Caning to Refugees continues in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Caning will remain as a form of punishment in Malaysia as the government sees no hurry to review the controversial practice.

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, the minister in charge of law affairs, said the matter had not been raised at the Cabinet level.

“It (judicial caning) remains for now. If it needs to be reviewed, it will be discussed in Cabinet, but it has not been brought up. We’ll just wait and see,” he told The Malay Mail.

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was responding to a call made by human rights group Amnesty International urging Malaysia to abolish the punishment.

Amnesty’s Asia-Pacific programme researcher Lance Latigg had told a Press conference here the practice was a “severe violation of human rights”.

The London-based group, in its recently released book A Blow to Humanity: Torture by Judicial Caning in Malaysia, claimed up to 10,000 prisoners in Malaysia were caned every year, with 6,000 being illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries.The group also urged neighbouring countries such as Indonesia to pressure Malaysia into abolishing judicial caning.

Nazri, however, said Amnesty could lobby for other countries to pressure Malaysia.

“Latigg spoke to me. He said he would raise this issue with Indonesia and other countries. That is not a problem. They have every right to do so. However, only we have the right to make decisions in this country. Other people cannot dictate that to us.”

Malaysia attracted international attention after Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, a Muslim woman, was sentenced to six strokes of the rotan and a fine last year for consuming alcohol in public. The case received hostile response, especially from human rights groups and women’s rights activists. Kartika’s sentence was eventually reduced to community service.

Singapore too attracted widespread condemnation in 1994 when American teenager Michael Fay, then 18, was sentenced to six lashes upon pleading guilty to vandalism after confessing to spray-painting and tossing eggs at several vehicles.

Spare the whip, say NGOs

KUALA LUMPUR: Human rights activists want the government to abolish caning as a form of  punishment.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) told The Malay Mail they were opposed to de facto law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz's stand on continuing with caning sentences.

Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah said: "Malaysia, as a member of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, is expected to ratify and comply with international human rights conventions, so the argument that Malaysia adopts 'progressive realisation' is not a reasonable defence to delay ratification of conventions against torture.

"There is no advantage for Malaysia in avoiding the ratification, and it is also in line with the government's 'People First, Performance Now' promise."

Tenaganita director Irene Fernandez, whose organisation promotes the rights of women, migrants and refugees, said: "We have said for a long time that caning is wrong. Caning has become a tool of torture. We believe offences under the Immigration Act is not crime as offenders usually had no proper documents or overstayed. Caning of such offenders is not just unfair, it is torture.

"Back when the law against human trafficking was enacted, there was no whipping punishment for traffickers. At the time, Nazri himself said there was no whipping because according to the UN, it is wrong. So, caning as a form of punishment should be abolished."

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) chairman K. Arumugam said: "We support Amnesty International's call for Malaysia to abolish caning. Suaram is against capital and corporal punishment as it is contrary to our constitutional guarantee of the right to life."

Refugee children tell of their stories via snapshots

By JADE CHAN

jade@thestar.com.my
Photos by BRIAN MOH

LIKE any other child, Peter Jackson and his friends dream of becoming doctors or singers.
However, they are unlike most children as these teenagers are Myanmar refugee children in Kuala Lumpur.
The works of these budding photographers are exhibited at the Everyone Has Hope exhibition, with the photos portraying an insight into their life in the city.

Against the odds: A group of Myanmar refugee children playing football without shoes, a photo taken by Amos

The photography exhibition, presented by the See the World Through Our Eyes project, showcases some 60 photographs shot by 16 refugee children aged between 13 and 16 — Zaw Naw, Hanah, Nilarson, Zaw Rein, Peter Jackson, Neem, Grace Elly, Alex, Andrew, Amos, Suithlawntial, Joan, Maliani, Jonah, Myo Toe Aung and Sam Tun.
The project, conducted by a group of Taylor’s College students and lecturer, saw the children learn the art of photography over three months.
Organised with the support of British Council’s Global Changemakers, Amnesty International Malaysia and several partners, the project was aimed at allowing these children to develop skills in the arts, have fun, and ultimately tell their story to the world.

