Human trafficking on the rise


By RUBEN SARIO

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police, which have crippled several human trafficking syndicates, said trafficking is thriving in the state.

State CID (anti-vice, gambling and secret society division) chief Deputy Supt Mohd Taufik Maidin said police had detained 23 pimps including seven women over the past two years.

In January, police arrested six pimps and 29 women in raids here and in the interior Keningau district.

Police were investigating two of the pimps and 22 of the women under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act 2007 as the victims were duped and trafficked in for prostitution.

DSP Mohd Taufik told a seminar on the Act here that while prostitutes were free to move around, trafficked humans were abused and confined.

Noting that it was a challenge to prosecute a person under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, he said those caught were usually charged under the Immigration Act for overstaying or under the Penal Code for prostitution or for living in or trading in prostitution.

DSP Mohd Taufik said police needed the cooperation of the victims who were trafficked in and lured into prostitution to be able to charge a suspect under the anti-trafficking law.

“I believe if 10 people point to the same person and the same illegal operation, we will be able to nail this person,” he said, adding that police were working with other enforcement agencies including foreign consulates in tackling human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Sabah Women’s Advisory Council deputy chairperson Mariati Robert said more shelter homes were needed for human trafficking victims particularly in Sabah’s east coast.

She said there were currently only three shelters in Sabah, two in the state capital and one in Sandakan.

Mariati said the homes could not cope with both domestic violence and human trafficking victims.

“Sabah needs more such homes to protect these victims while waiting for their police cases to be resolved,” she added.

Unhygienic Food Causing Chin Refugee Detainee’s Health Worse

VOCR
29th April, 2010
Kuala Lumpur

by Salai C C

Amongst 500 assumed of Chin refugee detainees, Mr. Thang Kung Bawi of 16 yrs old detainee from Matupi in Lenggeng detention camp is said to be suffering from stomach problem caused by unhygienic foods and contaminated drinking water provided in the camp.

A minor detainee was arrested by immigration, while he was traveling to Johor Bahru to start a new job along with other 15 of Chin co-workers whose status are refugee, too, in a raid on road on 17.11.2009 and directly hurled him to Lenggeng detention center because he is less than 18 years old and cannot be detained in any prisons or jails in accordance with the detention laws.

It was said by other inmates that Mr. Thang Kung Bawi’s stomach pain was suddenly started paining and fainted after he ate breakfast on Tuesday morning. He is very nervous due to his suffering in his level of age and cannot eat any nutrient foods since being sick.

"We cannot clarify his illness yet despite consulting with a doctor for twice because the doctor didn't express what kind of sickness he has been carrying out. But we believed that he might be suffering from stomach or appendix problem. His condition is now being worsened and he may not surely recover unless the authority has hospitalized him. The medicine which was given by the clinic also is not adequate to be stimulated rapidly for recovery," his co-inmates said when contacted by VOCR.

Another detainee, even more, in block (A) who declined to give his name said that a Bangladeshi detainee had died after suffering from the same disease which symptom is very close to Thang Kung Bawi’s in January due to lack of health care service. I guessed that he was able to recover if the authority admitted him to the hospital as soon as they detected his sickness. We are therefore very worrying and wondering that Mr. Thang Kung Bawi’s present condition cannot be saved or improved as long as the camp authority are neglected to hospitalize this ill-person as in the past or the UNHCR rescue team does not intervene for his release, he cited.

According to a confirmed source, around 19 Chin refugee detainees including the sick, two UNHCR card holders and other three persons already interviewed by UNHCR are still remained encamped in block (A) in Lenggang Detention Camp while the rest are in line waiting the UNHCR registration for the recognition of refugee status.

Mainly and pivotally, the Chins became refugees in Malaysia is not to be a purposeful action but to come in search of refuge and running here to escape from the ongoing brutal persecution because of the religion and the minority ethnicity. And human right is only flown in the air.

Controversially, the world seems not too much convinced that the military regime is still cutting off all the development factors that can bring about in all the ethnic areas in 4 destructive weapons; such as education, information, transportation and food supply.

Recognised Chin Refugee in a serious condition

VOCR

28th April,2010

Kuala Lumpur


by Simon


Recognised Chin refugee Kham Cung Ceu from Vom Kua village, Thantlang Township was fallen down from his working site while he was working at 5:00 pm on 27thof April. The site from which he fell down is said quite high and it is extremely risky. Immediately, he was brought to the UKM Hospital by his employer.


