Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) – After their agent left them without work in a factory and without any proper legal papers, at least 60 Burmese migrants remain trapped in Malacca of Malaysia.

Hla Myat Thu, a Burmese woman who is among the 60 people said, they were in a severe situation with no income and restrictions to move out in search of work.

“I want to go back [to Burma], but it is impossible. They [agent] ask for large sums of money and I have no idea, how I can repay all my debts,” she said.

Their tribulations began in November last year, when they were approached by agents, who promised them work at Japanese Konica Company in Malacca, about 150 kms from Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur.

However, after arriving in Malaysia and working at the Konica Company for one month in December, they were told there were no more jobs as the company was laying-off employees and possibly would shut-down later.

But, with their passports seized by their agent, who brought them to the company, they were unable to move out of the factory.

Hla Myat Thu said, they were all together 132 people, but the 60 of them had been living without jobs, for nearly four months.

“Under our contract, the company is to give us 500 Ringgit [approximately 140 USD] per month, but it is given through our agent. So, we are given only about 20 to 30 Ringgits per month,” she said.

For the past three months, they have been feeding themselves on a poor diet and frequently they have had to look out for fruits and vegetables in the nearby neighbourhood.

She said, the agent had agreed to take them to Malaysia for Kyat 1 million [USD 833] per person. However, the agent had earlier agreed to take them with only half the amount and agreed to cut the rest from their salary once they begun work.

“So, since the company continues to give money, the agent does not allow us to go out of the company, even though we do not have any more work,” she added.

Hla Myat Thu, who is a resident of Myingyan Town in Mandalay Division of Burma, said she and her cousin had to ask her relatives back home to send them money for their livelihood.

“Whenever, we ask the agents to let us go, they say we would need to give them 3500 Ringgits [approximately USD 1,000] to allow us to leave,” she said.

Meanwhile, the company and the agents were unreachable for comment. Such incidents where agents betray or use Burmese workers are not uncommon, according to Zaw Myint, in-charge of Malaysia branch of the National League for Democracy – Liberated Area (NLD-LA).

Zaw Myint said, such cases were frequent in Malaysia, where there was an estimated 500,000 Burmese workers.

“Many agents trick their clients and sometimes even sell them off if they fail to pay their fees to bring them to Malaysia,” he said.

Despite the difficulties and precarious conditions, Burmese workers continue to find Malaysia a good destination to look for jobs.

“Due to our country’s situation, more people are still coming here despite the many struggles that they face,” said Zaw Myint.

But, United States’ Ranking Minority Member, Richard Lugar, in a report he submitted to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 3, said the hostile treatment of Malaysian authorities towards Burmese migrants, made them vulnerable to human traffickers.

The report entitled ‘Trafficking and Extortion of Burmese Migrants in Malaysia and Southern Thailand’ reveals that Burmese migrants in Malaysia were victims of extortion and human trafficking in Malaysia and Southern Thailand.

The report said, Malaysian authorities often arrest Burmese migrants and reportedly deport them to the Malaysia-Thailand border, where they are taken possession of by human traffickers and issued ransom demands on an individual basis.

Freedom for these migrants is only possible by handing over the money demanded, the report said. And those failing to meet the demands were turned over to human peddlers in Thailand, representing a variety of business interests, ranging from fishing boats to brothels.

Reporting by Solomon, writing and additional information by Mungpi