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Volume Q2/ 2008                                                                                                                                 10

Some problems have arisen through group deportations. In Peninsular Malaysia, migrants from Thailand and Burma are deported at the Thai-Malaysia border. People from Burma testify that Immigration officials hadn them over to human smugglers/traffickers who hold them for ransom and require that amounts between RM1,400 to RM2,500 are paid for their release and subsequent travel back into Malaysia. Those who are unable to pay these amounts are sold to Thai fishing boats, brothels or ‘private owners’.

Group deportations have also resulted in deaths. On the 4th of June 2005, a two-year-old Filipino girl deported from Sandakan, Sabah died after she arrived at Mindanao, Philippines, severely dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea. In 2002, 12 Filipino children died from dehydration and other causes. In the same year, deportations to Nunukan (Indonesia) resulted in severe overcrowding on the island, shortages of water and food, as well as poor sanitation and shelter for the estimated 137,000 deportees, resulting in the deaths of more than 60 people.

Based on an estimate of 800 recognized refugees per month in detention (not including several hundred asylum seekers), the Malaysian Government could save RM96,000 per month on food alone.

· Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN)

· All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)

· Amnesty International Malaysia (AIM)

· Building and Wood Workers international, Asia-Pacific Region

· Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility, Asia (CARAM Asia)

· Council of Churches, Malaysia (CCM)

· Health Equity Initiatives (HEI)

· Kumpulan ACTS

· Labour Resource Centre (LRC)

· Legal Aid Centre, Kuala Lumpur

· Malaysian Bar Council Human Rights Committee

· Migrant Care

· Malaysian Care

· Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI)

· Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC)

· Migrant Desk, Melaka-Johor Catholic Diocese

· Penang Office for Human Development (POHD)

· Persatuan Kebangsaan Hak Asasi Manusia (HAKAM)

· Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)

· Shelter Home for Children

· Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)

· Tenaganita

· Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)