RAKYAT BURMA DITANGKAP ISA

One of the staunchest supporters of the Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia (BSGM) had been detained by the Malaysian police and is currently held in a detention camp in Langkap in Perak. Mohammed Sayed s/o Mohammed Yunus, a Burmese Rohingya from Rakhaing state, was arrested at his home in Kuala Lumpur on October 25, 1999 ostensibly under the Internal Security Act (ISA). He was held without access to legal counsel for five days at the Dang Wangi police station and was subsequently sent to Langkap Detention Camp, although he was and has not since been charged with any crime. As far as we are aware, Mohammed Sayed is not currently held under the ISA. Langkap is a camp to temporarily house illegal immigrants to Malaysia before being sent to their home countries and this had been Mohammed Sayed's home for the past three months.

Mohammed Sayed is a peaceful and idealistic man who subscribes to Aung San Suu Kyi's belief in using non-violent methods and a "freedom from fear" when one is pursuing what is just and right. He holds a strong hope for the future of a free Burma and appears to have an almost single-minded goal that, with courage, effort and persistence, a free Burma may even be a possibility in his lifetime. It is this hope and determination, and his misguided belief that Malaysian authorities can be fair and just, which led him to be arrested in Malaysia. His only "crime" appears to be in passing out "Free Burma" baloons and "Courage" badges near the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur on September 9 last year. Perhaps for him, Malaysia is not really very much different from Burma.

Mohammed Sayed is a refugee protected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He is not an illegal immigrant nor has he committed any crime and it is therefore wrong of the Malaysian authorities to keep him "under arrest". He should be immediately released. Under no circumstances must Mohammed Sayed be returned to Burma: his history as a democracy activist during the 8888 uprising within Burma and as a campaigner against military repression in Burma after his escape to India and Malaysia make it extremely dangerous for him to return. He would definitely be arrested, if not tortured and killed. Members of his family have all suffered under the regime and his father was executed by the military junta for his beliefs.

On February 1, 2000, the Immigration authorities attempted to deport Mohammed Sayed to Thailand. I am informed by Immigration that this was done with the blessing of the UNHCR. The UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur denied this. Parties friendly to us (and not the UNHCR) managed to obtain a temporary stay of deportation. It is my feeling that had the BSGM and others not intervened in Mohammed Sayed's case, the UNHCR would have been happy to see him quietly deported to Thailand, and probably after that to Burma. It would then no longer be "their problem" and help the UNHCR perpetuate the current spin that the Burmese refugee problem was "being solved" as the number of refugees was reducing. Mohammed Sayed would have made another convenient statistic for the UNHCR to trumpet the "success" of their refugee protection programme and the "resolution" of this long-standing refugee problem.

Despite his stay of deportation, Mohammed Sayed's current position is far from secure. He has applied for resettlement in Australia but the application is pending. He can still be deported to Thailand or Burma anyday now.

We are aware that the UNHCR has the ability and clout to make a difference in both his Australian application and his status with Malaysian Immigration. I am therefore asking you for a simple email to be sent to the High Commissioner of the UNHCR (a sample copy below) appealing that her organisation take immediate action to stop Mohammed Sayed's deportation, to ask for his release, and take an active role in resettling Mohammed Sayed in Australia or another safe third country. If you can do more, especially in assisting in his resettlement, I would greatly appreciate if you could let me know. Thank you so much for your help.

Please remember to Cc. BSGM any mail you send to the UNHCR or other parties. Please also forward this letter to others who may be able to help.

Thank you again.
Yours in solidarity,

KP Lee
Coordinator, Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia