By MOHD HAIKAL MOHD ISA Bernama - Monday, March 2KULAIJAYA, March 1 (Bernama) -- Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have to fork out from RM1,000 (children) to RM2,200 (adults) each to agents in southern Thailand to smuggle them into Malaysia.
One of the refugees, Nur Aishah Mohamad, 40, said on arrival in southern Thailand, the refugees were grouped in thick jungle near towns like Tak Bai and Sadao.
"The agents kept us in the jungle under heavy guard. We slept on plastic sheets and were given some food and drinks while waiting for the right time to cross the border into Malaysia.
"Life in the jungle was horrible, dirty and dangerous with venomous snakes all over the place," said Nur Aishah who claimed to have paid about RM5,000 to agents to smuggle her and three children here.
The children are Siti Nor Naha, 8, Mohamad Yahya, 5, and disabled Siti Nor Safia, 4.
Another refugee, Abu Shahid Ahmad, 33, said the agents also used violence against Rohingyas who failed to pay them the smuggling fees.
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He said the refugees were regularly beaten up by the agents while some were forced to become beggars to settle the fees.
"I was forced to beg in Kota Baharu for two weeks to collect money for the fees while my wife and child were kept in the jungle. Thankfully, they were not harmed by the agents," he said.
Abu Shahid said he paid agents RM4,500 to smuggle his family into Malaysia and was kept by agents in a jungle near Tak Bai.
His treatment by the agents was nothing compared to what happened to two refugees who failed to pay the fees demanded by the agents.
"The two were shot dead before my eyes and their bodies taken to some jungle area.
Community Rohingya Islam Pro-Democracy Organisation (CRIPDO) president Mustafa Kamal Abu Basir, 36, said refugees who failed to pay agents were sold to Thai fishing operators.
"They will work in the fishing boats until they die. Those who fell ill were shot dead and their bodies thrown overboard," he said. --MORE
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Mustafa Kamal who has been staying in Malaysia for 25 years said that Rohingyas have to endure such inhuman treatment because the international community does not care about their plight.
CRIPDO is one of several organisations established by Rohingyas to look after the welfare of some 15,000 refugees in Malaysia.
The Rohingya refugees from the Arakan region of Myanmar fled their country due to hostilities and oppression by the Yangon regime. -- BERNAMA
MHI MHI ZUB
