Chin Refugee (Myanmar) Centre
On 28-30 November 08, me with my friend Edna visited the Myanmar Chin Refugee Centre in Kuala Lumpur. The purpose we do this trip is to expose ourselves to the livelihood of the refugee in Malaysia.
For your information, Malaysia did not recognize the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission For Refugees) convention, which means that Malaysia did not allow the refugee to have shelter in the country.
Hence, the refugees in Malaysia live with constant fear because they afraid to get caught by the police or RELA.
Chin state flag
This is the flag of the Chin state in Myanmar. Edna and me were just arrived at the Chin refugee centre office.
Chin's children in Malaysia
For the two days exposure in the centre, we visited Chin families around the place, talking and make conversation, go to the hospital to visit their own sick people, to their school and basically live with them under one roof.
The purpose is that we want to experience their lifestyle and most important is to know their hardship that they faced. Some of them are educated holding a degree and even a master degree and speak English very well.
"sabuti" a Chin's tradition food
During our stay, we get to know their culture. We ate their food, seen their traditional dance, heard them sing song in their own language and even wear their traditional costume.
Although our visit to the Chin refugee centre is short, but we have heard their story, seen their lifestyle, taste heir food and experienced their life as a refugee here in Malaysia. They are human and have the right to be treat kindly and justly as a human being.
They did not choose to leave their own country and be as a refugee in other country. It's just that because of their unstable politic back in their own country that made them unable to live a peaceful and normal life with their families and friends.
They even threatened to be kill and being pushed to do forced labor and without paid in their country. In fact a lot of them was killed by the military in their country because they did not followed order from their government. Hence, this condition has made them to be an asylum seeker to find temporary shelter in other country.
But some country like Malaysia did not allow them to seek shelter in the country because they did not recosnise the UNHCR and keep violating their human rights without simpaty and consideration.
I hope malaysia will reach out their hand especially the government to help the refugee because they need help in term of education, health care, and daily needs to survive untill their country is settle down so that they can go back to their own country.
Malaysian should be open minded and accept them because they are also human being same as you and me the creation of God and we should take care of each other regardless of gender and race and try to help them in any ways. help them voice out their problem to the world is a good step to begin with.
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