IDEAS Academy to offer more educational freedom for refugee and stateless children in Malaysia

In Malaysia, educational freedom is a growing option for refugee and stateless children thanks to a new project by IDEAS Academy.

The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), an Atlas Network partner in Malaysia, is taking a bold new step in the direction of implementing school choice by opening up its own school, IDEAS Academy, for refugee and stateless children.

The idea to start the school started last December, after IDEAS found that there was a need in the refugee/stateless community for secondary school options. There were (and still are) many primary schools for these children in Malaysia, but few offer secondary education. “We want to make education accessible to everyone,” says Trine Engskov, IDEAS Academy general manager.

IDEAS is collaborating with a Dutch NGO and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to create this school. Because of the international makeup of IDEAS Academy, classes will be taught in English.

IDEAS Academy already has 20 students waiting to sign up, and it is expecting that number to rise to 100 by the end of the year when the school opens. In addition to providing education, the academy is looking to provide a number of programs for its students including outings, movie nights and workshops. “We want to create a platform for students to be safe and be young,” Engskov says.

Secondary school education will soon be a reality for refugees and stateless children in Malaysia when the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) opens its academy in Kuala Lumpur by the end of this year. 

To be called the Ideas Academy, the school is in collaboration with a Dutch NGO, Stichting Young Refugee Cause, and aims to provide high-quality education to youths aged 12 to 20 using the International Canadian Syllabus, for a minimal fee.

"We want to make education accessible to everyone. No matter what their situation is, we want to make it available for them," said Ideas Academy's general manager Trine Engskov.

"And we have to offer a programme that really matters. So when they come out, they will have something that really matters, that will work for them.”

The idea of the academy came about in December last year, after Ideas found there was a need to set up a secondary school for stateless and refugee children.

"There are many refugee community learning centres and they only offer primary education. So when they reach a certain age and level, they have nowhere to go.

"So we are trying to fill in the gap," Engskov said.

She said that the Canadian syllabus was being used as it was the most comprehensive one, without being "nation-specific".

"We're going to have students from many different countries. There will be Malaysian students and there will be refugee students who come from a wide range of countries and continents.

"As it will be an international setting, the language in the school will be English. If possible, we will also be on the road for international accreditation," the Danish national added.

She said the biggest challenge in setting up the school was finding an appropriate building in the designated area, Pudu, leading to delays in opening the school.

"One of our biggest challenges is finding the perfect building for the school. Once we have that, we are set to go. And then, there is the finances part," Engskov said.

The Ideas Academy already has about 20 students waiting to sign up and it is expected to grow to 100 students in its first year.

"It is a four-year course, so our capacity will be about 400 students.

"We have been working closely with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and other NGOs to spread the word about the school and round up students," said Engskov, adding that they were in the midst of recruiting full-time teachers for the school.

"Because we are teaching Canadian syllabus, we are hoping to have some Canadian teachers who are Ontario-qualified and we are also looking for some local teachers," she added.

Besides regular education curriculum, the school would also organise programmes for the youths such as outings, workshops, movie nights and parties.

"We want to give them everything that other children have... that is normal for other children. So why should they be denied these things?

"We want to create a platform for students to be safe and be young. That is important for their confidence," she added. – July 5, 2014.

JOB : Volunteer Legal Advocate (VLA)-Malaysia

Opening: Starting October 2014. Applications accepted on a rolling basis for Fall and Spring positions. Remuneration: Please note that all Asylum Access VLA positions are unpaid. We are happy to work with successful applicants to arrange for funding or school credit where available. The VLA will be responsible for expenses incurred relating to obtaining their visa. Details and orientation on required documents and procedure in applying for visas will be shared with successful candidates.

Asylum Access Malaysia (AAM) is actively seeking applications from individuals passionate about social justice and refugee rights, and who are driven to make a positive impact in the lives of refugees living in Malaysia. Volunteer Legal Advocates (VLAs) will commit to a minimum of six months in Malaysia where they will be supervised by the Legal Services Coordinator/Manager, and will work alongside other refugee advocates and fellow volunteers. Following an intensive training program in international refugee law and domestic laws and policies on refugees, VLAs will play a key role in executing AAM’s advocacy tools:

(1) Legal aid: VLAs will provide legal counsel and advice to refugees seeking asylum before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia. They will also assist in the representation of clients during Refugee Status Determination (RSD) proceedings in the UNHCR.

(2) Community Outreach: VLAs will also be given the opportunity to participate in community legal empowerment initiatives, develop materials for Know-Your-Situation workshops and handouts for refugee community members, and participate in other activities to reach refugees where they are.

AAM looks forward to its launch of direct legal services to refugees living in Kuala Lumpur in October 2014. VLAs starting in October 2014 will have the unique opportunity join AAM’s dynamic launch team and help shape AAMs legal aid and community legal empowerment programs. In addition, during this exciting launch period, VLAs can play an important role in collaborating to create and update templates, protocols and manuals as well as collect crucial institutional information and best practices that will serve as a foundation for all AAMs legal services work.

Vacancy: Volunteer Legal Advocate

Asylum Access Malaysia

AAM fosters a collaborative team environment, to which all VLAs will contribute. The VLAs help to support the full management of the office, which includes participating in direct office administration essential to the successful running of AAM operations. VLAs may be also expected to facilitate community activities, present information about Asylum Access and refugee rights at community events, and organize conferences and meetings.

Position Responsibilities

VLAs for the October 2014 intake are responsible for the following duties:

Advise refugees on the RSD process and assist them to understand their rights and

domestic laws and policies that govern them;

Conduct client intake and screening interviews, assess needs, and identify and refer

relevant service providers as needed;

Interview refugees and submit written briefs on behalf of those undergoing individual

RSD before UNHCR;

Maintain a potentially high caseload of RSD cases in a fast paced, demanding

environment while adhering to strict filing deadlines;

Communicate updates with clients on a timely basis;

Conduct research on Country of Origin Information (COI) and refugee law jurisprudence;

Develop material for “Know Your Situation” workshops for refugees, work with

translators to adapt materials, and teach and/or participate in the workshops;

Participate in community meetings and assist in identifying and developing the

leadership capacity of community members;

Assist in developing and executing client outreach strategy in collaboration with the AAM

team;

Assist with the general administrative duties of the office, including helping to build

administrative capacity within the office to meet demand as AAM grows.

Preferred Qualifications:

● Ability to commit to at least 6 months of full-time service-work;

● Degree in Law (specialization in International Law, International Refugee Law or

International Human Rights Law an asset);

Vacancy: Volunteer Legal Advocate

Asylum Access Malaysia

Experience working in direct clients services, ideally with asylum seekers or in human rights, as well as a strong passion for social justice work;

Experience working with vulnerable populations and/or survivors of trauma;

Community organizing experience an asset;

Experience working in a non-profit or legal aid setting with limited resources, ideally in

the global south;

Experience living and working cross-culturally, preferably in Southeast Asia or other

areas with large refugee populations;

Aptitude to successfully complete assigned tasks with minimal oversight while serving

clients with the highest ethical standards;

Understanding of the importance of working as part of a team and the ability to follow the

direction of AAM management staff;

An easygoing personality with demonstrated capacity to handle living and working in an

ad-hoc environment where difficult situations and crises can develop at a moment’s

notice;

A positive, flexible personality and attitude;

Professional written and verbal English is required, knowledge of other languages

(Burmese, Arabic, Tamil, Urdu, Somali, Farsi, French) very helpful.