From the get-go since he fell down, he became unconscious until they got to the hospital. Both his employer and relatives came to realize that the expense-to-use which is about Malaysia ringgit 5,000 is beyond the affordability when they were explained by the doctor, having told them that the conditions of Kham Cung Ceu who is unable to recall his memory because of the fall-down until now. Moreover, his scapula and humerus are badly broken according to what the doctor explaining upon the medical examination result out.

Khamh Cung Ceu (Photo-VOCR)



Until now, he absolutely forgets all the happenings for just a moment before the scene taking place when VOCR asked of the reason “why” and “how” at a time he can speak for a few.


Sadly, it’s hard to say about the reason why that happened for he couldn’t recall his memory. It is in impossible position to track back the investigation down for “why and how”. At worst, his wife and relatives are too much worried over his memory loss.


We could say that he is so lucky, though he is now having a painful suffering and facing the uncertain condition for life, that he is assisted by his employer as much as he can do to some extent.


Recently, the one from CRC members from Lulpilung village, Thantlang Township also died because the fall-down from the roof of one storey building on Christmas eve day after long suffering.

Chin refugee man died in car accident

VOCR
24th April, 2010
Kuala Lumpur


by Saimon & Salai CC


A Chin refugee named Thla Awi, about 40 yrs from Aive village, Hakha Township was hit to death by a Metro bus around 11:30 pm on Friday in Malaysia.


The man was hit when he was back en route home to Jalan Pudu to have meeting with his friends.


Volunteers of CRC (Chin Refugee Community) immediately rushed to the incident taken place as soon as a pedestrian informed the CRC in order to give a hand there.


"It was said that the police car reached the place ahead by the time we arrived there. The body was left on the road and the police were searching for a witness to facilitate the investigation as the driver had run away. However, no witness had been found out since he was alone in the incident occurred," a volunteer of CRC said.

Search & Rescue team checking Thla Awi body


"Around this area, some of Chin refugees had had encountered the same accidents and all the rest of people should be on alert especially when crossed the road. No one should cross off this highway for the reason of the car speed here is higher than other normal roads. Fortunately amid the sorrow mounted, the case will be thoroughly investigated and any necessary action will be taken into the driver despite his status is illegal (refugee)", a police man said to the VOCR.


A police man prompted that Chin refugees living around this area are very disobedient so that two had been died in the same incident here as a result. The reason is all the people who walk down here between Jalan Imbi and Jalan Pudu are still crossing this highway though incident has given them some knowledge and they can best walk past the bridge for the highway, instead.


It was said that Za Tin lost contact from his relatives since 04.04.2010 and was found dead on 14.04.2010 at General Hospital in Kuala Lumpur when his relatives lodged a report to police. Later on, the investigation revealed that it was appeared that he also was hit by the car and directly died in the scene. In his related case, the detailed information was not provided to the community by none of his friends or relatives but the funeral service was held in Sungai Buluh cemetery which was mainly led by (CCF) Chin Christian Fellowship. Only few information had been available regarding this person accident as it was failed to inform to the responsible community by friends or relatives.


It is so certain that more death tolls because of the accident appear to be continuous as long as they keep crossing the highway as before. So far in this related cases, any compensations for those who have been died in the car accident have never been offered until recently.


Truth, often and often times Communities and Churches make such a very important awareness to the people along with each community owned leaflets which are used as a strong media. It's been time for individuals (refugees) to be aware of self safety and learn from the past what was going through.


Two Chin Refugee Guys Kidnapped and Beaten up in Malaysia

VOCR

20th April, 2010

Kuala Lumpur


Two Chin young men, Biak Van Peng 24 years and Zam Peng 28 years of age were kidnapped, put hostage and badly beaten up by the drug addicted local gangsters at the suburban area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on last Saturday.


"The incident started while the two guys hailing a cab at Bukit Jalil bus station at around 6:30 pm , a man with proton car approached them and asked them to give a ride at the same charge with other taxi. The two guys with overloaded three bags decided without hesitation to onboard because of unable to carry their heavy bags and could not take other cabs.


"After driving for five minutes, the car was suddenly stopped and a person standing on the pavement came into the car and sat beside us .On the way, they began to threaten us and asked us to give them all the money we got .They took RM-180 from us but still weren't satisfy with the money and took us to a house believed to be the driver's house which is at outskirt of Kuala Lumpur and arrived there at around 11:30 at night. As soon as we got there, we were punched, kicked, beaten up and stroke with a pipe and threatened us to be beaten till death unless we made calls to our relatives and friends to send them RM 2000 for the redemption," the two victims said.

