Please write to the Malaysian ministers and let them know that their attitude and disregard for the human rights of migrants and refugees is not acceptable and that people are paying attention. They've justified their policies and the use of Rela by saying they have the support of the Malaysian people, and by playing on fears of invasion by floods of illegal migrants. But immigration policy should be shaped by reason and logic, not xenophobia, and economics is never a justification to deny people their human rights.
Here are a few points to request in your letters:
- End the use of Rela or provide adequate training and set higher standards for volunteers in order to end the violence and human rights abuses that occur during raids.
- Recognize the role of the UNHCR in Malaysia and respect the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers to not be arrested or deported into situations of persecution or danger.
- Respect the human rights of all foreigners and provide due legal process and humane conditions to those who are arrested.
- Stop the use of quotas for arrests, as it only encourages abuse and harsh tactics by Rela, and especially encourages the malicious arrests of registered refugees and legally documented foreign visitors.
- Live up to Malaysia's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and CEDAW, and immediately stop the arrest and detention of children and pregnant women.
Below are the names and addresses of officials to send the letters, emails, or faxes to. You should also send copies to the Malaysian embassy in your country: Malaysian Embassies around the world.
YAB Abdulah Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister of Malaysia
Block Utama
Bangunan Perdana Putra
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62502 Putrajaya
Fax: +60 3-88883444
Email: reduceredtape@pmo.gov.my, abdullah@kdn.gov.my, ppm@pmo.gov.my
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Datuk Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
Minister of Home Affairs
Blok D1, Parcel D,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan,
62546 Putrajaya
Tel: +60 3 8886 3000
Fax: +60 3 8889 1713
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YB Dato' Seri Syed Hamid Albar
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra
No 1, Jalan Wisma Putra
Precint 2
62602 Putrajaya
Fax: +603-8889 1717, +603-8889 2816
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Datuk Wahid Md Dom
Immigration Department of Malaysia
Level 7,Block 2G4 (PODIUM) Precint 2
Federal Goverment Administrative Centre
62550 Putrajaya
Tel: +603-88801000
Fax: +603-88801200
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Datuk Zaidon Asmuni
Director General
RELA Malaysia Headquarters
Level 6, Block D2, Parcel D
Federal Government Adminstrative Centre
62546 Putrajya
Tel: +603-88863354
Fax: +603 88886314, 03-88886317
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Below are two sample letters you could use, one is from a previous appeal at Suaram, and the second is modified version that includes the above mentioned points.
RE: Crackdown on Migrants
I am writing to express my grave concern by Malaysian government’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants, which has resulted in the arrest and detention of thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
The violent raids and arrest of helpless migrants by RELA in the past few months are indiscriminate and reprehensible. Your government’s deployment of untrained civil “volunteers” in such raids has allowed members of the RELA to commit unlawful violence and gross abuse of human rights against migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers.
As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia must live up to its obligations to respect and protect the human rights of all people, including those of migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers. It is inconceivable that Malaysia continues to arrest more migrants in spite of the Home Minister’s own admission that the country’s detention centers are filled to capacity.
I deplore the violence and inhuman treatment of migrants that have been allowed to happen because of your government’s continued empowerment of RELA.
I urge you to immediately stop the use of RELA and to end the mass arrest and detention of migrants. I also urge you to observe internationally accepted human rights standard and to respect the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers in Malaysia.
Sincerely,
(Put you name here)
______________________
RE: Crackdown on Migrants
I am writing to express my grave concern over the Malaysian government's ongoing crackdown on undocumented migrants, and recent announcements that the government does not recognize refugees nor the role of the UNHCR in Malaysia.
As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia must live up to its obligations to respect and protect the human rights of all people, including those of migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers. The violent raids and arrest of helpless migrants by RELA in the past few months are indiscriminate and reprehensible. Economic concerns can never justify the denial of human rights to any group of people.
I urge the you to take the following steps to protect the dignity and human rights of every individual in Malaysia:
Stop Rela or provide adequate training and set higher standards for volunteers to prevent violence and unjustified arrests.
Stop the use of quotas for arrests, as it only encourages abuse and harsh tactics by Rela, and especially encourages the malicious arrests of registered refugees and legally documented foreign visitors.
Recognize the rights of refugees and the role of the UNHCR in protecting those who've fled to Malaysia seeking safety from persecution.
Respect the human rights of all foreigners in Malaysia and provide due legal process and humane conditions to those who are arrested.
Live up to Malaysia's obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and CEDAW, and immediately stop the arrest and detention of children and pregnant women.
As a democratic nation, Malaysia should not let fear of foreigners undermine its values of tolerance and peace.
Sincerely,
(Your name here)
Attachments: