Voice of the Zomi Refugees:: Zomi International Refugee Council

Fraudulent has its ways as usual among Burma Refugees in Malaysia

The CRC (chin refugee center) send out SMS (text messages) saying that the UNHCR will come to Genting Highland Camp for registration on June 13, 2008. Due to the news wide spread among the refugees in KL areas, the depressed and ignored Zomis who are from Chin State came to the camp spending hundreds of money for their taxi fares hoping that they will have a change to be included for the registration if the said news were true. However, those who rushed up to the camp were asked to contribute Rm. 30 each by the so called Chin refugee committee who spread the news. The leaders said “if the UNHCR would not come to the camp you all are donating for the committee, and if they do come you are exchanging the registration with Rm. 30 only” said a witness who was the victim of vague news.

In this regard, the UNHCR service is FREE OF CHARGE and, the UNHCR never tells anyone of when and where they will take registration. It is still unclear of who in the world would ask money for UNHCR registration because the interviewee (Tanng Mung) does not believe that the UHNCR would charge money for every new registration they will do in the jungle camp as well as in other areas they according to their procedure.

However, the sad thing is that those who chased after this incident don’t even know how this case has sprung up and who is responsible for the wrong information. It is naturally deceivable for the refugees who are have been spending waiting for UNHCR recognition for many years in the camp. Receiving such misleading information resulted into loose of money for the refugees especially the Zomis as it is not the first time. It has been happening from time to time to add stress and depression to the helpless Zomi refugees. The culprit behind this treat is still not known as of this date. However, one thing for sure is that that person has access to the UNHCR office/ officer, which has the ability to mislead the Zomi refugees. One thing strange about this incident is that those who chased after the wrong information are all Zomis.

On Friday, June 13, 2008 the UNHCR did not come to Genting Highland camp but rather one correspondence called Paul Rung Er Ling, from the Chin Refugee Center and another white woman were in the camp in front of the refugees. They convinced and promised that they will give UNHCR registration when they come again.

The Zomi Human Rights Network strongly condemned such activities in untruthful manner which misguides the poor and helpless Zomi refugees. The vulnerable Zomi refugees face security concern for such activities on their way and the worst thing is that they lost their money for nothing which they hardly earn or borrow from other people from their day to day survival. The ZHRN including various Zomi organizations and Zomi worldwide will continue to protect the helpless Zomi refuges from such fraudulent treats in the future as it embraces the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.