The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) was today urged to look into the allegations that eight Acehnese detainees of an immigration detention center in Langkap, Perak were physically and mentally coerced into signing documents stating their 'preference' to be repatriated.

The eight asylum seekers, arrested mid-August at the approaches to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) compound in Kuala Lumpur, include a distraught woman and her 13-month old infant in need of immediate medical attention.

"Investigate and intervene in any concern of abuses in Langkap and Lenggeng (Negri Sembilan) camps and rightfully rectify these conditions of detention, ensuring that medical services are provided to those in need of it" read the memorandum by human rights bodies Suaram, Hakam and Solidarity for Aceh which was jointly submitted this afternoon to Suhakam Commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan.

Solidarity for Aceh coordinator K Shan and Suaram coordinator Eric Paulsen said there were strong reasons to believe that there were attempts by the immigration authorities to physically and psychologically coerce the eight to concede to 'voluntary' deportation.

Credible reports

"There have been credible reports that eight of the Acehnese asylum seekers were physically and mentally assaulted after they refused to sign documents to be 'voluntarily' repatriated to Indonesia or Aceh," they said in the memorandum.

"These detained asylum seekers now face a real threat of deportation to Indonesia as the Local Order to the effect has been issued by the Immigration Department on Nov 17."

Fearful for their lives and welfare, however, they are said to have refused despite deplorable detention conditions and strong-armed tactics to change their minds, they added.

Furthermore, the detainees' refusal to concede to the pressures have merely added to their adverse conditions and bleak circumstances as they face deportation to a province embroiled in civil war, stated the memorandum.

The conflict in Aceh has left more than 10,000 people dead, mostly civilians, since 1976.

Jakarta has refused all calls for independence for the 4.2 million Aceh inhabitants, and early this month announced that it had extended the military decree at the Province of Aceh for another six months.

Sick 13-month-old infant

Among the Acehnese detainees include a 13-month old infant, whose health is reported to have deteriorated to a critical level, as well as her sickly mother who has shown signs of psychological trauma directly caused by their ordeal, said Shan.

"The infant is reported to be in unstable condition, still vomiting and crying after the discharge from hospital. The mother of the infant, too, is reported to be weak and psychologically disturbed."

In the memorandum, Suhakam was urged to pressure the Malaysian government to take responsibility for the children that it has detained by owning up to its own ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

In his response, Hamdan said that Suhakam will look into the allegations of abuse and the medical needs of the infant.

Larger issue

NGOs, opposition parties, and international bodies including the UNHCR have voiced condemnation at the government's crackdown on the Achenese.

Malaysia, which is not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees, rejected the criticism , has maintained that it does not recognise refugees or asylum seekers and argued that the Acehnese entered the country to seek employment and not to seek refuge.

According to the government, they were picked up because they did not have valid travel documents and that allowing them in could spark a flood of illegal immigrants.

Trial fixed

Meanwhile in another report filed by Yap Mun Ching , the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates' Court has fixed two days in February next year for the trial of nine Burmese nationals on immigration-related offences .

The nine men, presently detained at the Sungai Buloh prison, were arrested in June on separate occasions outside two Kuala Lumpur embassies.

In the first incident on June 16, six Burmese Rohingyas were held as they attempted to seek asylum at the United States embassy. The remaining three Burmese were arrested a week later for demonstrating outside the Burmese embassy in Ampang.

When contacted, their counsel Latheefa Koya said the joint hearing for all nine of the asylum seekers has been set for Feb 11 and 12 next year.

However, she said two from the latter group may not have to face trial since they have been approved for resettlement in Denmark through the intervention of the UNHCR.

"We are trying to get the public prosecutor to drop the cases against them. The third man is appealing the (initial rejection) to his refugee application," she said.

Of greater concern, said Latheefa, is the fate of the six Rohingyas who are not eligible for individual refugee applications with the refugee agency.

"They have been given group recognition as 'persons of concern' by UNHCR because of their statelessness. However, since they cannot be resettled elsewhere, they may have to face severe punishment," she said.

If convicted, the Burmese are liable to maximum fines of RM10,000 or jail terms not exceeding five years or both and mandatory whipping up to six strokes of the cane.