Group: Migrant workers moved between states

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Although Women’s Force Tenaganita is not aware whether there are transit camps for slave labour at the Malaysia-Thailand border, it believes that migrants are being transported to several states in Malaysia and confined in buildings.

"We are not aware at this moment of transit camps at the border but from information received from migrants and refugees, we understand that when they cross over into Malaysia, they are transported to Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Penang and confined in houses and buildings,” Tenaganita director Glorene A Das said in a statement today.

She was responding to Home Ministry Secretary-General Alwi Ibrahim who had refuted media reports that claimed the existence of holding camps and mass graves of illegal ethnic Rohingya migrants on the Malaysian side of its border with Thailand.

Alwi was also reported by Bernama as saying that investigations carried out by Malaysian police found no such camps or graves on the Malaysian side of the border.

Meanwhile, Glorene ( photo ) pointed out the thin line between human trafficking and human smuggling.

“Because of the thin line that differentiates human trafficking and human smuggling, Malaysia has one single act - the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act.

“Irrelevant of status, as long as a person is exploited, he or she is a victim of human trafficking,” she said.

Cheap labour market

Alwi on Sunday had also said that the current scenario at the Malaysia-Thailand border was more inclined towards migrant smuggling activity rather than human trafficking.

He said the migrant smuggling activity involved cross-border movements and most of the illegals including ethnic Rohingyas were willing to pay the crime syndicates for smuggling them into Malaysia via Thailand.

Meanwhile, commenting further on the Rohingyas, Glorene said it was clear  they were fleeing from an “oppressive regime where they are being slaughtered as part of ethnic cleansing”.

“Where would they flee? Being Muslims, they would feel safe and protected here in a Muslim country. They are, however, not protected but rejected in Malaysia,” she said.

She also pointed out how there was a great demand in the market for cheap labour.

“In a country where there is no comprehensive policy for migration, employers will use every means to hire undocumented migrants and refugees.

“Therefore business owners must be held accountable for the purchasing of human beings as commodities for the means of making profits.”



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