Budding photographers: The refugee children with the Taylor’s College students involved in > SEE NEXT PAGE the See the World Through Our Eyes Project, and some of the project’s supporters.

Peter, a keen and bright 13-year-old, had no knowledge about holding a camera but has since developed a passion for photography.
“My favourite photo is Thinking, which is about a man thinking about his life. With the man’s back facing the camera, I had no idea if that was a sad or happy moment. I made it more interesting by shooting it in black and white,” he said.
Peter enjoys shooting a variety of themes like black and white, landscape, action, portrait and night shots.
“I also hope to get an SLR camera and travel around the world to take photos,” said the aspiring photographer and computer technician.

All smiles: A photo taken by Amos entitled ‘Be Happy.’

Peter said he also liked dancing and singing to hip-hop tunes, with his favourite song being Mizz Nina’s What You Waiting For.
Ma Liani, 14, hopes to continue pursuing photography and becoming a doctor to help her people.
“Photography allows me to show other people’s lives to the world,” she said shyly with the help of a translator.
“Home Saloon and Thoughts depict a typical scene at the refugee homes, whereby they have to do their own haircut as they can’t go to a barber.”

Telling a story: ‘Thoughts’ by Ma Liani is a photo that she said depicts a typical scene at the refugee homes, whereby they have to do their own haircut as they can’t go to a barber.

On why she selected My Lovely Sister as her favourite photo, Ma said it captured the innocence of a baby who is yet to be affected by the difficulties in life.
Of his nine photos on display, football enthusiast Amos picked Everyone Has Hope as his favourite because it depicted a group of fellow refugee children playing football.
“Even though they are playing football without any shoes (because they can’t afford them), they are still enjoying the game while dreaming of being their favourite footballers,” said the Lionel Messi fan.
Confident is a self portrait of Amos standing against an interesting graffiti wall along Jalan Imbi.
“I happened to be walking along the road and this wall’s striking colours caught my eye. I composed the shot and got a stranger to help me click the camera,” he said.
The 14-year-old who dreams of being a famous singer hopes to take more interesting photos in the future.
Taylor’s College Canadian Pre-U programme lecturer Colin Boyd Shafer said the project was inspired by a documentary from India entitled Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids.
“A few of my students said they wanted to do something after watching the film. I got to know about the Association of Chin Refugees (ACR) School, where my sister had volunteered more than a year ago,” said the Canadian who teaches World Issues.
“Taking out a leaf out of the documentary’s concept, we decided to teach the refugee children about photography but first had to get the cameras.”
Shafer and the students involved in the project got their families and friends from Malaysia and Canada to donate their used cameras. He also sold some of his photographs to buy new ones.
They then got a group of amateur and professional photographers to teach the children the basics of photography and also went on short field trips.
“The children initially started focusing on inanimate objects like flowers, but we encouraged them to be more creative and explore photojournalism to tell stories with photos,” said Shafer.
“We did not expect the photos to be as creative as what they are exhibited today. While the photos capture their interaction with friends and family and their daily activities, the fact is that they managed to capture moments that are unreal.”
Isabelle Choi, 18, said the most important lesson she learnt from the project is to always hope and show positivity, while Shafer hoped that similar projects would be held at other schools for refugees.
Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Nora Murat noted that the youth were the ones who served as a catalyst to affect change.
Commending the project, she said: “There are more than 80,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia, who are forced to leave their native land due to political, environmental and other problems.
“These photographs help personalise the refugees’ issues and allow the public to understand their life, difficulties, fear and hope.”
The exhibition’s launch featured a special performance by the budding photographers who came dressed in their traditional costumes.
The photos are priced at RM10 and RM25 for the 4R and 8R sizes respectively. All proceeds will go to the ACR School.
Everyone Has Hope is held until next Saturday at the Annexe Gallery, 1st and 2nd Floor, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, KL.
The exhibition is open to the public from 11am to 8pm daily. Admission is free.
For details, call 03-2070 1137.

