CRACKDOWN ON MIGRANTS & REFUGEES in MALAYSIA

The mass arrests & detention of migrants, refugees and stateless persons in
Malaysia has begun.

4 million Malaysians have been mobilized to seek out, arrest, detain and
deport any migrant found to be undocumented in Malaysia. Out of this, 2.8
million are ordinary citizens with no proper training (RELA Volunteer Corp),
while the remaining 1 million are Immigration officers, police, the military
and other enforcement agencies.

Key concerns:

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

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

* Tenaganita (temporary hotline) :

. +6-012-339 5350 tel:-012-339205350

tel: +6-012-335 0512, tel:-012-335200512

* MSRI (hotline for refugees & asylum seekers): tel:+6-012-6628483, tel:6-012-6628483

* SUARAM: tel: +6-03-7784 3525, tel:+6-03-7784203525

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

Media contact: Irene Fernandez (Tenaganita):

* irene.f[at]tenaganita.net
* +6-012-316 3011 tel:6-012-316203011

Background

The arrest, detention & deportation of undocumented migrants is the final
phase of the Malaysian government’s Illegal Immigrant Comprehensive
Settlement Programme (6P Programme, “6P”) In spite of the Secretary-General
of the Home Ministry, Tan Sri Mahmood Adam’s declaration that the deadline
for the 6P has been extended to April 10 2012, we have already started
receiving reports of arrests and detention.

On 11th of February, we were informed by refugees and members of the public
that a raid was conducted in Kuala Lumpur, during which between 100 to 200
migrants and refugees were detained. We are aware that some refugees were
taken to detention centres, while the whereabouts of others are currently
unknown.

In previous Immigration crackdowns (2005 ; 2008) there was high use of
violence against the migrants, migrants were not granted access to a phone
call, or to lawyers ; we fear that similar (if not worse) rights violations
will also take place during this crackdown.

We are also especially concerned for the lives of refugees & stateless
persons (who remain ‘illegal’ under Malaysian law) and for victims of
trafficking who will be arrested, detained and run the risk of deportation
during this crackdown. We are not aware of any processes in place to protect
these populations, and the refugees who are still in detention after being
arrested on the 11th is a reminder of these real threats.

In order to protect the rights and lives of migrants and refugees, we call
on all parties to be vigilant and assist us in monitoring and responding to
this crackdown.

*PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY

UNHCR and The Actors Studio bring “Life Sdn Bhd 7: Refugees”

Please do attend, if you can and please do help circulate this! Thank you!

Life Sdn Bhd 7: REFUGEES
Real people, real stories.

What’s it like to be a refugee? To witness your family torn apart by war and conflict? To lose everything you value – family, friends, your home – and be forced to flee in order to save your life?
This is a journey made by millions of refugees as they flee war, conflict, human rights abuses and persecution. Yet this journey, and how refugees live their lives in Malaysia, is hard for us to imagine.

Life Sdn Bhd 7: REFUGEES produced by The Actors Studio in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) features seven courageous men and women from Myanmar, Somalia and Sri Lanka. They will share, on stage, the honest and compelling stories of their lives as refugees in Malaysia. In the wake of having lost everything, these refugees, like tens of thousands of other refugees in Malaysia, have incredible courage and perseverance to remain steadfast and positive in their will to survive.

Brainchild of Dato’ Faridah Merican, the popular Life Sdn Bhd series has grown from strength to strength since its first staging in 2004.
Once again, Dato’ Faridah brings to the centre of public discourse, an issue which is often left in the peripheries of society.

Deborah Henry, Miss Universe Malaysia 2011 and refugee rights advocate, together with Susheela Balasundaram of UNHCR, and singer-songwriters Ariff Akhir and Ian Chow will be joining the refugees on stage.

Life Sdn Bhd 7: REFUGEES puts a human face to the refugee issue, behind the numbers and statistics are real people with real stories and real dreams and desires for a life of safety.

Part of the proceeds from Life Sdn Bhd 7: REFUGEES will go towards the Refugee Welfare Fund that provides emergency medical and welfare assistance for refugees in Malaysia.

Show Details

Presenter: The Actors Studio & UNHCR Malaysia Date & Time: 26th (preview night) – 29th October 2011 @ 8.30pm,
30th October@3pm
Venue: The Actors Studio @ Lot 10
Ticketing: RM33 (adults) / RM23 (students, disabled & TAS card holders), Promotion: RM23 flat for preview night Box office: Call or walk-in | klpac @ Sentul Park (03 4047 9000). The Actors Studio @ Lot 10 (03 2142 2009/2143 2009) Walk-in | ILasso Tickets @ A606, Block A, Phileo Damansara II, Petaling Jaya (+603-79576088 – enquiry line only)
Website: www.theactorsstudio.com.my | www.unhcr.org.my

Life Sdn Bhd 7: REFUGEES Production Team
Executive Producer & Director: Dato’ Faridah Merican
Artistic Director: Joe Hasham OAM
Original Music: Ariff Akhir & Ian Chow
Cast:
Ahmed, Khampi, Ngun Siang, Raine, Sharifah, Theepika, Trasia
(Refugees)
Deborah Henry (Miss Universe Malaysia 2011 and refugee rights
advocate)
Susheela Balasundaram (UNHCR)

Hisham: M’sia can proceed to send refugees to Australia

PETALING JAYA (Oct 14, 2011): Malaysia can still proceed to send 4,000 refugees to be processed in Australia despite the country’s decision to abandon the refugee swap deal, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussien yesterday.

In a tweeted response to theSun last night, Hishammuddin, through his official Twitter handle @HishammuddinH20 said: “Malaysia no impact as they are still willing to accept 4,000 refugees from us.”

