Despite winning Suaram Human Rights Award last Friday, the founder and former coordinator of the Chin Refugee Centre (CRC) said the struggle continues for all of them.

Victor Sang ( left ) who has since resettled in Canada told malaysiakini he is grateful for the win as it recognises the efforts of the CRC volunteers.

"On behalf of the Burmese Chin refugees and the volunteers in CRC, we're really pleased. The award is very precious to all the Chin people around the world," he beamed.

"But there is work to do everyday and many people need our help," he said.

Victor explained that the CRC went from being mobile to having its own Kuala Lumpur office in August 2002.

Since then, the CRC has grown and now consists of two other Chin organisations - the Chin Student Organisation and Chin Women Organisation.

The centre primarily acts as a point of contact for Chin refugees who are seeking asylum in the country.

"Since the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) won't allow people to contact them, the Chins stop by here first as 99 percent of them do not speak Malay or English," he explained.

According to him, there are almost 20,000 Chin refugees and about 17,000 are unregistered with the UNHCR.

However, the CRC is not registered with the government and the documents that it tenders to Chins have no legal bearings.

Victor said the centre is also subject to raids from both the police and Rela (volunteer action force) but receives help from the Special Branch.

Registration cancelled

"The Special Branch in Kuala Lumpur protects us from the 'other' police that come to disturb us and ask for money."

Chins in Malaysia are concentrated in urban areas with 1,600 in Cameron Highlands, 1,000 in Putrajaya while others are spread out.

Ask as to how far UNHCR has gone to recognise Chins as refugees, Victor said registration with the international body stopped 15 months ago.

"UNHCR cancelled registration of Chin refugees 15 months ago citing backlog as a reason. They say they have a backlog of 7,000 people, we have a big backlog of 17,000 now", mused Victor.

He also said so far 520 Chins have been detained and a few of them have been deported.

Ten of thousands of Chins were forced to flee from their homes in Burma since the military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), came to power.

As a predominantly Christian community in a primarily Buddhist country, the Chin are particularly targeted for prosecution by the regime due to their military status.

Majority of the Chin asylum seekers cross into India and Malaysia.