The two hostages made calls to their relatives several times but no one could send the demanded money to save them as it was already midnight and the banks had already been closed so that it was unavailable to transfer the money.



Biak Van Peng showing his scars of toture by the thugs at Chin refugee community office in Kuala Lumpur


"Soon after we called our relatives, they stopped beating us for a while as they had got words of promises to be given the amount of money they demanded through the phone. Even thought they were having some drugs, we were guarded strictly throughout the night. At early in the morning around 5:30, we were once again forced to make calls to our relatives, friends and the entire contact's name listed in our phonebook both in abroad and domestic to remind them of our situation," Biak Van Peng said.


"We did calls as we were badly beaten and intolerable of their assaults. Soon after they stopped beating us as our relatives transferred RM 2000 in their credit card but they broke their promise of letting us go instead they asked another RM 2000 to our relatives. As they no longer had been assured of the money to be sent for our ransom, they continued beating us with the pipe till we were nearly fainted. At around 3pm, we were forced to take a shower as we were about to be released by their hired taxi only after our relatives transferred another RM 1000, saying that both of you would be sent home because we had already done our job," Zam Peng cited.


"A Chin Disciplinary Action Committee chairman, Lal Siam Mawi had already lodged a report to the police since the gangs told him both hostages would be released after they received the money. As soon as the hostages were brought home alive by the taxi, the Chin refugee committee immediately took them to the hospital for their medication.


The police are investigating the case and hunting the perpetrators after the doctor confirmed that Mr. Zam Peng was severely wounded and one of his ribs is nearly broken.

This breaking news has become as an alert to the chin refugee living in KL for it has once again strengthened the fact that we, the vulnerable chin refugee are the most targeted people of the local gangster as their prey.


"This is a shocking and sporadically incident among the Chin refugees in Malaysia and we all need to be vigilant when we hired a taxi and hanging out with our friend all the time" CCF chairman warned the church members on Sunday.


This incident happened to these vulnerable people is really an embarrassing and aggressive matters. Any operation to swipe-out this heartless people is necessary to carry out and the government should more concenterate to probibit this criminal movements in the country for it could also happen to the local people.

300 foreigners held during joint op


GEORGE TOWN: Two children were among about 300 foreigners rounded up during an operation to flush out illegal immigrants.

State Immigration director Abdul Qadir Siddiq Ahmad said 200 officers from the Immigration, police, Rela, Penang Municipal Council, Manpower Department and Malay¬sian Anti-Corruption Commission took part in the one-hour operation in Komtar which began at 3pm.

“We conduct such operations from time to time whenever the department receives complaints.

“This operation inside the Komtar building and the surrounding area was held after a meeting with the Chief Minister.”

Most of those rounded up were Indonesian, Myanmar, Filipino, Indian and Bangladeshi.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/18/nation/6081664&sec=nation

Pregnant Women Detainee Released from Lenggeng

VOCR

14th April, 2010
Kuala Lumpur

A long controversy and one of the hottest issues ever for the refugee communities in Malaysia about a Chin pregnant women detainee has ended prestigiously after the UNHCR protection team got her out from the camp late evening on Monday.

Just after one month of her pregnancy, she and her husband were arrested during the immigration and RELA raid on their accommodation on the 1st of Augus last year and detained them in different camps. She was charged for entering into the country illegally and sentenced for six months of imprisonment. After she served her four-month imprisonment in Kajang prison, the authority shifted her to Seminyih camp and separated from other pregnant women detainees. After one month, the camp authority moved her to Lenggeng camp where she wasted three months due to the renovation of Seminyih camp.
Thla Tin Sui with her new born child sitting at a community office after the OPI team released her from the camp

The refugee communities had hinted about her and raised a lot of questions when they heard that she was going to born a new child in the notorious camp. She was later admitted to Seremban hospital by the guards last week and born her first lovely daughter on Sunday. But sadly, even the husband was banned to visit her during in the hospital due to restricted policies and put her behind the bars. One day later, the guards repatriated her to the camp but fortunately released on 12/04/2010 Monday by the help of UNHCR protection team and called her for interview with regard to her refugee status process.

But it was said that her appointment date for the interview on 13 of April was postponed to have the interview together with her husband and told her to come back when she can get birth certificate for her daughter by the UNHCR. However, it is unpredictable when she can get the birth certificate for her newborn child since she herself does not know where the document is. As she was alone and too weak at the time of delivery that she cannot even realize if the birth certificate was issued or not.

"I was delighted when the OPI team from UNHCR office released me from the camp. But it was so uninspired yesterday for me that the registration officer told me they cannot embed my child under our file without birth certificate. Not only the officer explained me we failed to embed our child but also she eradicated my appointment card for interview process" she said.