Burma could become another Balkans, Jesuit warns

If the regime in Burma collapses, civil war could break out, causing great suffering and displacement - this is the opinion of the Jesuit Fr Bernard Arputhasamy, SJ, Regional Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Asia-Pacific, based in Bangkok.

Fr Bernard, who has just returned from a mission on the border with Myanmar, also confirmed the current ongoing humanitarian crisis: "More than 20,000 people of the ethnic group Karen have crossed the border to escape the conflict between the Burmese army and ethnic groups, following elections," he said.

He said the emergency response was being managed in a joint effort between the Thai government, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and a group of NGOs, including the Jesuit Refugee Service, who are bringing tents, food, drinking water, and medicine to the refugees.

Fr Bernard said: "The problem of ethnic minorities in Myanmar is very complex and goes back years, to prior to the country's independence. Many groups, such as the Karen, Shan, and Kachin are seeking territorial independence. They want their own state. Each group is internally divided and does not speak with one voice. In any case, the Burmese regime is the one ensuring territorial unity by force. If the regime were to collapse any time soon, I am sure there would be a civil war and Myanmar would end up like the Balkans or Iraq."

He continued: "I think sometimes people view Myanmar with too much romance, or the country is attributed with a sort of 'ideology of
democracy' which does not take into account the situation on the ground, the historical and social conditions. We demand freedom and human rights, but I think the solution is in a progressive involvement of the Burmese junta in a democratic transition, made of small steps forward...also with the intervention of states like China and India, which have strong trade relations with Myanmar. It is a long and tiring path, which also involves educating the diverse population of Myanmar in the prospect of a federal state. But, I think this is the only non-violent approach."

Thai Children’s Trust is appealing for funds to help feed Burmese refugees in the Mae Sot area, where more than half the refugee children are malnourished. If you would like to support their work see: http://www.thaichildrenstrust.org.uk

Source: Fides/TCT

MYANMAR REFUGEES IN THAILAND

A Myanmar refugee, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, carries his relative at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said.

A Myanmar refugee, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, carries his relative at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

A woman looks at a Thai soldier armed with rockets as she rides past on a motorcycle at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, get down from a truck at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said.

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, board a boat on the Moei river along the Thai-Myanmar border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said.

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, walk across a stream of water at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, walk along a street side at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar to Thailand when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, receive food from officials at the Thai- Myanmar border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said.

A Thai police stands guard over a group of people, who crossed over from Myanmar when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

A Thai soldier carrying a rocket-launcher runs for cover near the Thai- Myanmar border in Mae Sot, western Thailand on November 8, 2010, as clashes involving heavy weapons took place on the Myanmar side of the border. Rebel troops clashed with government soldiers in a town in eastern Myanmar after rare elections, leaving three civilians dead and causing thousands to flee across the Thai border, officials said. Eleven more people were injured when heavy weapons fire from ethnic rebels hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, said an official in the military-ruled country who did not want to be named.

A group of Myanmar refugees, who crossed over from Myanmar when a battle erupted between Myanmar's soldiers and rebels, walk alongside Thai soldiers at the Thai border town of Mae Sot November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

A man approaches the border fence as Myanmar's soldiers battle with rebels in Myanmar's Myawaddi town, opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, November 8, 2010. A clash erupted between Myanmar soldiers battle with resistance group ethnic minority Karen rebels and government soldiers in Myanmar's Myawaddy town opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Reuters witnesses on the Thai side of the border said. Several rockets or mortar bombs fell on the Thai side, a witness said. There were no reports of casualties.

