing to accept them.

"These refugees are not allowed to work as their welfare is being taken care of by UNHCR," he added.

He was responding to complaints from the Myanmar refugees who claimed they had been laid off by employers who wanted to avoid problems with the Immigration Department in the course of registering them for the 6P programme. Subramaniam said the refugees could not blame the government for the problem.

"They have to discuss this problem (laid off) with the Home Ministry because if they really want to work, they have to get special permission from the Home Ministry," he told reporters after presenting personal identification documents under the MyDaftar campaign here on Friday.

He said the 6P programme was only for illegal immigrants.

Source : TheStarOnline

Myammar women refugees band together to help each other

Myammar women refugees are banding together to lift up their spirits amid harsh living conditions here.

MYAMMAR refugee Tanda Htun is no stranger to hardship. It has been six years since the 30-year-old Myammar woman fled the military regime back in her home country, and still she continues to live with fear and uncertainty. In Malaysia, Tanda has worked in restaurants and polished cars at a car wash, and she constantly worries about being arrested by the police again.

“I was a social worker in Myammar, promoting Mon culture. But the government doesn’t allow this, they don’t want you to practise your culture,” says Tanda.

Although Tanda lives with five other families in a small flat here, and is unsure of what her future holds, she says life here is still better than in Myammar.

Tanda is one of the 28,500 registered women refugees from Myammar who fled to Malaysia to escape persecution under the military rule. They are hoping to be repatriated to a third country which will grant them permanent residence. However, there is no telling when and if they will eventually be repatriated. In the meantime, they live here and try to eke out a living.

Lighter and happier: Apar working the weaving loom with her six-month-old daughter.

Malaysia is not a signatory of the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which recognises the rights of refugees and accords them protection. Under Malaysian law, there is no distinction between a refugee and an illegal immigrant. Even if they have registered with the United Nations Refugee Centre (UNHCR) in Malaysia, they have no access to legal employement or formal education. They can be detained, locked up and deported even if they hold a UNHCR card.

“Many of the women are depressed or show signs of depression,” says Elodie Voisin, Volunteer Coordinator at Tanma Federation, a union of three Myammar women refugee groups based in Kuala Lumpur. “They cannot eat, they cannot sleep, they feel hopeless and live in fear every day.”

Tanma Federeration

There are about 98,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the UNHCR in Malaysia. About 88,500 are Myammar nationals, and they are usually divided according to their ethnic groups. There is a support network within these communities, and they have initiatives to help their countrymen cope with life here. This includes setting up schools for the children, and income-generating projects for the women. One of these organisations is Tanma Federation, whose mission is to create a safe place for Myammar women to earn an income, protect their rights and empower them through skills learning programmes.

Tanma means “strength” in the Myammar language. Since its inception in 2010, the organisation has managed to unite and empower some 200 Myammar refugee women in Malaysia.

Tanda is now concentrated on making soap and massage oil based on traditional Mon recipes at Kaoprise, one of the three livelihood projects in the Tanma Federation.

Many Mon people are farmers who live far away from modern healthcare facilities, they are well-versed in the art of self-remedy. All Kaoprise products are organic and made from plant-based ingredients such as lemon grass, coconut oil and vanilla.

“The coconut oil is what my mother used on me when I was young. It is good for the skin and the hair,” says Tanda.

The other two groups in Tanma are Mang Tha (run by the Alliance of Chin Refugees) and the Chin Women’s Organisation (CWO). Mang Tha makes sewn and woven products such as soft bags, pouches, baby slings, passport holders and bibs – they can basically make anything that people bring to them.

Their best-selling item is the baby ring sling which is already being sold in certain baby shops in the Klang Valley. You will recognise it by the unique Chin fabric it is made of. All Mang Tha products are made from this unique fabric which is woven in the centre itself. Apar who heads Mang Tha, with her baby in her arms, shows how a woman winds yarn with a machine made from a bicycle wheel. “Then they do the weaving in there,” she says, pointing to a large wooden contraption that takes up an entire room.

Beyond money

Tanma provides the women with more than a safe place to earn income.

“Before Tanma, the women stayed at home because they were afraid to work outside as they worried about being caught by Rela or the police,” said Apar. “But after coming to Mang Tha they are happier, they make new friends and can share how they feel.”

Tanma is housed in a shoplot in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. They do not only weave cloth and make soap to sell, but also attend classes. There are English lessons, and they also learn communication, leadership, and money management skills. Women who used to run out of the room because someone was watching them speak are now discussing issues such as human rights, gender-based violence and Fair Trade marketing.