Program Highlights

Refugee Rights Training and Professional Development – Throughout VLAs work with AAM, the organization will support VLAs with a series of tools to maximize their programmatic work and their understanding of refugee law and practice. Regular training and debriefing sessions will offer VLAs the chance to enhance and process their experience and share insight about cross-cultural issues.

Casework – Upon joining the team, VLAs will be largely responsible for their own casework, which they will see through preparation, submission and results. Throughout the life of a case, they will receive support and mentorship from AAM’s leadership team. This will give VLAs the practical experience of legal representation, client contact, research, brief writing, and other invaluable legal experience.

Vacancy: Volunteer Legal Advocate

Asylum Access Malaysia

Joining our Network – After working with Asylum Access, VLAs will be connected with an ever-growing network of refugee legal advocates around the world, which circulates job openings, research opportunities, refugee news, and more. VLAs will have access to the mentorship of AAM’s leadership team.

How to apply:

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and a legal writing sample (between 2 - 3 pages) todeepa.nambiar@asylumaccess.org with the subject line “VLA Application - Malaysia”. Applications will be received on a rolling basis for our Fall and Spring positions. Candidates who apply by 11 August 2014 will be prioritized for the October 2014 intake. Please be sure to specify in your cover letter what makes you uniquely qualified to be a VLA with AAM and how volunteering with AAM fits into your career plans. Please also state the dates that you expect to be available.

Each year Asylum Access receives a high number of applications for a handful of VLA positions and thus it is strongly encouraged that applicants submit polished and complete applications as early as possible.

Thailand :Donor funding shift affects Mae Tao Clinic

Patients wait to register for treatment at the Mae Tao Clinic, which provides medical care for tens of thousands of people a year. Photos: Portia Larlee

A shift in funding priorities by donor organisations is affecting the work of the famous Mae Tao Clinic, says its founder, Dr Cynthia Maung.

The clinic has provided healthcare for tens of thousands of Myanmar migrants, refugees and orphans since being founded by Dr Cynthia in the Thai border town of Mae Sot 25 years ago.

But an “interest in prospects of political change in Myanmar” has resulted in a change of priorities by some of the government aid agencies and international NGOs on which the clinic has relied for funding, Dr Cynthia told Mizzima Business Weekly.

Donors were shifting their attention to programs aimed at supporting the return of refugees to Myanmar and it seemed that the Mae Tao Clinic, which also trains healthcare workers in Thailand and Myanmar, did not meet the change in funding criteria, she said.

The quietly spoken doctor, who started the clinic with few resources and a powerful determination to help those in need of healthcare, is the recipient of more than a dozen awards honouring her exemplary humanitarianism.

In 1999 Dr Cynthia, 54, was the first person to receive the Jonathan Mann health and human rights award from the Global Health Council, a network of hundreds of healthcare NGOs based in the United States. She won a Ramon Magsaysay award, often regarded as Asia’s Nobel prize, for community leadership in 2002, an award from the US National Endowment for Democracy in 2012, and in 2013 an honorary doctorate in medicine from Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani University and the Sydney Peace Prize, which cited Dr Cynthia for “her dedication to multi-ethnic democracy, human rights and the dignity of the poor and dispossessed, and for establishing health services for victims of conflict”.

The Australian government has ceased providing funding support for the clinic, which in 2012 spent nearly US$3 million (about K2.9 billion), divided between its health services and child protection programs and had a caseload of more than 100,000 in 2012.

AusAID, the Australian government aid agency which was merged earlier this year with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, provided A$1.5 million (about K1.5 billion) in funding to the clinic from 2011 to 2013. Funding from the Australian government ended in March, said Dr Cynthia.

Signalling its change in funding priorities, the Australian government says on the DFAT website that its humanitarian aid commitments from July 2013 to June 2014 included the provision of “essential services and support preparations” for refugees from Myanmar living in the nine official Thai camps “who may wish to return home in the near future”.

In July 2013, DFAT announced funding totalling A$8 million (about K7.8 billion) over two years for fiveorganisations, including US-based international NGOs International Rescue Committee, Save the Children and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency as well as France-based international NGO Aide Medicale Internationale.

The Border Consortium, an alliance of 10 NGOs based in Thailand which provides food and shelter to refugees in the nine refugee camps, was also among the successful applicants for funding.

They were selected “on the basis of the quality of their proposals through a competitive, merit-based process,” the development assistance counsellor at the Australian embassy in Yangon, Michael Hassett, told Mizzima Business Weekly in an email.

“Due to the number of the proposals received, it was unfortunately not possible to fund them all,” said Mr Hassett.

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would continue to coordinate the placement of Australian volunteer staff at the Mae Tao Clinic, he said.

The unsuccessful funding proposal from the Mae Tao Clinic and a partner group, the Back Pack Health Worker Team which works in Kayin, Mon and Kayah states and other areas, was a training program for health workers in Myanmar and Thailand.

“Maybe we didn’t articulate our work very well,” said Dr Cynthia of the clinic’s unsuccessful application for funding from the Australian government in 2013.

Explaining the rationale for the application, she said the Mae Tao Clinic and the Back Pack Health Worker Team strongly believed that both sides of the border did not have enough health workers or funding for training. "We need to help the health workers improve their skills,” Dr Cynthia said.

To help offset the funding shortfall caused by Australia's decision, she said the clinic received financial support from Asian-based foundations to cover operating costs in 2014 and 2015.

Projects supported by the US, Canadian and British government aid agencies - which provide the clinic with up to 60 percent of its funding - are due to end in 2015, said Dr Cynthia, who is concerned that these donors may also discontinue financial assistance.

“Our recognition of the existing health infrastructure and facilities in ethnic states makes it look like we [Mae Tao Clinic] have not caught up,” with the shift by donors to fund organisations that focus on helping refugees to prepare to return to Myanmar, she said.

Mae Tao Clinic works with the Burma Medical Association, an NGO which operates throughout Myanmar, to train healthcare providers who work in areas including Kayah, Kayin, Shan and Mon states and to standardise training courses in partnership with international NGOs, such as the International Rescue Committee, said Dr Cynthia. The two organisations are also in the process of “reviewing all health systems in different ethnic areas,” she said.

Along with preparing refugees for return, donors are also focussing on integrating the health systems in ethnic minority areas into a national system, known as convergence of social services, she said.

Mae Tao Clinic representatives have met government health officials and NGOs working in Myanmar to discuss convergence, said Dr Cynthia.

