A group of Burmese immigrants who entered the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) compound in Kuala Lumpur last week was arrested by police this morning and sent to the Semenyih detention camp.

An Iraqi asylum seeker who entered the UNHCR compound by climbing over the perimeter fence early this morning was also arrested with the 15 Burmese Rohingya men, one woman and two children.

Some 25 policemen led by Brickfields deputy police chief Kuzi Minai arrived at the UNHCR centre at 10.30am in response to a request by UNHCR officials for assistance to evict the Burmese. Three officials from the Immigration Department were also present.

After a short briefing with immigration officials, the Burmese boarded a police truck and van without incident although several people were seen to be weeping.

It is learnt that the immigrants would be brought to the Brickfields police station where a report will be made before being sent to the Semenyih illegal immigrants' detention camp in Selangor pending deportation.

Last week, the 18 Burmese Rohingyas entered the UNHCR compound in two separate incidents and refused to leave unless they were given letters recognising them as refugees.

Rejected asylum seekers

The Rohingyas, who originate from the Burmese northwestern state of Arakan, claimed they are victims of ethnic and religious persecution by the Rangoon military junta. They also said they have been denied citizenship by the Burmese government.

Meeting reporters later, UNHCR Head of Liaison Office Lowell Martin (right) said the Burmese were "rejected asylum seekers" whose applications had failed the UNHCR's stringent criteria.

"We asked them to leave yesterday but they did not want to," said Martin, adding that the UNHCR had no choice but to request for police assistance.

Yesterday, UNHCR protection officer Shinji Kubo (left) said the Burmese have been asked to leave "as soon as possible" as their presence was affecting other asylum seekers who were unable to approach the agency due to the stand-off and police presence in the agency's vicinity.

Failed to qualify

However, the Burmese refused to leave and remained within the UNHCR compound.

According to Kubo, the Iraqi man had also failed to qualify as a refugee under the agency's mandate during previous assessments.

"He had threatened to enter the compound before. He decided to enter this time also to camp in here," Kubo added.

In a similar incident last January, 28 Burmese Rohingyas entered the UNHCR compound but upon failing in their asylum applications, were arrested by Malaysian police and deported to Thailand.

Last Friday, the Burmese government said the 18 Rohingyas are illegal workers "pretending" to be asylum seekers because they face difficulty finding employment in Malaysia.