Malaysia must immediately free the 18 Burmese people recently arrested in Kuala Lumpur among some are recognised refugees by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Security
Perdana Putra Building,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia.
Tel: + 60 3 8888 6000
Fax : + 60 3 8888 3444
E-mail: [email protected]

Dear Prime Minister Abullah bin Ahmad Badawi,

FORUM-ASIA writes to you to seek your urgent intervention on the immediate release of 18 asylum seekers and refugees from Myanmar (Burma) by a member of the People’s Volunteer Corp (RELA) on the dawn of 4 April 2007.

The incident raised our concerns on the conditions of the asylum seekers and refugees—whom are currently being held in the RELA office in Chow Kit area —and the possible deportation of the detainees back to Burma where we fear they will face persecution. We would also like to bring to your attention that five of the detainees are recognised as refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Kuala Lumpur.

On other occasion, FORUM-ASIA welcomes the release of two nursing mother with new born babies; namely Ms. Bawi Sung and Ms. Hniang Zitial yesterday. However we strongly call for an immediate release of all the arrested asylum seekers, especially women and those with UNHCR refugee card holders.

We would like to reiterate that your government’s pledge for the candidature for the UN Human Rights Council on 28 April 2006 and that Malaysian governments have been “consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR) [for] the guarantee of individual’s fundamental rights and liberties” and work toward “internationally agreed targets and goals, such as…Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action”

We further demand that your government on article 9 of the UDHR that stresses” no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile” and the Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action highlights “the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms as…priority objective of the United Nations.”

As the head of state, we urge you to unconditionally release and protect these asylum seekers and refugees. This action will illustrate the Malaysian government’s respect for human rights standards and the international human rights treaties to which the Malaysian government is a party.

Sincerely yours

Anselmo Lee
Executive Director

cc. Datuk Radzi Sheikh Ahmad,
Minister of Home Affairs,
Level 12, Block D1, Parcel D,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62546 PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia
Fax: +60 3 8889 1613
Email : [email protected]

Tuan HJ. Wahid Bin MD Don,
Director-General of Immigration Department
Director General Office
Immigration Department of Malaysia,
Level 1-7 (Podium) Block 2G-4, Precint 2,
Federal Government Administration Centre,
62550 PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia
Fax: +60 3 8880 1200

Dato’ Ishak Mohamed,
Enforcement Director of Immigration Department
Director General Office
Immigration Department of Malaysia,
Level 1-7 (Podium) Block 2G-4, Precinct 2,
Federal Government Administration Centre,
62550 PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia
Fax: +60 3 8880 1200

Encik Zaidon Bin Haji Asmuni,
RELA Director General,
RELA Malaysia Headquarters,
Level 6, Block D2, Parcel D,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62546 PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia
Fax: +60 3 88886314

HE Ambassador Dato' Hsu King Bee
Permanent Representative/Ambassador
Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations
International Center Cointrin
20, Route de Pre-Bois
Block H, 1st Floor
P.O. Box 1834
1215 Geneva 15, Switzerland
Fax: (41) 022 710 7501, (41) 022 710 7511
E-mail: [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]

Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman
Chairman
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia,
Level 29, Menara Tun Razak,
Jalan Raja Laut,
50350 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Fax: 603-26125620
E-mail: [email protected] ;
[email protected]

Dr. Homayoun Alizadeh
OHCHR Regional Representative for Southeast Asia
UN Secretariat Building, 6th Fl., Room A-601
Rajdamnern Nok Av.
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Fax: (66) 2 288 3009
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

Ms. Manuela Carmena Castrillo
Ms. Leïla Zerrougui
Ms. Soledad Villagra
Mr. Tamás Ban
Mr. Seyed Mohammad Hashemi
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
c/o. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH-1211, Geneva 10Switzerland
Fax: 41-022- 917.90.06
E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
c/o. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH-1211, Geneva 10 Switzerland
Fax: 41-022- 917.90.06
E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Jennifer Kraft
United Nations Asia Pacific Unit for Malaysia
c/o. Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
CH-1211, Geneva 10 Switzerland
Fax: 41-022- 917.90.06
E-mail: [email protected]