Scores of Chins arrested in Malaysia

24 September 2013: Malaysian authorities conducted an operation cracking down on illegal immigrants in Seremban last night, arresting over one hundred Chin asylum seekers and refugees, the Chin Refugee Committee (CRC) said.

Salai Ca Thawng, CRC Coordinator, said: “According to our record as of this morning, 141 Chins are being detained from the operation last night. They are both UNHCR registration cardholders and those unregistered.”

He said the detainees include children and women, saying: “We are collaborating with the UNHCR to reach out to them. We are not yet sure what will happen but we are working hard on it.”

The operation took place around midnight, two days ahead of the UNHCR mobile registration planned on 26 September in Seremban, nearly three hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Pu Tluang Awr, Chairman of Mi-E community in Malaysia, said that the majority of those arrested are asylum seekers and refugees originally from Vantlang village in Hakha Township, Chin State.

The arrestees are now being held at the police station in Seremban, the capital of Negeri State, according to CRC.

It is estimated that more than 150 Chins arrested during the previous Malaysian immigration crackdowns earlier this month, are still kept in detention centres.#