"This is the second burden for us. We went to Sereban hospital to get my wife's medical document to submit application for birth certificate but it was said that all medical documents was handed over to the camp guards and needed to go back to the camp. So, I don't think the guards would ever provide all medical document to submit an application for birth certificate since we will not be able to locate the right person," the husband said.


UNHCR: Only a small number take to the streets

The Star

Wednesday April 7, 2010

PETALING JAYA:

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says only a small number of refugees are involved in begging.

UNHCR spokesperson Yante Ismail said investigations revealed that the lack of employment opportunities made them beg.

She said most refugees were hardworking and prepared to do odd-jobs for a living.

“Most of the women refugees work as cleaners in homes in order to keep going. They are not able to find jobs elsewhere since the UNHCR card does not give them the privilege to be formally employed,” she told Starprobe.

Yante said the refugee children, including those born here, had no access to formal education as their status was different from that of citizens or permanent residents.

The one advantage they had was a special discount for medical treatment at government hospitals, she said, adding that the UNHCR also provided them with free medical treatment at certain clinics assigned by the Commissioner.

“We also offer them financial aid during emergencies,” she said.

Asked how long the refugees were allowed to stay on, Yante said they could stay on for as long as their home country was not prepared to accept them.

In most cases, she said the refugees wanted to return to their homeland soon after seeking temporary asylum in another country, but political instability and other factors made them stay on for a longer period.

Meanwhile, Selangor Welfare Department director Adnan Abu Bakar said the sight of women begging with their children was just too much for Malaysians to bear.

He said with Malaysians being a generous lot, there was “good money to be made from begging.”

“Malaysians are kind and highly sympathetic, especially towards women and children. So many (refugees) take advantage of the situation to earn easy money,” he said when contacted.

Adnan said the department conducted raids every month to round up beggars.

“We conducted close to 200 raids last year, but that did not stem these activities,” he said, adding that it was difficult to tackle the foreign beggar problem due to their status as refugees.

He said locals caught begging were sent to the Welfare Department for counselling or to rehabilitation centres, while illegal immigrants were handed to the Immigration Department.

“However, the solution for refugees is tough, as they hold passports. Many also return to begging after their release. Our department has its limitations,” he said.

Besides Klang, there were also a high number of foreign beggars in Hulu Selangor, Ampang and Petaling Jaya.

Klang Municipal Council public relations director Norfiza Mahfiz said most Myanmar beggars in Klang had been rounded up by the authorities during raids.

She said the beggars were caught during joint raids conducted by the council, Welfare Services Department and the police.

“These beggars seem to have no other means of survival except to seek alms,” she added.

Klang district police chief Asst Comm Mat Yusop said police had so far not received reports of syndicates being involved in begging activities, but would investigate the matter.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/7/starprobe/6002469&sec=starprobe

They’re begging to stay alive

Stories by ELAN PERUMAL and CHRISTINA TAN

elan@thestar.com.my

THE Myanmar community in Klang who have made begging their livelihood claim that the lack of job opportunities has forced them to resort to it.

They said that their status as refugees — under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — only allowed them to stay on temporarily in this country.

Camera shy: A mother hurriedly whisking away her child after the Starprobe team in Klang.

One of them, who wished to be known as Sofinah, 34, said she entered Malaysia with six children, adding that she got married at the age of 12.

She said her eldest son, who was 18, had left the family, adding that she had to fend for the other children, including an eight-month old.

“My mother is sick. My husband and I have to feed the family and pay rental for the home.

“We are not allowed to work or do business,” she said, adding that the children were also not allowed to attend government schools.

Her husband, Salim Mohamed, 51, who walks with the help of crutches, said the family was in a dilemma.

He said he had no choice but to join his wife “to beg for survival.”

“The UNHCR status has helped us to live safely in this country since we are not accepted back home but there is nothing much we can do here,” he said.

A 28-year-old beggar, who wished to be identified as Bahorosha, said she had four children aged between five and 13.

She claimed that her children attended a private school in the morning and only joined her in the afternoon.

Bahrosha said her husband had left her and she had to resort to begging.

“I’m worried for the future of my children, especially my three daughters,” she said.

“I cannot imagine what their future will be and pray that they will not have to continue begging for the rest of their lives,” said Bahrosha, who came to Malaysia when she was only two years old.

Using children to do it


ELAN PERUMAL provides a first-hand account of his close encounters with vagabonds over a two-month observation period.

