Aliran Media Statement

Don't "Shoo" Refugees; Respect their Rights!

Aliran deeply regrets the Malaysian government's decision to hastily turn away 411 Madurese refugees who arrived in Sarawak after fleeing bloody ethnic clashes in the Sambas region of West Kalimantan.

Newspaper reports indicate that the 411 Madurese arrived in the evening of 23 March crammed in a boat, the MV Perniati, but were not allowed to land. They were instead confined on-board their vessel and were forced to stay overnight under extremely crammed conditions.

The next day, after being provided food, water and fuel, they were escorted back into international waters, where they were apparently met by the Indonesian navy before being escorted to Pontianak. Only a woman who gave birth and her husband have been allowed to stay on in Sarawak for a short time on health and compassionate grounds.

Aliran urges the government to respect the human rights of all refugees. Most refugees leave their home countries only under extreme duress, and are keen to return as soon as circumstances permit. Refugees thus have a right to be treated humanely and provided all assistance until it is safe for them to return to their country of origin in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention and the 1967 UN Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.

Instead, in Malaysia, we seem to treat refugees more like a security problem than a humanitarian one. The exception, of course, being our treatment of the Bosnian refugees. But why the double standards? Why can't we also treat refugees from our ASEAN neighbours as humanely as we have the Bosnians? This incident is but another shameful episode in our history of dealing with refugees, whether they are Vietnamese, Acehnese or Madurese.

The Malaysian government must stop "shooing" away refugees and start treating them like the human beings that they are. Only then can we claim to be a responsible member of the international community.


Aliran Executive Committee
27 March 1998