Hishammuddin also reiterated Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s statement yesterday that the deal was scrapped because of her inability to get any Opposition MPs to support a change in migration laws which will allow for the swap deal to proceed.

Gillard reportedly said: “We are not in a position to implement the arrangement with Malaysia. It is apparent the legislation will not pass the parliament.”

In his second tweet to theSunM, Hishammuddin added: “Bilateral cooperation (between) Australia and Malaysia to fight human trafficking syndicates (is) still very strong. The next working group meeting will be held next month.”

 

Get the full story here.

KL respects Canberra’s decision to drop refugee deal

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has accepted the Australian government’s decision to drop the plan to exchange refugees and asylum seekers that was agreed upon by both parties in July.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in a statement that although the plan fell through, the efforts by both governments had attracted global attention to the various issues pertaining to refugees and asylum seekers.

“We have achieved a large part of our goal when the global community started to pay attention and responded to the swap arrangement,” he said.

“Our objective is to shed light on the welfare of refugees and emphasise the importance of playing a part in curbing the negative activities that are associated with asylum-seeking,” he added.

 

Get the full story here.

Cambodia bans its citizens from working as domestic helpers in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: The dire shortage of maids affecting some 35,000 families has taken a turn for the worse with Cambodia springing a surprise ban on its citizens working as domestic helpers in Malaysia.

This comes three days after Indonesia announced that a moratorium on sending its maids had not been lifted pending a proper framework being put in place.

A Reuters report from Phnom Penh yesterday said Prime Minister Hun Sen made the decision after expressing disappointment with alleged incidents of beatings and rape of Cambodian maids by their Malaysian employers.

The report quoted Cambodia’s Community Legal Education Centre, which helps abused domestic workers, as saying at least three maids were killed in Malaysia, and two raped and kept in isolation.

Their passports were also withheld by their employers.

Get the full story here

Horrific abuse sparks call for freeze on maids

Allegations of horrific abuse against Cambodian domestic workers in Malaysia, including the rape of a woman trying to flee an abusive employer that led to a pregnancy, emerged at a press conference yesterday attended by opposition MP Mu Sochua.

Mu Sochua said yesterday she had met with seven domestic workers who had escaped beatings, rape and slave labour conditions at a press conference in Malaysia hosted by rights group Tenaganita. She said she was going to take the allegations “all the way” to the United Nations and other relevant bodies.

“It’s really incredible and most of them talk about depression. Out here I have seven [women] and two want to commit suicide because they are so depressed – I have one who is next to me on the floor in tears,” she said.

A 27-year-old former domestic worker named Mong Sreymao had not seen her son, who was three months old when she left Cambodia, for five years, in which time both her parents had died, Mu Sochua said.

Another woman, who was staying in a Malaysian maternity shelter, had given birth one month ago after she was allegedly raped while trying to escape from her employer.

Other rescued domestic workers told Mu Sochua they’d been gang raped and abused, and had the scars to prove it.

The Sam Rainsy Party MP yesterday called for an immediate freeze on the sending of all Cambodian domestic workers to Malaysia.

An Bunhak, the director of the Association of Cambodian Recruitment Agencies, said yesterday he was shocked by the allegations and would investigate immediately.

“Tomorrow I will call the embassy and we will check what’s going on and which agency sent these maids,” he said.

The problems of abuse were only going to get worse with a growing number of Cambodian domestic workers set to head to Malaysia, he said. He said he had lobbied governement and the private sector to close all the Kingdom’s training centres so that a sub-decree close to being passed by the government could be implemented. The sub-decree sets out new guidelines for the sector. “In a few years, the number of maids to send to Malaysia will double or triple and I tell you Cambodia is not ready. The training centres are poor.”

Mu Sochua said yesterday that three of the seven victims she had met were recruited by Cambodian labour recruitment agency Philimore, which had been repeatedly embroiled in abuse scandals.

Philimore director Sok Chanpheakdey questioned yesterday whether frequent claims of abuse against Cambodian domestic migrant workers made by the opposition Sam Rainsy Party were true.

“I think, are their claims true or not true. Until now I don’t know because the workers never give the information to the company for us to intervene into such violence. However, we will suffer so much if the case is true,” he said.

In a press statement released yesterday, Tenaganita said that a domestic worker void which had been filled by Cambodia after Indonesia froze its citizens from pursuing work in Malaysia had led to a routine experience of torture, control and denial of rights, evident in 41 cases the NGO had handled in the past six months.

“In all of these 41 cases, the passports of the domestic workers were held by their employers, they were not given a single day-off for rest, and none of them had a contract signed directly with the employer,” the statement read.

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Article link: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2011081251019/National-news/horrific-abuse-sparks-call-for-feeze-on-maids.html

World Refugee Day 2011

WorldRefugeeDay_EFlyer

Experience the lives of refugees on World Refugee Day this year.

What’s it like to be a refugee? Understand more about who refugees are and why they have been forced to flee their country.

Join us at the KL Sentral Station on 18 and 19 June 2011 from 9.00am till 4.00pm for World Refugee Day. Visitors will get a chance to “Walk a mile in a refugee’s shoes” by experiencing the journey a refugee makes, and to see what it’s like to live as a refugee in Malaysia.

Enjoy a refugee bazaar (where 100% proceeds will go back to the refugee community), refugee performances, meet celebrities, win exclusive UN merchandise and more. Admission is free.

Visit www.unhcr.org.my or call 03 2141 1322 for more information.

Please find an e-flyer attached for your convenient reference and distribution.

Should you wish to include the event invite on your Facebook, the event has been created at the UNHCR Malaysia Facebook Page. Or you are welcomed to take the above text and re-post accordingly.

Note: If you would like to contribute towards World Refugee Day, UNHCR is still accepting contributions. Please email Yante Ismail at ismaily@unhcr.org or call me at 013 352 6286 to ask.