From one nightmare to another

By S Rutra - Free Malaysia Today

KUALA LUMPUR: More than a year has passed since the civil war in Sri Lanka ended, but the future of some 4,000 Tamils who landed on Malaysian shores continue to hang in the balance. Most of them are not prepared to return home.

Although being granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), they are still being subjected to harassment by the authorities.

Dilon Sakkariyas, 22, who graduated in graphic designing from a uiversity in Singapore two and half years ago, told FMT that he does not want to go home.

"I have been hearing some improvement in terms of security, but I am mentally not prepared to return since my former school has been blacklisted by the government as being sympathetic to the LTTE's (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) struggle and being a hub for recruitment,” he said.

His parents, who are still in Sri Lanka, have also asked him not to return.

"Although I was never involved with the LTTE, I am still afraid since many of my friends are unaccounted for after returning," said Dilon, who is staying in Bandar Sunway and working illegally.

He hopes to pursue his studies and resettle in a third country.

K Bavani, 41, who has a 14-year-old daughter, also cannot see herself returning to Sri Lanka. Her husband, and her 15-year-old son, are in London.

"I'm just focused on bringing up my daughter and I am thankful to UNHCR and the NGOs for arranging evening clases for the refugees' children,” she said, adding that she has been working as a cleaner for the past two years.

Several youths, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that life as a refugee in Malaysia is hard because the authorities pay little or no heed to their plight.

They said that police and other enforcement personnel constantly harass them.

"The officers refused to listen to our pleas, and tell us off that the UNHCR cards do not carry any weight. They only let us go after we give them some money," claimed one of them.

Temporary employment

Executive director of Malaysia Tamil Forum (MTF) N Siva Subramaniam said the organisation will discuss with the government to allow these refugees to work on a temporary basis.

"This can probably be done in sectors where there are labour shortages such as restaurants, plantations or other menial work," he said.

Explaining more about MTF, Siva said it is helping those who want to return to their homeland as well as carrying out relief work in some of the areas badly affected by the war.

"We just provide humanitarian assistance. We don't have any political agenda,” he added.

On the complaints that there are NGOs and individuals taking advantage of these refugees, Siva said he cannot understand how some people can do such things.

"I'm aware of these groups who promise all kind of assistance including resettlement in countries like Australia, Canada and Europe,” he said, adding that MTF and others are educating the refugees that only UNHCR can resettle them.

"With LTTE still being listed as a terrorist group, UNHCR is facing a difficult time in resettling them,” he added.

Meanwhile, MTF's president Dr N Iyngkaran said that MTF serves as a one-stop centre for some 4,000 Sri Lankan refugees in the Klang Valley.

Look beyond race and creed

DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo urged all Malaysians, regardless of colour and creed, to help alleviate the suffering of these displaced people.

“We should be more proactive in our approach in easing the burden of these people in whatever way possible. We should make space for them since many of them are women and children," he said.

Another politician who has been at the forefront of this issue is Penang Deputy Chief Minister Prof P Ramasamy, who vowed to continue raising the matter during Parliament sittings.

He said most of the refugees do not want to return due to fear of persecution.

"What we want from the Malaysian government is closer cooperation with UNHCR so that they (the refugees) can be interviewed and issued with the necessary documents until they can be resettled.

"It's a humanitarian issue, whether they are Sri lankan or from somewhere else. They fled their homeland because of war," he added, urging the government not to have double standards.

Documents for sale

On the eforcement side, an immigration department officer, who declined to be named, said they have the power to detain suspected illegal immigrants.

However, she added that those with valid UNHCR cards will be released after the document is verified.

"As for those without valid documents, we will seek the assistance of UNHCR... the attorney-general's office has also instructed us not to prosecute those with UNHCR cards,” she said.

The officer also revealed that some of the Sri Lankan refugees obtained travel documents with the help of syndicates.

“They are even willing to pay as high as US$15,000 to US$20,000 to get these documents such as identity cards and birth certificates belonging to poor locals. The photos are changed,” she said.

Responding to the allegation of harassment, the officer said the victims must come forward to make a report in order for action to be taken against the errant personnel.

A senior police officer told FMT that those with UNHCR cards are usually detained for the purpose of having their documents verified.

He admitted that there reports of harrassment, but investigations have shown that in certain cases those involved were “bogus policemen”.