KUALA LUMPUR – Fleeing persecution in Burma, thousands of Rohingya Muslims endure a risky journey to Malaysia, throwing themselves in the heart of a legal limbo in country that refuses to ratify the UN convention on refugees.
“There’s no hope to return to my country,” a Rohingya refugee Nayeemah, whose husband was killed by traffickers as they fled to Thailand, told CCTV on Saturday, January 3.
“Following the death of my husband I’m feeling so anxious, always worrying about my children, about how to save them. There’s no choice.”
Nayeemah is one of thousands of Rohingya who were forced to flee the state-sponsored torture in Burma.
Malaysia has about 40,000 Rohingya Muslims who carry refugee cards issued by the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR.
Over the past months, some 18,000 unregistered refugees have arrived at the Asian country, where they fear detention and deportation.
“We were in the jungle. The human traffickers beat people, beat them severely,” Ayub Khan, a Rohingya refugee who is now partially paralyzed after being slashed on his shoulder as he tried to flee a mob in his hometown in Burma, said.
“Some died there in the jungle. Some of us managed to escape. Thanks be to God I made it to Malaysia.”
As long as the UN convention on refugees is not adopted by Malaysia, refugees’ fears are coupled with the legal limbo that prevents them from work legally or send children to schools, even if their children were born in Malaysia.
A government proposal to grant refugees work permissions was opposed last year by the immigration department that warned that the permission would encourage immigration.
Described by the UN as one of the world's most persecuted minorities, Rohingya Muslims are facing a catalogue of discrimination in their homeland.
They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own home.
The Burmese government as well as the Buddhist majority refuse to recognize the term “Rohingya”, referring to them as “Bengalis”.
Rights groups have accused the Burmese security forces of killing, raping and arresting Rohingyas following the sectarian violence last year.
Between 2012 and 2013, Buddhists mob attacks have left hundreds of Rohingya Muslims killed and evacuated more than 140,000 from their homes.
The violence has displaced nearly 29,000 people, more than 97 % of whom are Rohingya Muslims, according to the United Nations.
Many now live in camps, adding to 75,000 mostly Rohingya displaced in June 2012, after a previous explosion of sectarian violence.
Sumber - OnIslam.net
Myanmar tipu Rohingya
Etnik Islam tidak terima hak selepas isytihar identiti Benggali
YANGON 5 Jan. - Masyarakat etnik minoriti Rohingya di Myanmar mendakwa, program eksperimen pendaftaran kerakyatan yang diusahakan kerajaan tidak memberi kelebihan yang besar buat golongan terpinggir itu meskipun mereka menukar status kepada etnik Benggali.
Mengikut laporan portal Burma Times, segelintir penduduk Rohingya yang telah mendaftar di bawah program tersebut untuk mendapatkan kerakyatan penuh Myanmar, masih tidak dibenarkan meninggalkan kem pelarian yang didiami sejak dua tahun lalu ekoran rusuhan agama yang tercetus di negeri Rakhine.
Seorang daripada 40 etnik Rohingya yang telah mendapatkan kad pengenalan berwarna merah jambu, Aye Khaing berkata, sepatutnya dia boleh bergerak bebas di seluruh negara selain memasuki universiti, menyertai parti politik, dan menikmati banyak lagi hak sebagai rakyat Myanmar apabila memperoleh kad tersebut.
Jelasnya, selepas dua bulan mendaftar dalam program tersebut, dia masih terperangkap di kem pelarian di Myebon, apabila pihak polis dan pengawal sempadan mengetatkan kawalan dan tidak membenarkan sesiapa keluar dari lokasi itu.
“Saya berasa seperti dikenakan tahanan rumah,” kata wanita terbabit.
Seorang lagi etnik Rohingya, Aung Lwin berkata, ketua menteri Rakhine dan beberapa pegawai kanan kerajaan telah melawat kem itu beberapa kali dalam tempoh enam bulan lalu dan mereka sering menekankan kepentingan menukar status kepada Benggali bagi mendapatkan kerakyatan.
“Dokumen baharu itu tidak bermakna selagi kerajaan tidak dapat menjamin keselamatan dan membenarkan kami meninggalkan kem. Setakat ini, kami sedar kerajaan hanya menipu,” katanya.
Dalam pada itu, program kerajaan pimpinan Presiden, Thein Sein itu terus mendapat kritikan antarabangsa apabila ramai yang mempersoalkan ketelusan kerajaan untuk melindungi etnik Rohingya jika program tersebut diperluaskan.
Malah seorang diplomat Barat yang enggan mendedahkan namanya baru-baru ini berkata, kerajaan Myanmar secara jelas gagal dalam mengatasi masalah di Rakhine.
“Kegagalan mereka menyebabkan isu hak asasi manusia semakin buruk dan mencetuskan krisis kemanusiaan yang teruk terhadap penduduk Islam Rohingya serta mewujudkan suasana yang tidak selamat untuk semua orang,” kata diplomat berkenaan.
Sumber - Utusan Online
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