On 4th July 2008 about 200 migrants were arrested in Jalan Meru and Kampung Jawa, Klang in 1.30am raid by the Immigration and Rela. Out of this number, about 80 person are Stateless Rohingya refugees. According to refugees,
during the raid one month old baby, 15 children and 10 women was picked up by the Immigration. They were sent to Semenyih detention camp.
Malaysia does not recognise refugees and is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention. However, Malaysia and all countries are bound by the principle of non-refoulement, which says that no one may be returned to a country where they would be at risk of serious human rights violations.
As everyone knows that human rights situation in Myanmar is grave. Rohingyas returned to Myanmar are at serious risk of human rights violations including torture, arbitrary detention, forced labour, denied citizenship, restricted movement etc.
We appeal to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Home Minister to stop the arrest on refugees and issue a temporary document to refugees so that we can stay and work with permission while waiting for the UNHCR to process our resettlement.
We also hope that the ASEAN countries can add on pressure to Junta to end the human rights violations in order to reduce the number of people becoming refugees.
Yours sincerely,
*Mr. Zafar Ahmad Haji Abdul Ghani*
*President of Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia
(MERHROM)*
Penthouse, Wisma MLS
No. 31 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
50100 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Tel: 603. 26913691 / 26973671
Fax: 603. 26913681
H/P: 6016- 6827287,
Web: http://merhrom.wordpress.com
Email: rights4rohin…@yahoo.co.uk
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