The main barrier to convergence in Myanmar is its “highly centralised” health system, she said. “When you say convergence, you're talking about the policy level; dialogue at this level can be difficult because ceasefires are fragile.”

Despite challenges in “decentralising” the health system and creating more space for ethnic organisations, Dr Cynthia acknowledges that the issue is challenging for state governments. “They have goodwill but this is a difficult situation,” she said.

The clinic and its partners, including the Back Pack Health Worker Team and Burma Medical Association, will continue to “strengthen relationships” with the government and to provide health services, said Dr Cynthia.

Dr Cynthia believes that community healthcare providers, such as the clinic, are essential to fill gaps in the Myanmar health system.

“In ethnic states [in Myanmar] the health workforce is minimal; doctors and nurses are only in the city,” she said. “The community itself needs to train and provide basic level services.”

Residents of rural areas in Shan, Kayah, Kayin and Mon states face a range of barriers if they need healthcare. They include language differences and the cost of transport and healthcare for more serious cases at district level hospitals, she said. “The township or district level hospitals need to be prepared to accept these referrals.”

The clinic is constantly striving to improve its clinical services and only about one percent of the patients it sees each year are referred to Mae Sot Hospital, but this accounts for nearly 20 percent of the clinic's health budget, said Dr Cynthia.

For example, basic emergency obstetric cases can be treated at the clinic but caesarian section cases need to be referred to Mae Sot Hospital.

Up until about 1995, the clinic's caseload was mainly workplace injuries and malaria cases. However, Dr Cynthia said an influx of migrants from Myanmar in the mid-1990s meant the clinic saw more female patients and its services were expanded to include reproductive health and child care.

In Myanmar and Thailand, child care and education are a “big worry” for the Mae Tao Clinic, said Dr Cynthia.

“Every day we see me more babies delivered; they will grow up and access to health and education needs to be strengthened for them,” said Dr Cynthia.

The clinic’s activities include a school in Mae Sot for displaced children from Myanmar. The school, known as the Children's Development Centre, enrolled 949 children from nursery age to grade 12 at the start of the 2012/2013 school year, shows the clinic’s report for 2012.

The Bamboo Children's Home in Umpiem refugee camp, in Thailand's Tak Province, is also supported by the clinic and provides food, shelter and access to education for young people who for various reasons are living apart from their parents.

Asked about the clinic’s future at a time of political reform in Myanmar and changing donor priorities, Dr Cynthia said refugees and migrants would continue to live along the border.

“In the future they will need more protection and services,” she said.

About half of the clinic’s patients cross the border illegally and the other half are from the estimated 250,000 Myanmar migrants living in the Mae Sot area, many of whom do not have legal immigration status in Thailand, said Dr Cynthia.

Many migrants and refugees have been traumatised by displacement and many families have been separated, she said. “Children need to grow up feeling like they are in a community and have a family.”

Until the trauma experienced by migrants and refugees as well as their citizenship issues are addressed, Dr Cynthia said migrants and refugees will remain in Thailand, a situation with implications for the peace process in Myanmar.

“Without addressing trauma how can Burma [Myanmar] reach reconciliation and peace?” she said.

The Mae Tao Clinic will continue to focus on providing healthcare in communities on both sides of the border, said Dr Cynthia.

“It is very important that we are not just an institution, but a community network,” she said.

This Article first appeared in the July 31, 2014 edition of Mizzima Business Weekly.

Why Malaysians should be worried about human trafficking

The sordid exploitation behind trafficking is not only morally unbecoming but is also a crime against humanity, says Syerleena Abdul Rashid.

Domestic workers – Photo credit: freemarket.my

Every year, on 20 June, the world celebrates Refugee Day – a day that commemorates the awareness of issues relating to the struggles and advocacy of refugee rights worldwide.

This year, on the same day, the United States government decided Malaysia was not living up to its promise to improve issues relating to human rights and downgraded our nation to ‘Tier 3′ status and subsequently, blacklisted Malaysia. Our country now joins the ranks of North Korea, Iran, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Gambia – a membership to a club no one desires and no one can be proud of.

The recent demotion also means that our country could face possible sanctions at a time when we really need robust policies to help drive our economy because at present, we are aware of how unhealthy things are, even if we are being told otherwise. In addition to the spate of negative press already highlighted in the international media, this recent testimony solidifies Malaysia as a human rights outcast, which is a huge embarrassment to everyone living on this soil and a great insult to the forefathers who created the Federation.

While most Malaysians appear to be apathetic about socio-political issues, the issue of upholding the basic values of humanism is extremely important as this can influence the outcome of our nation – whether we are able to develop ourselves and compete in an increasingly globalized world or if we are to regress and embrace tribalism as a way of living while our economy lies in ruins.

A majority of Malaysians still mistakenly equate human trafficking to prostitution, amongst other things, and this misconception was brought to light during a sex trafficking seminar held in Penang, earlier this year. Hence, it can be assumed that our government’s inactions may be a result of the very same misconception that the public seem to have.

Though it is not entirely clear why our government and other relevant policy makers fail to abide by international laws (relating to human rights to prevent human trafficking), one thing is clear. The attitudes towards human rights and civil liberties have been miscomprehended, intentionally or otherwise.

Human trafficking is best defined as a form of human trade in which people are unwillingly bought and sold for a number of depraved activities. People who are highly susceptible usually come from the lower income group, are illiterate or have very little education; trafficked victims may be women, men or children. But there is a growing trend towards targeting refugees.

The issues that surround trafficked individuals are not as clear cut as some might want you to believe. Situations that lead people into such horrific positions vary from a promise of better economic opportunity, political or religious persecution and even abduction. The results are usually dreadful, and the victims find themselves completely helpless and terrified.

This vicious cycle of abuse is worsened when there are no clear regulations to strengthen legal frameworks, no helpline or assistance once victims find themselve thrown into a system full of apathy and suspicion. Industries that go unchecked are unregulated and untraceable; they are therefore able to financially support a variety of debasing activities such as money laundering, drugs, prostitution and terrorism, to name a few.

Malaysia has been scrutinised in the past, and this led to the signing of the Asean Human Rights Declaration in 2012. This move, whether sincere or superficial, came during a tumultuous period of heavy criticism regarding the way the Malaysian government and authorities handled human rights involving trafficking survivors, undocumented foreigners and refugees. Victims of the country’s poor human rights record also included fellow Malaysians whose only ‘crime’ was that of holding different political beliefs.

Although the declaration promotes an impartial handling of individuals regardless of race, religion, political beliefs or nationality, there is a clause that allows leeway for a nation to implement policies based on whatever and however the governing elite sees fit.

Our country is a source of demand for cheap labour. Because fair labour audits are not widely practised and there are very minimal employment inspections, most companies are able to exploit human capital. For example, we sometimes see advertisements for hourly domestic maids, but many of us fail to see the harsh realities that go hand-in hand in this often exploitative sector. Most of these hourly domestic workers work more than the hours permitted by labour laws and are subjected to harsh working environments with very little rest or access to basic amenities.