The Tanma centres are also places where the women could gather and meet up with other Myammar women.

Many of these Myammar women also bear the responsibilty of looking after their children. It is not uncommon to find a few refugee children at the centre after school or babies being passed around while their mothers work. The women describe coming to the centre and feeling “lighter and happier.”

“We forget our stress (at home), to come to the centre is very good,” says Tanda.

For her, the most valuable thing she has gained from Tanma is confidence. She loves the training programmes and has picked up many skills. “I now know how to coach other women, to counsel people, to write proposals and to manage women’s projects,” she says.

She put these skills to practise in leading Kaoprise. “Now, even the men call me when they want to discuss financial matters, or want to know how to solve certain problems.”

Tanma also runs classes to help Myammar couples deal with violence.

For many Myammar refugees, home is a cramped flat shared with four or five other families, and even single men. In this environment, it is not uncommon for couples to fight due to jealousy and suspected infidelities. With the woman’s family and relatives far away, the men also tend to be more controlling over their wives.

“In Myanmar, the men want to see food and water on the table ready when they come home from work. And here, it is the same. They don’t want the women to go out for social activities, classes or training. They want the women to cook and clean the house.”

When the women start to earn income in cooperatives such as Tanma, the husbands can get violent. This is why the gender-based violence training programmes are very important. They help ease the conflict between husband and wife, and make it easier and safer for the women to work. It also empowers the women to speak out if they are victims of abuse, when they would previously have just kept quiet and accepted it as part of their culture.

Supporting the business

Tanma now sells its products in churches and bazaars; they do not have fixed retail outlets. They are supported by various expatriate groups and their products are popular at Fair Trade shops in France and Belgium. However, the women prefer to focus on the local market. “We want to reach Malaysian people,” says Elodie. “We want to spread the message that ‘we are here, we need help’.”

Tanma invites people to help by sharing any skills the women could learn, volunteering some time to drive the women to sales venues or discuss partnerships on how they could work together. “We want to coax Malaysians to work with us. Treat us like people, not refugees.” says Tanda.

Tanma operates out of a few shop lots situated in Pudu, where many Myammar refugees have set up home. Sometimes a flat with a kitchen and a bathroom is shared by seven families. It might be cheaper to live further away but change is hard.

“The community is here. The community centre, the schools and the men work nearby. If anything should happen, they have friends here, they feel safe,” says Elodie.

Tanma products can be purchased at Tiny Tapir (Bangsar Village II Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur) or at online store, elevyn.com. For more information, please call 014-666 1435 or 03-7770 3671, or visit tanmawomen.org or on Facebook at Tanma Federation.

They will also be setting up stall at Stand Out, an International Women’s Day Fundraiser event on March 8 from 7-11pm, at Doppel Cafe, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur.

Source : TheStar Online

Chin Learning Center Won First Prize for Neighbourhood Cleaning Competition in Malaysia

19 February 2012: The Chin Diamond Learning Center, a community-based informal school run by Chin refugees in Malaysia, has won the first prize of community sanitation service competition organized by the UNHCR's Social Protection Fund (SPF).

Out of the total 23 groups participating in a neighbourhood cleaning-up service as a part of a competition under the Jom Gotong-Royong programme, the Chin Diamond Learning Center received the highest score for best performance.  

In a ceremony held at the Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur, the first prize of 3,000 Ringgits was presented to the Chin Diamond Learning Center, with the second award to the Kachin refugee community and the third to the Zomi Education Center.

Thanking UNHCR for organizing the programme, leader of the Chin Diamond Learning Center said their Malaysian neighbourhood was so much impressed with the voluntary cleaning services, adding: "They personally came out and helped us. Sometimes, they served us lunch and even provided their cars. The prize is due to parts of their support."

The clean-up service, which is aimed for refugees from other countries to give back to the local community, included sweeping the roadside, clearing up the drains and collecting rubbishes in the surrounding areas.

Started in November last year, the competition ended in January 2012 with UNHCR members conducting an evaluation on conditions at the sites of the clean-up in a bid to make decisions on the winner.

Last December, Lal Siam Mawi, of the Chin Disciplinary Action Committee (CDAC), was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that the team has been cleaning up the area before the competition.

There are about 86,000 refugees coming from Burma out of an estimated total of 95,000 in Malaysia, of which over 45,000 are of Chin ethnicity.

World Relief organization welcomes first refugee family to Oshkosh

When David Piang, all earnest and young and handsome, blurted in a Starbucks coffee shop in Oshkosh Wednesday afternoon, “I have to help. I know how they feel. They are excited now,” he meant it.

