The discovery of mass graves believed to be of human trafficking victims in a Perlis may have shocked the home minister but migrant rights group Tenaganita said the authorities have known for years.

According to the NGO’s co-director Aegile Fernandez (photo) , Tenaganita had alerted the authorities of mass graves and human trafficking camps on the Thai-Malaysian border but there was no action.

"I'm not shocked because this is something that we knew years ago," Tenaganita co-director Aegile Fernandez told Malaysiakini . 

"When the living were crying out (for help), the authorities didn't want to hear it. But now that we've unearthed the graves, the dead bodies are crying out for justice," she said today when contacted.

Police today said they are exhuming remains from 139 graves found in the Wak Kelian, some 500 metres from the Thai border.

Some graves contained more than one body and were discovered in an operation which started on May 11 – the same day the Home Ministry denied the existence of multiple graves on the Malaysian side of the border.

 

Authorities also found 17 recently abandoned tents located at the border area, which they believe were used by human traffickers to house victims over the past five years.

Fernandez said migrants who fled human traffickers after paying a hefty sum have for years told Tenaganita of the existence of such camps and graves.

"We had one refugee tell us about seeing his friend thrown into a mass grave while still alive," Fernandez shared.

Fernandez does not think the recent discovery will do much to change the existing situation.

 

"We have ministers speaking up and we're all talking about it now but what happens after that? In a few months, nobody will talk about this anymore," she said. 

 

Serious threat to national security

 

She urged the government to be more open and transparent with their investigations into this issue as it is no longer a confidential matter. 

PKR’s Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung (photo) agreed, saying an investigation is paramount as this is "clear proof of a serious breach to our national security."

"The Malaysia-Thai border is supposed to be a highly-militarised zone with various enforcement agencies patrolling and protecting our borders at all times," he said in a statement.

He urged the ministry to also reveal steps taken to secure the border and to explain how it could deny the existence of mass graves and holding camps two weeks ago but now say some have existed for five years.

 

This is also why Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) executive director Sevan Doraisamy was shocked when he heard about the discovery of the multiple graves and camps.

 

"The government denied there were such sites in Malaysia but now, just a few weeks later, we have discovered these graves and camps," Sevan said when contacted.

 

He also said he would not rule out the possibility that there may be more undiscovered camps and graves in Malaysia.

 

"The police need to investigate this matter thoroughly with the help of the border security agencies," Sevan stressed.

Related stories

Cheap labour, corruption fuelling trafficking?

The politics of sheltering Rohingyas

Police working on identity of multiple grave bodies

CM: Zahid a 'sore loser' for attacking Penang

Those behind mass graves will be tracked, says PM

IGP: 139 graves found, said to contain migrants

Umno man defends Penang CM against Zahid

Kedah: We can't afford to shelter boat people