At a time when Malaysia is giving special treatment to Syrian refugees, a Rohingya family tell of how they have been here for three generations yet are still denied the right to earn a living.
All six of Banu Hassan’s children were born in Malaysia and the 60-year-old has four grandchildren. But none has permanent residency, much less citizenship.
All they want is the right to finish schooling, to earn a living, freedom from harassment and a chance to contribute to the Malaysian economy.
“If the Malaysian government does not give us citizenship, at least give us the opportunity to go to school like other children,” pleaded 17-year-old Zahida Ismail, one of Banu’s granddaughters.
“When we do not have (education) certificates, we cannot work safely. When we work, our employers take advantage of us and they do not even pay us our wages,” told The Malaysian Insider recently. (Courtesy of The Malaysian Insider)
December 26, 2015
Bangladeshi testifies in human trafficking in Thailand
Bangkok-based daily The Nation on Friday reported a 23-year-old Bangladeshi fisherman testified his complicity in a human-trafficking case involving Rohingya and other migrants when he was brought before Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek criminal court in Thailand on Thursday.
The hearing was held with defendants, witnesses, public prosecutors and defence lawyers present.
Ninety suspects were brought from detention facilities to attend the session.
The court had set the advance hearing on the public prosecutor's side in eight sessions, which would be held from 24 to 25 December, 7 to 8 January, and 12 to 15 January.
The advance hearing session was part of the case against 90 suspects, including Banjong Pongpol, the former mayor of Songkhla's Muang Padang Besar, former Satun provincial administrative organisation president Pajjuban "Ko Tong" Angchotephan, and former army special adviser Manas Khongpaen. (Courtesy of en.prothom-alo.com)
The hearing was held with defendants, witnesses, public prosecutors and defence lawyers present.
Ninety suspects were brought from detention facilities to attend the session.
The court had set the advance hearing on the public prosecutor's side in eight sessions, which would be held from 24 to 25 December, 7 to 8 January, and 12 to 15 January.
The advance hearing session was part of the case against 90 suspects, including Banjong Pongpol, the former mayor of Songkhla's Muang Padang Besar, former Satun provincial administrative organisation president Pajjuban "Ko Tong" Angchotephan, and former army special adviser Manas Khongpaen. (Courtesy of en.prothom-alo.com)
Migrant crises: Perilous quest for safety
This year has seen two migrant crises unfolding - one in South-east Asia, involving tens of thousands of mainly Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar's Rakhine state, and the other in Europe, which saw a record flow of nearly one million people, many of them from conflict-torn Syria. The Straits Times' Foreign Desk traces the treacherous journeys of two refugee families.
Close brush with death in Syrian's flight to Germany
FRANKFURT - Mr Fadi Haddad crawled under barbed wire in Syria's north-western village of Kessab and crossed a forest to reach Turkey, the start of a journey to the edge of despair in the hands of unscrupulous migrant smugglers.
Twice, he had a brush with death - once on a sinking boat and another time when a screwdriver-wielding refugee charged at him in a German transit camp.
"Even now, I think my life is in danger," says Mr Haddad, 39, from his flat, his mournful eyes staring from a gaunt, thinly bearded face as he reflects on his seven attempts by sea, land and air to reach Germany.
Germany expects one million refugees this year, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to cut the numbers, partly by working with Turkey to improve the lives of some 2.2 million Syrian refugees there, and plug the migrant path to Europe. For Mr Haddad, crossing into Turkey in October 2012 was the easiest part of his journey. (Courtesy of AsiaOne World News)
Close brush with death in Syrian's flight to Germany
FRANKFURT - Mr Fadi Haddad crawled under barbed wire in Syria's north-western village of Kessab and crossed a forest to reach Turkey, the start of a journey to the edge of despair in the hands of unscrupulous migrant smugglers.
Twice, he had a brush with death - once on a sinking boat and another time when a screwdriver-wielding refugee charged at him in a German transit camp.
"Even now, I think my life is in danger," says Mr Haddad, 39, from his flat, his mournful eyes staring from a gaunt, thinly bearded face as he reflects on his seven attempts by sea, land and air to reach Germany.
Germany expects one million refugees this year, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to cut the numbers, partly by working with Turkey to improve the lives of some 2.2 million Syrian refugees there, and plug the migrant path to Europe. For Mr Haddad, crossing into Turkey in October 2012 was the easiest part of his journey. (Courtesy of AsiaOne World News)
No police investigating trafficking of Rohingya threat
BANGKOK:– A police investigation has found no evidence of intimidation against investigators working on the probe into the trafficking of Rohingya boat people.
The probe results counter Pol Maj-General Paween Pongsirin’s claim that he received death threats and had to seek asylum in Australia for that reason.
Paween, a former deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 8, recently gave up his job after being posted to the far South – a location that he said left him at risk of being killed by influential people, including state officials in the area, linked to trafficking networks.
Deputy National Police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said the investigation was launched in response to Paween’s complaint. He said had not been able to contact Paween either by phone or the LINE app yet. (Courtesy of news.thaivisa.com)
The probe results counter Pol Maj-General Paween Pongsirin’s claim that he received death threats and had to seek asylum in Australia for that reason.
Paween, a former deputy chief of Provincial Police Region 8, recently gave up his job after being posted to the far South – a location that he said left him at risk of being killed by influential people, including state officials in the area, linked to trafficking networks.
Deputy National Police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said the investigation was launched in response to Paween’s complaint. He said had not been able to contact Paween either by phone or the LINE app yet. (Courtesy of news.thaivisa.com)
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