Our Minister says that Malaysia treats REFUGEES well - but Malaysia, in law, still do not recognize refugees or asylum seekers. Enact please that legally recognize asylum seekers and refugees.
Rohingya refugees treated well in Malaysia, says Home Minister (see below for full report)
In Malaysia, we classify people as 'LEGAL' or "ILLEGAL', i.e. with documentation or without documentation. So, is the Minister talking about the treatment of 'illegal'[better term is undocumented] migrants?
But what was their grievance...what was the protest about... the hunger strike...and was it a failure of government to respond to legitimate demands that led to the 'ESCAPE"
Instead, there had been unrest days before the riot took place, with many detainees going on a hunger strike, villagers claim.
“During their escape on Wednesday morning, I heard some of them say that they were willing to walk and die rather than live at the detention centre,” she said.
Break-out? ESCAPE? Why?
It seems that there was some protest...discontent.... and that is why the 'illegal migrants' broke out from the Immigration Detention Centre....men, women and children fled - some
The the media says "RIOT" - but I have not seen any media report clearly what was the grievance of these 'refugees' - reading the media reports, one believe that these are all 'criminals' - and now, the police is arresting the 'masterminds' of this breakout.
Come on, refugees struggled to escape persecution from their counties, Myanmar in terms of the many asylum seekers and refugees. To do this, they take great risk over land/sea in their plight...and they reached Malaysia... and Malaysia seems to be "KIND" to refugees especially the Rohingyas. So, if all is well, why did they DESPERATELY break out of the Immigration Detention Centre.
Should SUHAKAM do a public inquiry? Malaysia needs to know the truth....
When it comes to REFUGEES, many countries are 'hypocrites' - they expect the country where these asylum seekers/refugees run to to take care of them - but should not the UN be responsible financially and otherwise to provide proper housing,food, healthcare, etc - and not expect Malaysia to bear it all. Once, identified as refugees, they are sent to THIRD Countries who are willing to accept them, and here is the 2nd hypocrisy as many countries pick and choose rather than welcoming all refugees...and nowadays, there is lesser countries that are willing to take refugees. What the government like Malaysia should be required to do is just 'help' UN look after the refugees...
Mastermind behind Immigration depot riot, breakout nabbed
BANDAR BAHARU: Police have nabbed the main mastermind behind the rioting at an Immigration detention depot in Relau here on Wednesday, which saw some 500 Rohingya ethnic detainees fleeing the facility.
Kedah police chief Commissioner Wan Hassan Wan Ahmad said the 34-year-old suspect was detained with another detainee on suspicion of conspiring to provoke other detainees to stage the riot.
"These two are the primary suspects who masterminded the riot and we are looking for two more prime suspects," he told reporters here today.
Wan Hassan said police were tracking down the other two suspects who are among the 96 detainees still at large.
He said investigations revealed that the mastermind had been detained at the depot for over three years.
"He was transported here from Semenyih Depot three years ago."As for now, we believe his major motivation behind orchestrating the riot was to create an opening to flee from the depot. That was the same reasons for the other detainees to take part in the plot," he said.
Wan Hassan added police were also investigating the other aspects behind the incident. - NST, 22/4/2022
Hunger strike before riot at camp?
- Nation
-
Friday, 22 Apr 2022
Telltale signs: Norliza showing her shoe rack from where the three pairs of shoes went missing. The shoes are believed to have been taken by the refugees who escaped after the riot incidents in Bandar Baharu, Kedah. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
BANDAR BAHARU: The riot that took place at the Sri Impian Immigration depot in Relau here was not something that erupted overnight.
Instead, there had been unrest days before the riot took place, with many detainees going on a hunger strike, villagers claim.
Kampung Sungai Rambai villager Zainab Awang, 62, said she heard some detainees had refused to eat the food at the centre.
She, however, has no idea why the detainees had behaved that way.
“During their escape on Wednesday morning, I heard some of them say that they were willing to walk and die rather than live at the detention centre,” she said.
Another villager from Kampung Paya Semambu, Zaitun Embi, 43, feared her house could become an easy target for detainees looking for food.
“My house is in the plantation and quite far from other villages.
“If the detainees come and ask for food, I’ll give them food. Still, I will report to the authorities about their presence.”
She said she had seen footprints behind her house.
“At night, we heard dogs barking incessantly. Some of them were probably at the plantation to find shelter,” she said.
She hopes the authorities can locate the escapees soon for the safety of the villagers.
Another villager claimed she lost three pairs of footwear after the escapees passed by her house on Wednesday morning.
Norliza Ahmad, 49, said she was preparing sahur meals when she heard loud noises outside her house.
“I saw hundreds of men, women and children running along the road.
“By then, the shoes were missing. I believe the detainees stole them as they had escaped barefooted.”
Plantation worker Rosdi Abu Seman, 48, said he also saw two sets of footprints at the plantation yesterday morning, adding that the prints could belong to stragglers who had broken from the main group and were now looking for food.
He said the detainees might seek refuge at the hills around the villages and at several durian farms.
Meanwhile, Kampung Paya Semambu Village Development and Security Committee (JPKK) member, leader Harun Ahmad said the villagers should report to authorities if they come across any suspicious figures.
“Please let the authorities know, and be extra careful,” he said.
Kedah Rohingya Society in Malaysia (RSM) chairman Yusof Ali, meanwhile, said the Malaysian government and United Nations must deliberate on the matter to ensure such an incident does not recur in any other detention centre.
“The authorities must find the best way to solve this
problem. They must not keep undocumented migrants too long before
sending them to third countries,” he said. - Star, 22/4/2022
Rohingya refugees treated well in Malaysia, says Home Minister
Friday, 22 Apr 2022 11:41 PM MYT
SELAMA: Rohingya refugees in Malaysia are treated well, even though Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (pic).
"They are given free food and shelter so what else do they want us to provide?
"As for now, there is no third country that wants to take them so we have to hold them first,” he told reporters after a breaking-of-fast event at the Selama District Council Hall here Friday (April 22).
He was responding to allegations by certain quarters that the government was treating refugees in detention badly.
On Thursday (April 21), human rights group Lawyers for Liberty reportedly blamed the government for the deaths of Rohingya detainees who escaped from the Sungai Bakap Immigration Depot on April 20.
They claimed there was no reason to cram them in temporary detention centres because they could not be deported due to the "non-refoulement" principle.
Hamzah advised the public not to panic because the escapees were not terrorist groups.
"Please don’t look at Rohingyas as if they are criminals. They are refugees. If you chance upon them, inform (the authorities) immediately so that we can arrest them and send them back to detention centres,” he said. - Bernama - Star, 22/4/2022
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