Stop Arrest, Detention, and Deportation of Burmese Refugees and Asylum-Seekers In Malaysia

To:  Prime Minister of Malaysia

Dear Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia,

Through various reports, internet sources, international and local news media such as the 2009 U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, New York Times, ABC News, Inter Press Service, NTV7 Malaysia, we are shocked to learn of the human rights violations of Burmese refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia.
Burmese refugees and asylum-seekers in Malaysia face constant arrest, detention, and deportation by law enforcement authorities. Refugees who are arrested are detained in detention centers under deplorable conditions, with no or little access to outside assistance. Based on numerous testimonials from refugees, we have learned that the refugees end up being deported to Thailand where they are picked up by traffickers and forced to pay for their release. Those who cannot afford to pay are sold as forced labor to Thai fishing trawlers and the sex trade. They are also subjected to physical, sexual and mental abuse at the hands of the traffickers if payments are delayed.
According to the survivors of the trafficked refugees and asylum-seekers, the officers from the Malaysian enforcement agencies are active players in this organized crime of human trafficking.
We, the undersigned herewith, solemnly urge the Malaysian government to recognize the needs of the Burmese refugees for protection in the country. We hereby demand that all acts violating international human rights and humanitarian law are immediately discontinued and are subjected to prompt, independent, and impartial investigations. All perpetrators, including those who ordered these shocking acts, must be brought to justice. We urge the Malaysian government to:

- review the policies which criminalize refugees, and to stop raiding neighborhood and workplaces and arresting, detaining, mistreating, and deporting refugees and asylum-seekers from Burma, particularly by RELA (the Volunteer People’s Corp) and Immigration officers.

- abide by its obligation as a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), by ending the practice of detaining refugee women, particularly pregnant women, and children.

- enforce legal action and arrest perpetrators of human trafficking of refugees.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Stop Arrest, Detention, and Deportation of Burmese Refugees and Asylum-Seekers In Malaysia Petition to Prime Minister of Malaysia was created by and written by Mary Chuah (mary@projecthomemalaysia.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.