Friday, December 5, 2008

ARRC Workshop in Preparation for Increasing Refugees


Kuala Lumpur, 27 Nov—A workshop was conducted by Association of
Arakan National Council Supporting (ANC‐S) in Malaysia to prepare for
coming 2009‐10 fiscal year work plans and responses. Fourteen
coordinators from different regions of Malaysia participated in the
workshop.
The coordinators predict that outnumbers of refugees will
be coming to Malaysia to seek protection and asylum at the UNHCR.
The present figures of Arakanese in Malaysia are 15,500. Among the
15,500, most are age between 20s and 30s. ARRC has registered 8,215
men, women, and children as members since 2004. More new comers
are registering daily.
The workshop reviewed that among the 8,215 members only 351
have been recognized as refugees by the UNHCR in Malaysia. The
participants agree that more human rights abuses will be increased in
the Arakan State even though the present ruling military junta
announces it will hold an election in 2010. The future civilian
government is in no way supported by the people of Arakan since its
proxy USDA is transforming into two political parties to contest in the
election. In fact, USDA has over 24 million members, half of the total
populations. On the other hand, the SPDC adopted constitution allows
25 percent of military men in houses. USDA may win in 75 percent. In
addition, China approves to build gas and oil pipelines from the
Arakan State to Yunnan province. According to news, it will start in
the early months of 2009. Used of force labors and land confiscation
are unavoidable on the pipe construction sites. Increasing military
battalions protecting the pipelines will definitely multiply sexual
abuses the local women.
SPDC has already leased 50,000 acres of farmlands in the
Arakan State to the Bangladeshi. Over ten thousand Bangladeshi
farmers have already moved into the Arakan State to work in the
farms. As a result, thousands of local Arakanese farmers have lost
their farms and become jobless in their own state.
To response these unbearable abused by the military
regime, many young men are coming to Malaysia. To help the
newcomers, ARRC lay down the following preparatory work plans:
1. To hold annual conference on January 26, 2009 to elect
new leaders and to make policies.
2. To upgrade technology and new communication channels.
3. To share information and coordinate with the local NGOs
and with the international IGOs.
4. To build more skills by giving trainings for executives and
office staffs by experts, academia, and local experience
leaders.
5. To provide more trainings and workshops within grassroots
for human rights, labor rights, and legal aid as well as public
health and first aid.
6. To produce monthly newsletter in local languages and
freely distribute to the grassroots.
Workshops at the ANC‐S & ARRC Office in Kuala Lumpur

An Arakanese Refugee Beaten by Vietnamese

Butter Worth, Dec.2‐ Myo Hlaing holding the card ARK 5892 tried to
appease the fighting between Vietnamese in the factory in the
evening on Dec 2, 2008. However, one of the fighting groups
misunderstood on Myo Haing’s intervention. Then they fought back
Myo Hlaing with the knife and rods until he was unconscious on the
spot with the injury of his head and nearly the whole part of his body.
He was thrown by them on the roadside. The two Malaysians who
were driving on the road saw Myo Hlaing unconsciously lying on the
road. They brought him to Penang Hospital. ARRC office in Butter
Worth reported that he is now taking treatment for his injury at Ward
No.7 and Bed No. 5 in the Penang Hospital.

Eleven Arakanese Men Arrested by the Police

Kuala Lumpur, Dec.3‐ Eleven Arakanese men were arrested by the
police at their apartment in Johor on Monday night. Now they are
detained in the police station. They will be taken to the court for
charges of illegal entry into Malaysia. They will be sentenced to jail
and then deported to Thai‐Malaysian border that a man who is
working in the same factory in Johor reported.

RM 800 Taken by a Police from a Refugee

Kuala Lumpur, 27 Nov‐ A local police took 800 RM from Kyaw Kyaw ,
who is a refugee and has UN card in Pudu Raya’s bus‐stop on
Sunday. When the police met him at the bus‐stop, the police asked
him some questions and took the money from his pocket. Later he
informed the ARRC office the police money taking.

Employers Do Not Pay Eight Arakanese Men for Two Months

Kaula Lumpur, 28 Nov. 2008‐Eight Arakanese men working in a
construction factory in Kuala Lumpur quit the job because the
employers hold two months payroll, and job is very dangerous. These
men are called by Malaysian agent with contracting a Myanmar agent
in Rangoon for the plantation jobs in Malaysia. The agent instead sent
them to work in the construction. The agent did not take any
responsibility after they quit the jobs and even drove them out of the
agent’s office. They are now taking sheltering at ARRC office in Kuala
Lumpur.

A Refugee Critically Injured by a Hit and Run Driver

Johor Barau, Nov. 30‐‐Kyaw Myo, who is an Arakanese and works in
an electronics factory in Johor Bahru, was hit by a car on 29 Nov. His
friend, Myo Win Tun, who works in the same factory informed ARRC
about the accident. He told that the victim was seriously injured, and
one of his legs was broken on the spot. The driver ran away after the
accident and did not take any responsibility. He is treated in Johor
and still uncautious.

Police Search ARRC Office in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 2—At first, three police men in uniform came to
the second floor of the building in Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur,
and checked IDs from the refugees who stay in the ARRC refugee
shelter for medical treatments at 4.16 PM on Tuesday, 2nd December.
Later, another police joined in the searching. While the police men
were trying to arrest 30 refugees, the leaders in the office intensely
requested the police not to arrest the HIV and TB infected refugees as
well as women and children. The police then took 890 RM from ARRC
and then left the building at 4.56 PM. All refugees, including women
and children, were very much fear of the police searching.

ARRC Activity on 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day

Kuala Lumpur, Dec. 2, 2008‐ARRC health coordinators distributed 50
booklets provided by UNHCR and UNAID to the Arakanese refugees.
Among the recipients, two HIV infected are included.
This is the first time UNHCR and ARRC coordinated to
educate the refugees in Malaysia the information about HIV and AIDS
infection.


Health Coordinator U Kyaw Win is distributing HIV preventive
booklets to refugees at ARRC’s refugee shelter in Kuala Lumpur

Organization Background

Arakan State is located in the western part of Union Burma (Union of
Myanmar), bordering with Bangladesh and India’s Northeast region.
The state’s population is over four million people.
Due to the political repression, human rights abuses, use of
forced labors, forced military services, ethnic discrimination, land
confiscation, and extra taxation; thousands of Arakanese have run into
Malaysia to seek for protection. Without a formal stat’s assistances by
the host country, the refugees end up in jails, deportations, lack of
foods, lack of shelters, and lack of health care services.
In order to response these critical needs, Arakan Refugee
Relief Committee (ARRC) was established by the refugees in 2004.
ARRC present significant responses areas are: providing
foods, shelters, and health care, coordinating with the local clinics,
hospitals, and UNHCR. It assists the refugees’ legal aids, basic
education for both children and young adults, consultation between
employees and employers payrolls and compensations dispute. It also
helps asylum seekers to get registration at the local UNHCR and
resettlement in third countries.
ARRC current members are 8,215. The organization is run by selffunding
under the management of Association of Arakan National
Council Supporting (ANC‐S).

Newsletter Background

ARRC Newsletter is issued to inform ongoing problems and responses
of the Arakanese refugees from Union of Burma in Malaysia to the
related organizations and individuals working for refugees and migrant
workers rights and aids. The idea starts after Asia Pacific Consultation
on Refugee Rights meeting was successfully held in Kuala Lumpur on
November 19‐21, 2008. These facts and figures sharing with you in the
newsletter may enhance your knowledge and ground information.