Cheap labour affects the economy and influences the job market. The demand for cheap labour from unscrupulous companies (construction sites, massage salons, food and beverage outlets, etc.) may give rise to traffickers who want to profit from this and subsequently, will be able to supply such demand.

Traffickers who collaborate with agents may lull unsuspecting workers with ‘better’ job opportunities abroad and then take away their passports once they have arrived at their destination. Thus, funfortunate migrant workers fall into forced labour and servitude. They are forced to work for a measly amount to pay off their debts and are unable to free themselves from deplorable conditions because they fear that their lives may be in danger.

As a result, skilled and qualified Malaysians are often replaced by unskilled, cheap labour which is counter-productive to our country’s growth. Furthermore, with no proper background checks on past employment history or personal backgrounds, the origins of these workers (where they come from and how they got here) are unclear.

It seems more apparent these days that the idea of embracing human rights has been brushed aside by those who should be supporting it the most. In Malaysia, supporters who advocate such beliefs are labeled as infidels and ungodly and are thus subjected to conditions that guarantee the suppression of any forward-thinking opinions. This idea has also been drilled into the minds of our fellow countrymen and women; hence, we witness never-ending disputes and name calling.

Reports claim that at present, human trafficking generates an estimated profit of US$150bn a year, though one can safely assume that the actual figures are much higher. Additionally, the UN recognises human trafficking as the “second fastest growing criminal enterprise, behind only drug trafficking”.

Human trafficking destroys the legitimacy of commerce and undermines honest commercial institutions. Malaysia’s ‘wholesome’ image as a family-friendly tourism destination and as a credible location for businesses to invest is jeopardised as our country can no longer guarantee fair labour practices or civil liberties – two important pillars that underpin healthy progress.

The sordid exploitation behind trafficking is not only morally unbecoming but is also a crime against humanity. Pro-active policies and convincing methods must thereforce be implemented wholeheartedly to combat human trafficking if we are serious about salvaging our nation’s dignity and integrity. The horrors of human trafficking are limitless and no man, woman or child should ever be made to experience such horrific ordeals.

Travel Restrictions Tighten for Burmese Refugees in Thailand

By SAW YAN NAING

RANGOON — The Thai junta, which has been ruling the country under martial law since May 22, has reportedly stepped up restrictions on the movement of more than 120,000 Burmese refugees living in camps along the Thai-Burma border.

Speaking with The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Saw Honest, chairman of the Mae La refugee camp, said those restrictions included a general ban on travel outside the camps and a curfew.

“Refugees are banned from leaving the camp to seek jobs. Refugees are banned from leaving their homes from 6 pm to 6 am,” he said. “Only those who have special conditions such as medical treatment or other emergency cases can travel, but need to seek official permission.

“Respective Thai security units at every camp informed us about the regulations. We are not allowed to go outside the camp, refugees have been warned not to engage in logging and drug dealing,” added Saw Honest, who oversees the administration of Mae La, the largest Thai border camp, where some 40,000 Burmese refugees reside.

“Those who violate the rules will be punished. And for those who repeatedly violate the rules, their names will be deleted from refugee camp [registries], and they will no longer be allowed to live in the camp, and they may even be deported back to Burma,” he added.

Saw Honest said refugees with special circumstances requiring travel outside the camps, such as for education or health reasons, were required to seek official permission from the respective Thai security units at the camps before traveling beyond their confines.

“We have a problem with the restrictions,” Saw Honest said. “But we can’t do anything now as it is the order of the Thai army. We may sort it out to ease the restrictions later because it is not a good time to do it now.”

He said the restrictions had been communicated to refugees after a meeting between local Thai authorities and community-based organizations in Mae La and other camps on Tuesday.

“We held a meeting and informed the refugees about the rules. The plan just started today. But we don’t know how long it will last, as they didn’t tell us. I think it might last until next election,” Saw Honest said. The Thai junta, which has branded itself the National Council for Peace and Order, has said it plans to hold an election in October of next year.

The orders come amid an ongoing reform program enacted by the junta that has included a sweeping crackdown on undocumented migrant workers that has forced more than 200,000 Cambodian laborers to return home. Hundreds of Burmese migrant workers have also been scrutinized, detained and deported back to Burma since early June.

The latest development is likely to affect daily life for tens of thousands of Burmese refugees, some of whom have lived in the camps for 25 years—a span during which Thailand has seen three coups. There are nine refugee camps spread across the Thai-Burma border.

Duncan McArthur, partnership director of The Border Consortium (TBC), a nongovernmental organization that has been providing humanitarian aid to the Burmese refugees for more than 20 years, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that Thai authorities were applying restrictions already on the books.

“TBC understands that the Thai district authorities have been ordered to enforce existing regulations more strictly, which will include restricting refugee movements outside of camps. Refugees with special circumstances will still be able to apply for permission to travel.

“District authorities in Tak province have called a series of meetings with UNHCR [UN High Commissioner for Refugees] and NGOs this week to clarify the situation,” McArthur said. “However, we understand that there will be no change in policy relating to the provision of humanitarian assistance to refugees.”

He said the TBC was not aware of any plans for Thai authorities to conduct identity checks at the camps. “Refugee status determination procedures have essentially been suspended since 2005, and we are not expecting official screening processes for unregistered refugees to resume any time soon,” according to McArthur.

But Ye Min, a Burmese refugee at the Nu Po border camp, claimed that screening, official or otherwise, would be taking place.

“They [Thai army] want to know how many people are real refugees and how many people illegally came to stay in the camp and lack proper documents,” he said.

Ye Min added that there were fears among the refugee population that those without proper documents, such as UN registration cards recognized by the Thai government, would be deported. Rumors were circulating that even UN cardholders would be subject to deportation or would have their status as a recognized refugee revoked if found traveling or residing outside the camps, Ye Min claimed.

Meanwhile, the UNHCR held a meeting on June 27 with Karen community-based organizations including the Karen Refugees Committee, Karen Women’s Organization, Karen Youth Organizations, and Karen Office for Relief and Development (KORD), seeking opinions from refugees about the ongoing peace process between the Burmese government and ethnic armed groups.

Asked about claims of impending refugee screenings, UNHCR spokeswoman Vivian Tan told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the UN refugee agency had not been informed of any such plan.

Led by Thailand’s Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) and attended by representatives from four provinces including Tak, as well as NGOs, the UNHCR and other Thai authorities, a three-day meeting was held from June 17-19 in Mae Sot, Thailand, to discuss repatriation plans for refugees on the Thai-Burma border.

Over the last three years, the Burmese government and most ethnic armed groups have signed bilateral ceasefire agreements. Now, amid ongoing negotiations for a nationwide ceasefire accord, discussions among Thai authorities and aid groups on the border have turned to the eventual return of Burmese refugees to their homeland.

Thai authorities’ previously stated policy on the refugees is that they would be allowed to return to Burma on a purely voluntary basis.