He was shy and serious at first, but his face lit up when he said the words and anticipated the part he would play in welcoming a Burmese refugee family to Oshkosh that night.

Piang was a refugee from Myanmar, also known as Burma, three years ago who lived first in Spokane, Wash., for two years before coming to Oshkosh a year ago. He knows how Wai Hinn Oo, 32, and his wife, Nang Shwe Thein, and their 2-year-old daughter Christina Jolie feel — excitement mixed with fear of the unknown along with a huge amount of anticipation for a chance at a good life sums it up.

Piang had just finished his job for the day at Pick N Save, where he makes sushi, when he made the stop at Starbucks. He talked about the part he would play in welcoming the members of the refugee family who were expected to arrive on a flight that evening at Outagamie Regional Airport. Piang would act as an interpreter.

“Before we came to this country we had a dream. We studied about America in school. We were very excited to come to the United States. Everything changed,” he said in careful English.

The language barrier is the hardest part for refugees, Piang said. He said he intended to encourage this new family to go to school to learn the language.

He made arrangements for him and his wife Di Dim to ride along with the welcoming party that would travel to the Appleton airport that night.

Oshkosh has become the home of hundreds of refugees from other parts of the world – Sudan, Iraq, Somalia and Laos. People from these lands came to Oshkosh under the auspices of humanitarian organizations such as World Relief, Shelter Now International and Catholic Diocese of Green Bay’s Catholic Charities Resettlement a and Immigration Services.

They came to escape persecution for ethnic, political or religious reasons.

Piang, a member of the Chin tribe, fled the country of his birth nearly seven years ago during a time of mounting military activity. 

Source : http://www.thenorthwestern.com

Concert in aid of young refugees

HELP University in collaboration with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under Project Self-Help will be organising a charity concert by the Canticle Singers on Feb 24 and 25. The event will raise funds to provide free educational opportunities for young refugees in Malaysia.

This project is ongoing to enable refugees to gain some skills that will enable them to earn an income and live independently regardless of their circumstances, and provide them with dignity and self-respect.

Giving pointers : A Project Self- Help class being conducted for refugees.

HELP University has designed a special programme for the refugees where they attend practical classes in a few areas such as English, hospitality, culinary skills, auto mechanics and multimedia.

Classes are ongoing for the refugees but funds are needed so more can attend the classes which are conducted by experienced tutors.

To raise funds for this Project Self-Help, HELP University has arranged a musical evening with the Canticle Singers titled “Odds and Ends”, an arrangement of solo duets and choral songs for the entertainment of the public who are invited to this event.

Those who enjoy music are invited to HELP University, Conference Hall, BZ-2, Pusat Bandar Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. 

Source : TheStar

Chin Community celebrates their culture

021812ChinCelebration2 Van Peng, front and Ngun Hlei Par perform a skit that shows traditional hunting during the cultural demonstration at a celebration of the 65th Chin National Day at King Edward Public School.

David Bebee/Record staff

KITCHENER — Tucked vulnerably between India and Bangladesh and sitting at the western edge of Burma, also called Myanmar, the tiny state of Chin has struggled for centuries to maintain their culture and independence. Theirs is a story of a people who continue to be dominated by more powerful forces yet steadfastly refuse to be assimilated.

Every February for the past six years, a small cluster of Chin people gather in Kitchener to celebrate Chin National Day which falls on Feb. 20, though this year’s celebration took place Saturday at King Edward Public School’s auditorium.

Victor Khambil, president of the K-W Chin Community and a staunch supporter of both his people and their culture said there are only 253 Chins in the region and that national day celebrations are important for their children, to keep their culture alive.

The day’s festivities were filled with food, music, dance and dark-eyed children darting around the halls and among the adults. What was most striking was the clothing, a vivid array of reds, oranges, yellows and blues with women wearing sometimes two gold belts and skirts swinging wildly with strands of beads. Khambil explained, there are many dialects among his people – he speaks nine - and each village has it’s own traditional fabric colours and patterns.

“When we get together, it’s very colourful,” he said, a wide sash of brilliantly coloured cloth tied across one shoulder and draping to his knees, a traditional style for men.

Khambil is not surprised few people in Waterloo Region are familiar with Chin culture, given their small population. The first Chin arrived in the region in 2003 and few have followed, largely because of immigration restrictions.

“All of us are refugees,” he said, adding his fellow Chins have limited English skills so they end up in low-skilled positions.