Source : www.globalnational.com

Amnesty report blasts Malaysia over refugees

By ucanews.com reporter, Kuala Lumpur

A refugee settlement in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia are subject to arbitrary arrest, detention in appalling conditions, and deportation to the countries they fled, an Amnesty International report has found.

The report ‘Abused and Abandoned: Refugees Denied Rights in Malaysia’, Amnesty said that refugees and asylum-seekers who arrived in Malaysia are treated as irregular or undocumented workers.

According United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) data, there are 88,100 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the organization, including 81,600 from Myanmar.

There are also some 6,500 refugees and asylum-seekers from other countries, including some 3,500 Sri Lankans, 930 Somalis, 580 Iraqis and 530 Afghans. There are some 19,000 children below the age of 18. Thousands more are unregistered.

Despite the large numbers, Malaysia is not party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and therefore does not formally recognize any form of refugee status.

“Refugees should be able to live with dignity while they are in Malaysia. The government should move immediately to issue refugees official ID cards and grant them the right to work,” said Chris Nash, Head of Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International.

Amnesty International said that government issued ID cards would provide immediate protection for refugees and asylum seekers from arbitrary detention, harassment and extortion by police and the People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA, Malay acronym), a paramilitary civil volunteer corps.

Local Catholic groups have also backed the call for refugee identity cards as a form of protection against unscrupulous security officials.

“We have a duty, a humane duty to protect and provide assistance to these refugees. The government’s policy is having a negative impact.

“Many of them are suffering from stress related illnesses,” said a Church worker in Kuala Lumpur, who assists Mynamar refugees.

Refugees in Thailand speak about their plight

By Panithan Kitsakul, Bangkok

People during the event organized by the Jesuit Refugee Service in Bangkok

Refugees are not people experiencing economic difficulties but people who face possible death if they remain in their home countries, participants at a World Refugee Day program in Bangkok learnt.

“As Tamils, my family was threatened. We were afraid to be killed by the military and therefore decided to escape,” said Thulika, 18, a Sri Lankan.

“In Thailand, even though we are not threatened, we are still not free … We can’t work legally. My brother and myself can’t go to school,” said Thulika, who came to Thailand four years ago to escape the civil war.

Thulika was one of two refugees who spoke about their plight during a June 20 Mass organized by the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) to mark World Refugee Day and the service’s 30th anniversary.

Refugees did not leave their countries “because we didn’t have work … but because we were threatened and did not have a secure life,” Thulika told Mass participants, which included some 50 refugees.

Pakistan’s Ahmadi community, regarded by many Muslims as a heretical Islamic sect, faces similar danger.

“Ahmadis as a minority in Pakistan have been threatened since 1953,” said Shama, a young woman refugee from the community.

“In 1984, the president made our group illegal. We were attacked every day. My father was injured, my brother’s friends were killed.”

JRS’ task is to protect the lives of refugees and ensure they apply for refugee status, JRS director Father Bernard Arputhasamy said on the sidelines of the event.

The organization collaborates with the government, NGOs, civil society, the United Nations and the public for these purposes, said the priest.

JRS in Thailand presently works with refugees both inside and outside refugee camps in Bangkok and in areas bordering Myanmar.

In addition to providing food, clothing and medicine, the organization also arranges vocational training and language and computer classes for them.

SOURCE : UCANEWS

What can Myanmar refugee kids dream about?

By Panithan Kitsakul, Bangkok ( UCANEWS )

Bishop Joseph Phibul Visitnonthachai, head of Thailand’s Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees

Bishop Joseph Phibul Visitnonthachai of Nakhon Sawan in Thailand has been executive director of the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees (COERR) since 1998.

The organization, established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, serves thousands of Myanmar refugees who have fled fighting in their country.

In this interview, Bishop Phibul speaks about the uncertain future these refugees face and the work COERR does in helping them fulfill their human potential.

Q: What kind of support does COERR provide for refugees?