McArthur said TBC was not aware of any change regarding that stance.

“TBC’s independent assessment remains that the conditions are not yet conducive for a voluntary return of refugees nor their sustainable reintegration in safety and with dignity,” he added.

TO BE RUN BY NGO, GOVT WON'T CARE! Soon a secondary school for stateless & refugee kids in M'sia

Secondary school education will soon be a reality for refugees and stateless children in Malaysia when the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) opens its academy in Kuala Lumpur by the end of this year.

To be called the Ideas Academy, the school is in collaboration with a Dutch NGO, Stichting Young Refugee Cause, and aims to provide high-quality education to youths aged 12 to 20 using the International Canadian Syllabus, for a minimal fee.

"We want to make education accessible to everyone. No matter what their situation is, we want to make it available for them," said Ideas Academy's general manager Trine Engskov.

"And we have to offer a programme that really matters. So when they come out, they will have something that really matters, that will work for them.”

The idea of the academy came about in December last year, after Ideas found there was a need to set up a secondary school for stateless and refugee children.

"There are many refugee community learning centres and they only offer primary education. So when they reach a certain age and level, they have nowhere to go.

"So we are trying to fill in the gap," Engskov said.

She said that the Canadian syllabus was being used as it was the most comprehensive one, without being "nation-specific".

"We're going to have students from many different countries. There will be Malaysian students and there will be refugee students who come from a wide range of countries and continents.

Ideas Academy's general manager Trine Engskov

"As it will be an international setting, the language in the school will be English. If possible, we will also be on the road for international accreditation," the Danish national added.

She said the biggest challenge in setting up the school was finding an appropriate building in the designated area, Pudu, leading to delays in opening the school.

"One of our biggest challenges is finding the perfect building for the school. Once we have that, we are set to go. And then, there is the finances part," Engskov said.

The Ideas Academy already has about 20 students waiting to sign up and it is expected to grow to 100 students in its first year.

"It is a four-year course, so our capacity will be about 400 students.

"We have been working closely with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and other NGOs to spread the word about the school and round up students," said Engskov, adding that they were in the midst of recruiting full-time teachers for the school.

"Because we are teaching Canadian syllabus, we are hoping to have some Canadian teachers who are Ontario-qualified and we are also looking for some local teachers," she added.

Besides regular education curriculum, the school would also organise programmes for the youths such as outings, workshops, movie nights and parties.

"We want to give them everything that other children have... that is normal for other children. So why should they be denied these things?

"We want to create a platform for students to be safe and be young. That is important for their confidence," she added. –TMI

Over 4,200 Lankans on UNHCR list in Malaysia

There are 4,280 Sri Lankan refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Malaysia.

They comprise about 3% of the 145,025 foreigners who have UNHCR cards as of May.

Most UNHCR cardholders in Malaysia are from Myanmar (134,430) while the rest are from Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. About 70% are men and 30% women.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said that of the 14 LTTE members arrested this year, seven were using UNHCR cards.

UNHCR spokesman in Kuala Lumpur, Yante Ismail, said the organisation was unable to comment on suspected Tamil Tiger leaders with UNHCR cards, adding that it was the body’s policy not to publicly comment on individual cases involving asylum-seekers and refugees.

“In principle, refugee protection is for those who are in genuine need of international protection when they have been forced to flee their countries.

“Refugee protection is not extended to individuals who have committed very serious crimes,” she said yesterday.

Yante said any enquiry into refugee status would involve a careful assessment of all relevant facts, through a fair process, to decide whether protection was required.

According to UNHCR Malaysia, registered refugees and asylumseekers could move freely as they were not in camps.

The organisation said refugees were unable to work legally, but had access to the informal work sectorand opportunities for self-reliance.

Refugees normally share living spaces in groups of 40 people or more in low-cost flats or housing areas.

Many also live near the construction sites or plantations where they seek employment.

According to a social worker who declined to be named, the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees started arriving in droves here some 10 to 15 years ago, seeking to move to other countries.

However, he added that they were made up of different “groups” who would snitch on each other to the authorities.(The star Online)

Burmese refugees banned from leaving camps in Thailand

By DVB 9 July 2014

Thailand’s authorities have banned Burmese refugees living on the Thai-Burmese border from leaving their camps, while they conduct a census to determine the exact number of refugees living in the country. There are nine refugee camps along the border and aid agencies say they provide relief to no less than 120,000 people.

Saw Honest, leader of Mae La, the biggest refugee camp in Thailand, said authorities have strictly warned its residents not to leave the camp and said they would punish those who do.

Anyone found in violation of the travel ban may face a series of punishments ranging from a week of labour or ration cuts to having their refugee status revoked, he said.

Residents who are staying outside their camps, including students and those working in nearby towns, have been ordered to return for the population count.

On Tuesday, a team of military officials and police officers began the census in the Umpiem refugee camp, which lies 90 kilometres south of Mae Sot.

“Officials have begun work to verify the number of people living in the Umpiem camp,” said camp chairman Saw Wahtee. “They came there at around 7am on Tuesday and gathered residents in one area together. Then they issued some papers to each person and told them to walk through a gate to another zone.”

“The Thai authorities said they just wanted to know the exact number of refugees in the country,” he said.

Recently, donor funding to the refugees has been cut and resettlement programmes terminated.

In June, a meeting was held in Mae Sot between the Thai army’s Internal Security Operations Command, regional commanders of border provinces, and NGOs that provide assistance to the refugees, to discuss whether it is time to begin preparing for the refugees to be repatriated.

No official decision was made.

Thailand and Burma Agree to Return 130,000 Border Camp Refugees 'To Their Homeland'

PHUKET: Thailand and Burma have agreed to ''facilitate the safe return'' of 130,000 displaced persons to their homeland, General Prayuth Chan-ocha said tonight. 

He also said the issue of the Rohingya boatpeople had been discussed with Myanmar's Commander in Chief of Defence Forces, General Min Aung Hlaing, in Bangkok this week.

''The gist of the meeting is that Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) will cooperate in helping displaced persons from fighting in Myanmar,'' the general said in his weekly national telecast.

He took charge of Thailand in a coup on May 22.

Details are likely to emerge in the next day or two about precisely what the two countries plan for the large number of refugees from Burma now living in Thailand.

''These people have been staying in temporary shelters with certain restrictions for a long time,'' the general said. 

''This has been a protracted problem. There are up to 130,000 displaced persons in nine temporary shelters in our country.

''Thailand and Myanmar will facilitate the safe return to their homeland.

''Additionally, other areas of cooperation include the nationality verification of the Rohingya, demarcation of borders in undisputed areas, not supporting resistance groups in their respective territories, as well as cooperation in energy development.''

He added that Myanmar officials had been grateful for ''measures to ensure the safety and better work environment for Myanmar workers in fishing vessels.''

It's not clear as yet what the general means in terms of returning the Burmese now living in border camps. 

Movement of the people living in the camps was restricted earlier this month. Some have lived in the camps for up to 25 years. 

