VOCR
3rd January, 2010
Kuala Lumpur
By Salai C C

According to a confirmed source, a long controversial about refugee deportation and selling to fishing boats and plantation sites at Thai-Malay border has already been resumed by Malaysian immigration personnel and human traffickers. After the US senate Foreign Relation had released the record which stated human trafficking in Thai-Malaysia border, the selling refugee process and refugee deportation in the border has been paused for a while. However, before the criticizing has finished, “Refugee for sale” program had been started by the authorities.

On 24th December, 2009, two Chin refugees formally known as Zam Tuang(33) and Kam Khua Tuan (25) were sold into the hands of human traffickers by two Malaysian immigration officers at the border. The two victims and their three colleagues were arrested by the police at their workplace in Penang on 13.11.2009. The first time they all were detained in Police lock-up but three days later, the police sent them to Juru detention camp.

On 26th November, both victims appeared to court and convicted for two months of imprisonment due to being undocumented. After the trial had finished, both victims were transferred to Pakoksena prison and they spent almost two months. When their imprisonment period was about to finish, both victims were transferred back to Blantik camp. After fifteen minutes, they arrived to Blantik camp, two immigration officers with one van came saying they sent them to a wrong place and forced them to be aboard into the van.

“When the two officers told us to be aboard into the van, I though that we will transfer to another camp. But we headed to Thai-Malaysia border instead of going to another detention camp. I was very scared as I heard that many refugees had been sold with brutal human traffickers and forced them to work on fishing boats by the gang” said Mr. Zam Tuang.

The two victims said that the immigration officers and human trafficker met at a remote village and the human trafficker (agent) (believed to be Burman because he has Burmese name and he can speak Burmese fluently) waiting for them. When we arrived to the village we were dumped at the roadside and we saw the human trafficker paying the money with two immigration officers.


“When we arrived to the agent house in the forest he forced us to call our relatives and asked them to bring RM 2600 to be released. The agent known as Aung Naing Oo also told us that if your relatives did not bring the money, I am going to sell both of you” they added.

Luckily, both victims were released after three days by the help of their relatives and community and they can participate in New Year celebration with their relatives and community members. But they are worrying that the rest three detainees would also be sold back with human traffickers.

Before the Malaysian government has paused deportation into Thai-Malay border, many of Chin refugees were sold in the border. As a result, the human traffickers sold them on fishing boat and many women were raped.