Khambil arrived in Canada from Malaysia in 2004, settling first in Thunder Bay where he attended college for two years. Today, he spends much of his time helping his people, including returning to Malaysia where 50,000 Chin live as refugees, as they do in India where he estimates there are 60,000 refugees.

“There are seven states in Burma, Chin is the poorest,” he said, adding that in Burma, their numbers are about 500,000 in the strictly controlled Chin State and that they are “100 percent Christians” in a largely Buddhist society.

As a fiercely independent people, the Chin’s history is one of constant struggle. They came from the plains of Mongolia, migrating south to Burma around 1000 AD. In modern times, the Chins have been controlled by the British, then their borders were divided between Pakistan and India. When the Union of Burma gained independence from the British, they took the Chin territory with them and since then, it’s been a struggle to maintain their identity.

In February, 1948, the Chin were determined to recognize themselves as a democratic nation and so 5,000 gathered from across the Burmese state for the first National Day celebration. Today, any such celebration is banned in Burma.

In Waterloo Region, this year’s celebration marked their sixth and it seemed more like a family reunion. With so few numbers of Chin in the region, Khambil admits everyone knows everyone, then adds with a laugh, “and everyone’s children, and everyone’s house.”

Despite their small numbers, the region’s Chin population attends two different Christian churches, though they often blend their activities.

“We are always together,” he said, happily. 

vhill@therecord.com

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam Tackling Tamil Refugee Crisis in Malaysia Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/Transnational-Government-of-Tamil-Eelam-Tackling-3335448.php#ixzz1mdSYBF4Z

Ministers from the transnational Tamil government and human rights lawyers recently completed a fact-finding mission in Malaysia. Tamil refugees testified they have been victim of harassment and intimidation.

New York, New York (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

In January, Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) ministers Muthukumarasamy Ratna, and Alex Doss went to Malaysia, accompanied by David Matas, an international human rights lawyer, to investigate claims of harsh living conditions by Tamil refugees to the Southeast Asian country. The TGTE mission discovered that, while Malaysia has taken some positive steps to address difficulties faced by refugees, Tamils still claim to face discrimination, employment abuse and violence.
The three man delegation worked in connection with a new NGO, the Sri Lankan Tamil Refugee Organization of Malaysia (STROM), dedicated to helping refugees with welfare, education, healthcare, employment, security, and resettlement. They visited the UNHCR, human rights lawyers, and conducted over 250 in-home visits with Tamil refugees. According to the UNHCR, there are 4268 Tamil refugees, overall in Malaysia.
The TGTE Ministry said, “During our fact finding mission, numerous Tamil refugees claimed that exploitation, kidnappings, police harassment, extortion, and rapes have occurred amongst the refugees in Malaysia.” According to STROM, since Tamil refugees are made to sign Malay language documents in which they pledge a return to Sri Lanka, they live with personal uncertainty, anxiety and stress, and fear venturing out on their own.
The group identified a large number of Tamil war widows left with children. Currently, these children are barred from attending schools. “In five to ten years, what would become of them?” asked Minister M. Ratna. Matas added “Though Malaysia is not a signatory country to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it is still subject to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” The convention provides that children of asylum seekers and refugees shall ‘receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance,’ and will cooperate with the UN in providing those services.
“To date, Malaysia has not taken any steps to protect the rights of the children of refugees. The government should take initiative for their education, as there are over 500 Tamil schools throughout the country to facilitate them,” Matas said.
The TGTE Ministry also reported many cases of refugees not getting paid for working odd jobs. “This seems to be a big problem as they are unable to sustain their families,” the delegation reported. Access to healthcare was another difficulty uncovered by the delegation. Although many have amputated limbs or shrapnel in their body, they are not receiving medical attention, and the Tamil elderly lack access to necessary care.
The Ministry explained, “Tamil refugees in Malaysia are under the risk of being deported back to Sri Lanka, where they face imminent threat to life. Because of their ‘non-legal’ status in the country, many claim to be harassed by the police, and RELA Corps, a civilian volunteer police force. These civilian police are paid an 80 Ringgit incentive per arrest. This can make refugees a target for arrest or extortion.
SUARAM, a Malaysian human rights group, says that the Malaysian government makes things harder for refugees. Malaysia has shown no intention of ratifying the 1951 UNCHR Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, according to SUARAM. Currently refugees and asylum seekers have no legal status in Malaysia. Even if a refugee is formally registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Malaysian law does not recognize that the country has any obligation to provide protection, according to SUARAM.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/press-releases/article/Transnational-Government-of-Tamil-Eelam-Tackling-3335448.php#ixzz1mdSTl6JP