A: COERR started assisting 16,000 refugees fleeing fighting in Myanmar in 1984. It has since continued to be a key partner with 17 NGOs and the UNHCR in addressing the material and security needs of more than 140,000 Myanmar refugees presently living in nine camps along the border.

For the Myanmar refugees in Thailand, COERR operates an integrated program in three strategic areas, namely protection of extremely vulnerable individuals, organic agricultural production and environmental protection, and peace-building.

Q: Does the government support COERR?

A: COERR carries out its programs in the refugee camps with the formal approval of the Thai Ministry of Interior, as required for all NGOs. COERR also coordinates with the ministry’s local officials in protecting the refugees.

In implementing some of our programs, COERR also works with several other government agencies such as the Forest Fire Control Division; the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

These agencies have provided us with training and technical advice.

Q: What are the challenges of working with refugees?

Mae La refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border, served by COERR

A: The basic problem the refugees face is that they are caught in a long-running and unresolved conflict in their home country.

Even after 26 years, there is still no viable large-scale solution in sight for them. They continue to live in a limbo-like existence in the camps.

While they have a safe refuge here, they are not allowed to leave to seek employment outside. As such, they are completely dependent on support from the donor community, through the services of the NGOs, for their survival. The refugees have nothing certain about their future.

The root causes of this problem are inside Myanmar — the continuing armed conflicts, lack of respect for human rights and general widespread instability. For as long as these remain unresolved, Thailand will continue to see an inflow of refugees.

It is very painful for us to see the refugees, especially youths, missing out on opportunities to fulfill their human potential through no fault of their own. Their perception of life and the world are limited by the fences of their camps.

A refugee mother, with tears in her eyes, once said to us, “What can I tell my children to dream about before they go to sleep?”

Q: Has anything changed in the nature of COERR’s work over the years?

A: COERR’s work has been evolving from that of a “relief model” to a “developmental model.” Our humanitarian developmental approach ensures that our current interventions are fully relevant to the dynamics of the situation that Myanmar refugees are in.

The underlying philosophy in all COERR programs is to optimize opportunities for beneficiaries to develop self-help skills and capacities, while pursuing their human potential to the fullest extent possible.

Q: Does COERR have adequate human resources and funding?

A child at a refugee camp

A: COERR is very fortunate to have competent and dedicated staff made up of 85 Thais, who work in close partnership with 325 refugees who comprise the camp staff.

The main work of the COERR Thai staff is to transfer knowledge and train camp staff in self-reliance capacity-building to the fullest extent possible.

It has been heartwarming to see the many Thais who are willing to work with us and refugees who want to help themselves and their communities.

Funding is an ongoing challenge though. Donors rightfully expect results and solutions. Moreover there are so many emergencies and disasters around the world that need donor funds.

We have to compete for donor funds, and this can only be successful if we continue to design and operate programs which are relevant, cost-efficient and effective in producing desired results.

COERR has been very blessed to have long-standing partnerships with several donors, notably Caritas Denmark, UNHCR and UNICEF.

Q: Do Thai people have a negative attitude toward refugees and your work with them?

Refugee children play in a stream at their camp

A: Although Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, this country has had an outstanding record of providing a safe haven for people fleeing fighting in neighboring countries.

More than two million refugees have come through this country in the past years. Nevertheless, the Thai government has policies that limit the movement and activities of refugees.

Issues related to pollution and competition for forest products come up periodically with Thai villages situated near the refugee camps.

It is important for agencies working with refugees in the camps to also recognize and address the needs of affected Thai villagers in order to avoid or reduce conflict.

Q: What do you expect of upcoming elections in Myanmar?

A: We cannot make predictions about Myanmar, particularly on political matters. Time and again, the generals who run the country have proven to be very unpredictable.

Our most reasonable expectation from the elections, if they are to take place, is that the generals will still have their own way, and the results will be exactly what they want them to be.