The use by General Prayuth of the word ''Rohingya'' may prove controversial inside Burma where the Muslim minority does not have citizenship and are referred to as ''Bengalis.'' 

Violence in Burma - labelled ethnic cleansing by many - has driven an estimated 80,000 Rohingya to put to sea since mid-2012. 

Many of them are abused by human traffickers in jungle camps on their way to Malaysia. How so many Rohingya land in southern Thailand without being detected and intercepted remains a mystery.

Thailand as a regional haven for human trafficking

Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation May 12, 2014 1:00 am

Throughout the past five months, a total of 426 asylum-seekers from Central Asia landed in various parts of Thailand. These new arrivals were unusual and different from the Rohingya arriving in boats from the Andaman Sea, a pattern set over the past few years.

Thai authorities were perplexed by the Turkic-looking undocumented visitors, who were detained in Songkhla, Chiang Rai and along the Thai-Cambodian border. Last year, 88 were detained at Bangkok's immigration office. Just a few days ago a dozen more were apprehended. 

Various reports identified them as Uighur Muslims originating from Xinjiang, China. They had been smuggled overland to northern Thailand through a labyrinth of networks arranged by international traffickers. From Kunming, they were transported to the borders with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, attempting to enter Thailand. All would have a rendezvous in Songkhla, southern Thailand, before their journey would have ended with a border crossing to Malaysia, from where they hoped to go to Turkey. 

The recent influx of Uighurs to Thailand has been due to two unrelated developments. The exodus to Thailand is a new one, which comes about due to tighter border administration among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisations, especially those bordering China such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which literally sealed off the traditional trafficking route.

Secondly, after the Malaysia Airline MH370 tragedy and suspicion of strangers, the Malaysian government has cracked down on foreign Muslim refugees, forcing them to flee into Thailand.

Among human traffickers, Thailand is known as a haven due to its easy access, the weak law enforcement and border controls. Authorities working in collusion with traffickers near and far ensure that their victims' illegal entries are carried out in systematic ways in various parts of Thailand. Prior to their arrival in the Kingdom, transit countries normally turned a blind eye to avoid future complications of having to deal with these asylum-seekers.

Those who have shown up in Songkhla, according to local officials, comprised women and children - each family has parents along with three-four children. Diplomats from the Turkey's and China's embassies recently met and talked with them, trying to determine their backgrounds. At the moment, they are under the care of the Thai government, pending confirmation of their identities. Thailand has sought assistance from the International Organisation of Migration, which has been helping the Rohingya refugees stranded here. 

Influx of the Uighur 

Muslims and other displaced persons in the South cannot be viewed in isolation because some have crossed over from Malaysia, where the demand for labour is very high. Human traffickers have used the porous Thai-Malaysian border to repatriate undocumented migrant workers from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Central Asia to the Thai border. Once they are found inside Thailand, they continue to be subject to exploitation by local officials and international human smugglers. Only the asylum seekers from North Korea receive better treatment. Once they arrived at the Thai border in Chiangsaen, Chiang Rai, they would immediately come under the care and protection of the South Korean government, which would accept their resettlement. As the Uighur Muslims continue to make their way to Thailand, the battle with human traffickers has taken a new twist. The US government will issue its annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) in June with an assessment of the country's efforts to fight against human trafficking, especially involving the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. 

Last week, major human rights and refugee organisations urged Washington to punish Bangkok for not doing enough to combat human trafficking. Worse, they cited evidence of complicity between local authorities and traffickers.

Currently, Thailand belongs to the "Tier 2" watch list since the past four years. The pending report could have a devastating outcome if it is downgraded to Tier 3, with possible sanctions from the US government. In past years, Thai authorities have strengthened law enforcement and pursued trafficking cases vigorously.

Last year alone a total of 483 persons were prosecuted out of 386 trafficking cases, compared to 64 persons out of 38 cases in 2010. To Thailand's critics, it was too little too late.In addition, the ongoing domestic political turmoil rubs salt into the wounds because the Thai government has to cope with multiple external pressures in taking care of thenew arrivals and pressure for their forced repatriation. 

However, the plight of the Rohingya dominates the discourse on human trafficking internationally for the time being. Besides Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia also suffer greatly from the influx of Muslim asylum seekers. Attempts to forge a regional approach with Myanmar and Bangladesh have failed. 

Since the 1970s Thailand has had a long history of settling nearly 3 million refugees and displaced persons from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Now it hosts more than 4 million migrant workers, most of them illegal. Even though Thailand is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it cooperated with various UN agencies and foreign countries in those difficult decades. The time has now come for Thailand to sign the convention. Concerned Thai authorities, in particular the Ministry of Interior, are still hung up with a myth that such a deal would increase the influx of refugees.

The truth is displaced persons and refugees will continue to come to Thailand nonetheless. International criticism often targets Thailand for the unhealthy conditions and inhuman exploitation that illegal immigrants face, ignoring the refugee-producing countries. 

Thailand, like Pakistan and other developing countries, has to host large numbers of refugees relative to its economic base. The 1951 convention enables UN agencies and foreign governments to help defray unfair criticism and to determine the status of refugees and assist in repatriation and settlement. As of now, with increased asylum-seeker arrivals, Thailand should take more responsibility for determining the status of refugees.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thailand should be liable to potential U.S. sanctions for failing to crack down on trafficking in migrant workers, a group of human rights and labour organisations said on Friday.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, 19 organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the American Federation of Labor, said Thailand "does not meet the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, nor is it taking real steps to meet those standards."

As such, Thailand, although an important U.S. ally, should be downgraded to Tier III of the State Department's 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report, the letter said.

Such a downgrade would make Thailand liable to sanctions, which could include the withholding or withdrawal of U.S. non-humanitarian and non-trade-related assistance.

It would also mean that Thailand could face U.S. opposition to assistance from international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The letter to Kerry noted that Thailand had been placed on the Tier II watch list in the 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report, which cited "pervasive trafficking-related corruption and weak interagency coordination" that "continued to impede progress in combating trafficking."

"Nothing about this system has changed significantly in the course of the last year, and the government continues to be at best complacent, at worst complicit, in the trafficking of migrant workers from neighbouring countries to provide inexpensive labour for export industries," the letter said.

It cited a December 2013 Reuters report that showed Thai government officials sold hundreds of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar to human traffickers.

"The United States should make very clear its concern about the systematic abuse of migrant workers in Thailand, who produce products destined for the U.S. market," the letter said.

"Far from making credible efforts to fight trafficking, the Thai government has perpetuated policies that foster trafficking of migrant workers within its borders and deny them access to protection and redress," it said.

Last month, U.S. lawmakers called on the Obama administration to punish countries that do too little to fight human trafficking, including Thailand and Malaysia, and said Myanmar should not receive a waiver to avoid possible sanctions over its record.