I WAS surprised to find beggars and their children all over the place when I first entered their “territory”.

They were in the thick of action and I realised that they were well known among the petty traders and shopkeepers in the area.

Things were so intense that I was almost immediately approached by the young beggars.

Working partners: Sofinah and Salim taking a break after a long day of begging.

But they soon began to sniff something amiss – it was as if they knew that they were being followed and photographed.

Several traders even asked me why I had been photographing the beggars. They were worried that the beggars’ “livelihood” would be affected, and that enforcement action would follow.

From my observations, I learnt that the beggars operated under various modus operandi, depending on the age of their children.

The ones with babies would normally use a more “direct approach” by moving around in crowded areas to attract sympathy.

One of the mother beggars whom I thought was the most “hardworking” was identified as Sofinah.

She does not only operate along the terminal at Jalan Pos Baru but often gets onto buses to plead for money.

But after she kept seeing me, she disappeared.

Sofinah was afraid of me after I started taking her photographs.

She seemed to be the only one who was accompanied by her husband, Salim, who was physically handicapped. This guy only begged on the buses.

After several hours, Salim would go and enjoy teh tarik at a nearby restaurant while his wife continued to beg. The couple often sat next to each other at the bus stop.

Other beggars with very small children would wait at strategic spots such as the back lane near Plaza MPK. They would make their children sit in front of them, holding a bowl.

On weekends and public holidays when human traffic was heavy, the mothers would leave their children at a strategic point before moving to another location to beg. But they would often return to watch over the young ones.

Beggars with children who were independent sat along the pavement in front of shops or under trees near the terminal area.

I noticed that many of these mothers had more than three children.

There were those with five or six children “working” alongside them.

I witnessed how the children would run to their mothers with their collection. The mothers would quickly insert the coins into a pouch which they kept in a sling bag.

For the children, the area is not only a place for them to help their families eke out a living but is also their “playground”. They take time-off to rest and play with their friends.

Myanmar refugees forced to make a living by seeking alms

By ELAN PERUMAL

newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KLANG: They were babies in the arms of their mothers begging in the streets here. Now 40 years on they are on the very same streets themselves plying the trade.

And it looks like this “generational handover” of the trade will continue, as they themselves have their own children either in their arms or running around nearby begging from pedestrians.

A girl in scarf with another on the far left approach commuters for money.

Some of the women reportedly get pregnant often, as beggars carrying babies are usually more successful in getting the sympathy of passers-by.

The beggars are from a community of Myanmar refugees who first came here in the 1970s.

Social workers have said three generations are now living here, all of whom have had to resort to begging to make a living.

A Detained Chin Refugee Woman Delivers Her First Child

VOCR
5th April, 2009
Kuala Lumpur

by Salai C C

The demands and requests of NGOs with the camp authority in Lenggeng detention camp to be considered about a Chin refugee pregnant woman Thla Tin Sui seems to be pointless as the authority continues putting her unapproachable area by the husband and the community since she was arrested on the first nigh of August last year.

When news broke out last month saying a Chin refuge woman to give birth a new baby at the camp in March, a doctor from Tenaganita (NGO) with volunteer interpreter rushed to the camp and demanded the guards to have her medical check up or to meet her but it was ignored and they were rather forced to return without providing any assistance.

"I was very disappointed when the guards refused our claim. I cannot imagine how awesome to a baby be born behind bars because it may harm her psychologically and physically. But I would like to encourage her that we, the Chin people are ready to support if the authority allow us to do so," the NGO's volunteer interpreter said.

According to the husband, Thla Tin Sui was hospitalized at Seremban Hospital to give birth a new child under custody of the authority but no update information has been given yet despite being admitted her for more than three days in hospital. He stressed that his wife will deliver their first child unattended.

"Suffice for me to say that not only this issue hatches to outburst trouble for both our family and community but also it emphasizes that all the refugee women in Malaysia are facing the same condition. I went to the hospital and attempted to see my wife on Sunday but the guards allowed me only five minutes to stay with my wife. I cannot imagine my wife would be sent back to the camp after she delivered our first child in the hospital. I pray that my wife and my would-be-born child be healthy and strong enough to bear any difficulties and hardships in the unseen place, but I just can't think that how long my first prison-born child is going to spend its beginning life without the father's touch," says the would-be-father with tears.

We have been attempting to intervene and had called some organizations for collaboration to solve this problem. We heard that she was visited by the UNHCR team and there might be some positive result if that news was true. We are frightening that she and the baby will be sent back to the camp even though no one knows whether she has given birth the baby yet, Chin Refugee Committee said.