Church workers aid Myanmar refugees

By Vorapoj Singha, Bangkok ( UCANEWS )

People on the move in Myanmar

Church workers have rushed humanitarian aid to thousands fleeing to Thailand from Myanmar to escape fighting between an ethnic militia and the military.

“Myanmar people feel unsafe to live there as casualty figures on the Myanmar side of the border could not be confirmed,” said Suree Vinitchop, director of Santhawamaitri Suksa school run by St. Paul de Chartres nuns in Mae Sot.

“The violence has also spilled over to the Thai side,” she said.

Fighting broke out on Nov. 8 between Myanmar troops and rebels belonging to the Karen ethnic minority who seized key government offices in Myawaddy, on the Thai-Myanmar border.

The violence came just one day after the military dictatorship’s first elections in 20 years.

Suree led a Catholic team on Nov. 9 to aid Myanmar civilians who fled into Thailand.

“Villagers living in at-risk areas on the Thai side of the border were evacuated to safer areas,” she said, adding that they will plan other kinds of assistance after studying the situation further.

According to Thai media reports, at least 10 people, including Thais and Myanmar villagers, were wounded when stray shells landed on Thai territory.

The fierce fighting forced at least 20,000 Myanmar people, mostly Karen civilians, to flee across the border into Thailand. They were allowed to take refuge at the Border Patrol Police unit in Mae Sot on the Thai side of border.

Father Rangsipol Plienphan, secretary of Nakhon Sawan diocese, which covers Mae Sot district, said he will provide aid once he gets first-hand information about the situation.

“The Myanmar (people) are fleeing to our country now because there have been reports of more clashes,” the priest said.”If it is possible, I hope the negotiations will work out so the refugees can return to their country.”

Thailand shelters around 110,000 Myanmar refugees in nine camps along the border. Some have been there for more than two decades.

Hundreds of Chin Families Among Cyclone Giri-hit Victims

 (Chinland Guardian): At least 2,000 Chin families are among those seriously affected victims in worst-hit areas of Burma's Arakan State including Kyaukphyu, Myebon, Sittway, Pauktaw, Myanaung, Ann and Ponnagyun towns after Cyclone Giri hit the western coast last Friday on 22 October 2010.

One Christian pastor from Mro-Khami Chin tribe based in Myebon Town said: "The town as well as the nearby villages are in the dark, chaotic and ruined. Almost all the houses are destroyed either completely or partially, with no electricity, no running water, no food and no communication."

At least 5 church buildings from Kyaukphyu, Myebon and Sittway towns are completely wrecked, according to a Mizo Christian pastor who has been serving as an EFCM (Evangelical Free Church of Myanmar) missionary in Rakhine State for more than ten years.

It is estimated that about 300,000 Chin people live scattering across Arakan State.

Most of the Cyclone-hit areas of Kyaukphyu, Myebon and Sittway towns are mainly populated by Chin people of different sub-tribes including Asho, Sungtu, Laitu, Kawngtu, Hmyo and Mro-Khami.

Relief workers said that the death toll, which has topped 100, is still likely to be increasing with many more missing. More than 80 bodies have been found in Myebon Town alone where hundreds of buildings were flattened.

To date, a total of 71 villages are reported to have been affected, to various degrees, with an estimated 177,000 people affected, of which an estimated 10,000 are considered severely affected, according to the humanitarian community in Burma.

The Christian pastors based in the Cyclone-affected areas of Arakan State ask Chin churches and Christian friends around the world to pray for the Cyclone-hit victims who are in dire need of emergency help, foods and shelters.

The United States Government on Tuesday pledged a 100,000 dollar aid package toward assisting victims of Cyclone Giri in Arakan State.

Refugees protest Catholic Charities center

Ethnic Karens demand translator
Wednesday, November 25, 2009

By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh

GazetteBishop David Zubik talks yesterday with one of the Karen Burmese refugees protesting across the street from Catholic Charities after the opening of the Susan Zubic Welcome Center at the facility. The refugees were assembled to draw attention to what some are calling a failure to help them properly resettle in the Pittsburgh area.