Countries on Tier 2 for two years are downgraded to Tier 3 unless they receive presidential waivers, available for two additional years.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Tom Brown)

CROSSROADS: VIDEO STORIES OF MIGRANTS & REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA

Crossroads is a video advocacy project aimed at developing and strengthening the advocacy and documentation capacity of migrant workers, refugees, stateless persons, and their support organisations in Malaysia. It is a collaboration between EngageMedia and Citizen Journalists Malaysia.

Malaysia has the highest numbers of migrant workers in Southeast Asia. According to government statistics from July 2013, the country has 2.1 million registered migrant workers and an estimated 1.3 illegal migrant workers within its borders. This means one in three workers comes from outside Malaysia.

Workers without valid documentation are considered illegal and are often subjected to various forms of abuse – ranging from illegal withholding of salaries, to engagement in bribery, and rape. However, the reality of the workers’ situations are not widely known or reported in the media. Various negative stereotypes exist in a hostile climate in the host community.

EngageMedia believes that by supporting migrant workers to take the lead in telling their own stories through video, Malaysians will gain a better understanding of their personal experiences, in order to correct the stereotypes and foster a climate of tolerance. The workers will also have the necessary skills to use video for evidence and documentation as aid in advocacy. 

In the past year, we organised a total of 12 workshops in Klang Valley, Selangor, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. For the 15 participants which included Indonesians, Nepalis, Malaysians, and Burmese, we provided skills in storytelling, video advocacy, storyboarding, video shooting and editing, online/offline video distribution, and online subtitling with Amara.

A young migrant worker describes the challenges of living in Malaysia as an undocumented worker. Cupin, as he is fondly known by his friends, now lives in constant fear.

Cupin's Tale: Even Chickens Listen

Our participants came from various backgrounds, such as Karmadi (pictured top-right), who is an Indonesian migrant in Malaysia working in the construction sector. He made the time to attend all the training sessions despite his difficult work schedule, and recently purchased Malay-language books on photography to continue practicing around his various job-sites. He hopes that he “can use his new video and photography skills to do more than construction work”. In the video, Karmadi explains the hardships experienced by undocumented workers:

The authorities are not interested to know why the migrants are undocumented. They just want to punish them. No one wants to be an undocumented worker, but due to poor laws and enforcement, it gives agents a lot of opportunities to deceive desperate migrant workers.

The final videos produced by Karmadi and the other particpants were compiled into a DVD toolkit featuring 12 videos organised in five chapters according to the theme of migration they touch upon, namely, The 6P Programme, Support Systems for Migrant Workers, The Role of Law Enforcement Authorities, Seeking Protection, and Protecting Children. It also includes a Study Guide designed to give context to these videos for use in educational and advocacy purposes.

Bapak Petrus starts a school for children of migrant workers, building the house himself and using a syllabus of education that is similar to the one from their country of origin, Indonesia.

School of Hope

On 15 December 2013, a launch screening was organised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in collaboration with Tenanganita, a migrant rights NGO. The event was graced by its founder, the late Dr. Irene Fernandez, who reminded the 200 migrant worker guests of their fundamental human rights and stressed the importance of using video, among other means, as tools for evidence and documentation.

As project lead, I learned as much from the participants as I shared with them. These are not only stories of struggle in a foreign land, but also of resilience and hope for a better future. All the videos from the project and a PDF version of the Study Guide can be viewed and downloaded here.

Thailand ! Burmese Refugee Couple Allegedly Murdered by Thai Employee

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A Thai employer has been accused of murdering two Burmese refugees—a married couple—who were working on his farm in Thailand’s Tak Province.

The couple were owed three months of wages when they were killed on Wednesday night inside a hut in the cornfield where they worked, according to security officials at the Mae La refugee camp, where they lived.

Saw Hla Htay and Naw Paw Mu, ethnic Karen refugees from Burma, were owed more than 10,000 baht (US$300) for their labor on the cornfield in Kar Klo village, Tha Song Yang District.

Their bodies were buried on Thursday, as Thai police officers arrested and detained the suspect, according to Saw Shi Sho, a camp security official.

“The employer attacked them at about 9 pm. But two of the couple’s children were able to escape. They said their father’s face and their mother’s head had been badly hacked,” he said.

“The Thai police have arrested the murderer and detained him in Kar Klo village. The Thai police will pursue the case in accordance with Thai law. We need to let them handle it.”

The Mae La refugee camp houses more than 40,000 refugees and is the biggest Burmese refugee camp in Thailand. Many residents leave the camp to find employment outside in nearby towns, risking extortion or arrest by Thai authorities.

Murders have been reported inside and outside camps, but in many cases Thai authorities have failed to take action against suspected criminals. Family members of victims say they have not received compensation and have been ignored because they lack legal status in Thailand.

In September last year, a Karen refugee woman, Shwe Hla Aye was found dead outside Mae La camp after disappearing for two days. She was found wearing only a bra. Her body was buried without a proper investigation into the cause of her death.

Migrant workers worse off here than back home, say Asian MPs

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ

APRIL 16, 2014

(From left) Malaysian member of parliament Charles Santiago; Sabiha Nazir from the National Assembly of Pakistan; Cambodian member of parliament Phirum Keo; Malaysia Bar Council member Datuk M. Ramachelvam; and Zakir Hussain, member of Constitutional Assembly of Nepal, during the Advisory Committee for Asian Inter-Parliamentary Caucus on Labour Migration held at Petaling Jaya today. – The Malaysian Insider by Afif Abd Halim, April 16, 2014.An Asian parliamentary caucus on labour migration has called on Putrajaya to reveal details of MoUs it signed with nations who send their citizens to Malaysia for work, following reports of abuse and exploitation of migrant workers in the country. 

Nepal MP Zakir Hussain said his embassy officials told him that one Nepali death was recorded at detention camps in Malaysia every week due to starvation and limited access to healthcare. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 16, 2014.

Nepal MP Zakir Hussain said his embassy officials told him that one Nepali death was recorded at detention camps in Malaysia every week due to starvation and limited access to healthcare.

"A total of 346 Nepalese nationals died here last year, with 52 deaths in detention camps.

"What I don't understand is how Malaysia has adequate laws on migrant labour but practises low standards of human rights," Zakir said at a press conference today.

The caucus, which is on a fact-finding mission to Malaysia, also accused Putrajaya of being a stumbling block to the finalising of the Asean Framework Instrument on the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights of Migrant Workers which has been in the works since 2007.

Klang MP Charles Santiago, a member of the caucus, said there is no reason for the MOUs signed between Putrajaya and participating countries to be shrouded in secrecy. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 16, 2014.Klang MP Charles Santiago, who is a member of the caucus, said the government has signed MoUs with Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia, among others, but details of these were unknown.

"It appears that those who are familiar with the content of the MoUs are labour brokers, who use it to manipulate migrant workers. This is the common complaint among the embassies and workers themselves.

"There is no reason for these MoUs to be shrouded in secrecy," Santiago added.

One of the recommendations of the caucus is for Putrajaya to have a government-to-government approach in the recruitment of migrant workers in order to minimise recruitment costs and exploitation by outsourcing to companies and labour brokers.

