Rights Situations Worsen in Malaysia, Thailand

12 December 2010 – KUALA LUMPUR (Chinland Guardian): Human rights situations in two refugee-receiving countries, Malaysia and Thailand, are deteriorating, according to different reports released in conjunction with the recently celebrated International Human Rights Day.

Suaram, a human rights watchdog, slammed Malaysian government for not doing enough to curb human rights abuse by allowing police to arrest peaceful demonstrators.

According to the report, although Malaysia Government is taking stern actions to fight human trafficking activities, it is still unwilling to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention, the key legal document that defines refugees, their rights and the states’ legal obligations.

Meanwhile, the human rights situation in Thailand has been in a state of crisis since the start of the year, with emergency rule in effect in many areas of the country, according to Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHCR).

The AHRC says the use of the emergency decree has been associated with gross and widespread human rights violations in Thailand.

Malaysia and Thailand are the largest refugees receiving countries in the region of Southeast Asia but both of them never signed the 1951 Refugee Convention.

According to UNHCR, there are around 90,000 refugees in Malaysia while Thailand hosts more than three million stateless people. The majority of refugees in both countries come from Burma.

By Thomas Chong