Refugees from Myanmar picketed the opening of a new welcome center for clients of Catholic Charities at its Downtown office yesterday.

Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, who dedicated the Susan Zubik Welcome Center in honor of his late mother, went out to meet the protesters, who spoke little or no English. Counting children, they included more than 30 ethnic Karens, who carried handwritten signs such as, "We demand a professional translator who speaks our language."

The protest was organized by Three Rivers Coalition for Justice, a group with ties to organized labor that helps workers with problems such as evictions. It printed a leaflet claiming that Catholic Charities had assigned the Karens a Burmese translator who did not speak the Karen dialect and who treated them with contempt.

It claimed that a Karen refugee facing eviction had given $500 to a Catholic Charities caseworker to pay his rent, but eviction notices kept coming. It also said that refugees are placed in low-paying, dangerous jobs.

Bishop Zubik said he tried to invite the protesters in for food. "But they didn't speak English."

He was approached by a union organizer who asked to meet with him, he said. Bishop Zubik said he told the man he was willing to meet right then or any time yesterday, but the leader told him that was impossible.

"I said it had to be today or else wait until Dec. 7. I gave him my office number. As of yet they haven't called," he said.

"I can stand up tall for Catholic Charities. There is no way they would knowingly be part of any of this, not only by the law of the country but by the law of the gospel."

Susan Rauscher, executive director of Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh, said she knew of most of the complaints, some of which are tied to a labor dispute at a metal fabrication plant in Rankin. But she said it was the first she had heard of an employee allegedly accepting rent money. Protocol is to help clients make payments themselves, she said.

Chad Rink, an Ironworkers organizer with Three Rivers Coalition for Justice, said he had heard the Karen refugee testify at an eviction hearing about the missing money. It was also at a court hearing, he said, that a Burmese translator for Catholic Charities "told me that Karen people are nothing but lazy."

Ms. Rauscher said that there are only 20 Karen translators nationwide, and that Catholic Charities investigated reports that their translator was prejudiced against Karens. Those who worked closely with her saw no sign of it, she said.

But the core of the dispute involves 14 Burmese workers at W&K Steel in Rankin. The Three Rivers Coalition for Justice says they are paid less than other workers, and that they all work in dangerous conditions.

Two W&K employees, one of them Burmese, went on strike in September, and Ironworkers Local 3 is supporting their action. According to the Coalition for Justice, there are 35 employees total. Ed Wilhelm, owner of W&K, did not return phone calls.

Ms. Rauscher said Catholic Charities didn't place any clients there, but that two got jobs on their own initiative. After the labor complaints, a social worker asked them if their workplace was safe and if they wanted to find new jobs.

"They said they liked their jobs and wanted to stay," she said.

Catholic Charities also sent an investigator to the site. No obvious safety violations were evident and the company produced a letter from its insurance company saying that it appeared to satisfy federal safety standards. Catholic Charities found no evidence of two-tier pay, and noted that the company paid for family health and vision insurance and provided English and math classes for the refugees.

"I'm not sure what's going on with W&K Steel and the Ironworkers. ... But from our perspective, we didn't see that this employer was exploiting the refugee workers," she said.

Mr. Rink said he believes the workers lied to Catholic Charities about work conditions.

"They are afraid for their jobs," he said.

Ms. Rausher said all refugees struggle to make ends meet, especially when they arrive without western job skills. The government provides a one-time grant of $425 to set them up in an apartment. Most of the money Catholic Charities spends on refugees is from donors, she said.

Ms. Rauscher said she had invited a union representative to spend a day at Catholic Charities, learning about its work with refugees. "We haven't got a response to that invitation," she said.

Mr. Rink said it would waste his time. "For me to spend the day down there would defeat the purpose. I'm in court fighting for refugees, and I see first hand what the issues are," he said.

Ann Rodgers can be reached at arodgers@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1416.