KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 — About 200 Chin refugees today staged a protest outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) here over a decision by the body to stop renewing and extending their refugee status.
According to a letter dated June 13 by UNHCR sighted by Malay Mail, there was no more need for an international protection for the Western Myanmar ethnic community because “there have been positive developments which are durable and sustainable in nature”.
“They simply say Chin is safe but where are the documents to support this?” asked John Bawi Luai Thanga, president of Falam Refugee Organisation.
The UNHCR letter said that Chin refugees would have the option to extend their refugee status until December 31, 2019 without the need for an individual interview.
Another option, however, allowed refugees to appeal for a longer stay in Malaysia if they could prove that there was still a need for an international protection.
“How are we supposed to show proof that Chin is unsafe when the UNHCR has already declared that the Chin state is now stable,” John Bawi said.
He claimed that Chin was still unsafe and not “conducive” for them to go back.
“Some of us do not have documents to support that we are from the Chin state and we could risk going into jail because of this,” he said.
According to John Bawi, those who failed to produce documentation could be jailed between six months and five years in Myanmar.
He claims there are over 50,000 Chin refugees in Malaysia.