The caucus’s findings said that in addition to violation of labour rights including poor wages and long working hours, migrant workers in Malaysia continue to live in poverty, leading Pakistan MP Sabiha Nazir to say that in some instances, the workers are worse off than they were before in their country of origin. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 16, 2014.The caucus also found that in addition to violation of labour rights including poor wages and long working hours, migrant workers in Malaysia continue to live in poverty.

"In some instances, they are worse off that they were before in their country of origin," said Pakistan MP Sabiha Nazir.

According to Santiago, the Malaysian Labour Department declined an invitation from the caucus to attend the three-day meeting which ends today.

Mariquit Melgar, a representative from the Philippines, also called on the Malaysian government to practice fair play, saying that Filipinos working in Malaysia since the 1970s have contributed to the development and economy of Malaysia. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 16, 2014.Mariquit Melgar, a representative from the Philippines, also called on the Malaysian government to practice fair play, saying that Filipinos working in Malaysia since the 1970s have contributed to the development and economy of Malaysia.

"In a session with our workers last month, they told us that they are not here to create trouble, and that they are doing their best, working long hours.

"They are not terrorists, they are not robbers, they just want better treatment and fair wages, is that too much to ask for?" she said.

In calling for recruitment of migrant workers to be conducted on an inter-governmental basis, Santiago said this would protect them from being exploited by outsourcing companies and labour brokers who were practicing "contract substitution".

"The Pakistan MP revealed that workers from her country had signed agreements with high wages and wonderful terms in Pakistan, but when they got here, these outsourcing companies would substitute their contracts, where they would end up with poor wages and bad living conditions.

"The MP said that workers she met here yesterday were practically crying over allegations that they had been cheated by these middlemen," Santiago said.

Bar Council's chairperson for migrants and refugees Datuk M. Ramachelvam said that what was needed was another amnesty programme following the failure of the previous 6P programme by the government, which was aimed at regularising undocumented migrant workers.

"In one 6P processing centre in Wangsa Maju, the agent was collecting about RM2,000 from each migrant worker and there were about 8,000 there applying, which means the agent collected about RM16 million.

"But not one of them got their documents," he said.

He called on Putrajaya to take charge of both the recruitment and amnesty programme to prevent migrant workers from being fleeced by third parties.

The Asian parliamentary caucus representing 15 countries also called on Putrajaya to practise strong political will in restructuring the management of migrant workers. – April 16, 2014.

Teaching Filmmaking to Burmese Refugee Students Was An Eye-opening Experience

Azmina Karim - Bangladesh

We achieve success at Connecther.org when our stakeholders achieve success. Azmina Karim, a young woman from Bangladesh who is passionate about uplifting the voices of women and girls in her country, is one such stakeholder. The winner of last year's People Choice award for Connecther's Girls Impact the World Film Festival, she is also one of Connecther's first international fellows and she received a grant to travel to help uplift the voices of Burmese refugees in Thailand. The opportunity to help advance Azmina's dream to be a social advocate is beyond exciting. I admire her courage to fight for gender equality in her country and am so grateful that we can provide opportunities for her and our other fellows to thrive. Lila Igram, Founder, Connecther

Teaching Filmmaking to Burmese Refugee Students Was An Eye-opening Experience

By Azmina Karim

Edited by Elaine Robbins

It has been an exciting year since my short film, Because I Am a Girl, won the People's Choice Award at the Connecther's Girls Impact the World Film Festival in 2013. Supported by a grant from Connecther, a communication and crowd-funding platform that works to advance women and children globally, I taught filmmaking to migrant Burmese students at Minmahaw School. The school is in Mae Sot, Tak province, western Thailand, on the border with Myanmar, where 30,000 school-age Burmese migrant students live. The project enabled me to make an impact by sharing the voices of young refugees--a marginalized group who rarely have their voices heard.

Azmina (in green) spends her final day with Burmese migrant students in Thailand

My film was about domestic violence in Bangladesh, so I thought I knew something about fear and oppression. Alas, nothing prepared me for the heartbreaking stories I heard from my students as they wrote about their lives in their journals for my creative writing class. One student expressed the anger he felt at the Burmese military when he described how his village was burned and people lost their homes. Another recalled how she and her mother had to sell bread everyday and walk for miles to nearby villages, so they could earn enough money to buy food. "Sometimes I couldn't walk any further, she wrote, "because I was hungry and starving to eat something. But I had to; otherwise, my family wouldn't have enough money to buy their meal."

Working with co-teacher Jonathan Birtwell, we asked the students to investigate the most pressing issues affecting Burmese migrants. They came up with several topics: selling of young daughters, child marriage, and a lack of educational opportunities and health facilities faced by Burmese migrants living in Mae Sot (films can be seen here: Burden or Boon, Out of the Frying Pan & Sex-trafficking, Modern Day Slavery in Thailand). To follow up, we conducted interviews with young Burmese girls who got trafficked along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Most of the girls we talked to revealed that they had been given false promises of getting a decent job with a high salary.

When they arrived in Mae Sot, however, they were forced to work as sex workers. Due to the social stigma associated with sex workers, they were reluctant to go back to their families and lived miserable lives for years. The students also learned about the lives of Burmese migrants in Thailand, especially those living in the refugee camps. On a positive note, they found organizations that work for the betterment of refugees, and one group of students focused their work on an organization that helps Burmese women living with HIV.

As I got to know my students better, I started to understand more about the reality of their lives as refugees in Thailand. They lived in constant fear and could not move around easily because getting caught by the police would mean having to pay a huge bribe to be set free. Once, a sex worker we interviewed asked us to take her to the hospital because she was having severe shoulder pain. However, on the day we showed up, she refused to go with us to the hospital for fear that she might be arrested without an ID card.

In the end, our students produced three revealing documentaries about sex trafficking and the plight of Burmese immigrants in Thailand. This project was particularly very challenging for the students, as this was their first time to conduct interview and field research work. It offered an opportunity for them to actualize what they had learned in the classroom and use it to give back to their community.

For me, getting to know these students was the most eye-opening part of the experience. Despite the hardships they carried in their hearts every day, they were always full of life, and they displayed warmth that melted my heart. Their positivism seemed to lighten their suffering. They asked me many questions about the world and were so appreciative about my effort to teach them something new. When I spent time with them, life seemed just right. While my students found their voices, I found a new appreciation for life.

Azmina's short film Because I Am a Girl, a powerful indictment of domestic violence in Bangladesh, won the People's Choice Award at Connecther's Girls Impact the World Film Festival 2013. She is a research study coordinator at the Asian University for Women, where she is currently working along with other principal investigators researching the effects of women's education and employment on gender relations in the family in South and Southeast Asia, a project funded by the Ford Foundation.

The Girls Impact the World Film Festival is an initiative of Connecther, co-sponsored by the Harvard College Social Innovation Collaborative and co-directed by Ara Parikh, Kerry Hammond and Lila Igram.