Abuse of Burmese Refugees in Malaysia
Abuse of Burmese Refugees in Malaysia
– Award-winning Investigative Series
– Award-winning Investigative Series
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Summary
Summary
Uncovered abuse and exploitation of Burmese refugees by traffickers and complicit immigration officials in the Malaysia and Thailand border. Burmese refugees and migrant workers in Malaysia live at the mercy of international human-trafficking gangs who sell them back and forth as slave labor with the full knowledge of Malaysian and Thai immigration officials. Thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of Burmese find themselves stuck in a human rights no-man´s-land after losing their legal status, often because employers withhold passports or refuse to pay their return airfares.
Uncovered abuse and exploitation of Burmese refugees by traffickers and complicit immigration officials in the Malaysia and Thailand border. Burmese refugees and migrant workers in Malaysia live at the mercy of international human-trafficking gangs who sell them back and forth as slave labor with the full knowledge of Malaysian and Thai immigration officials. Thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of Burmese find themselves stuck in a human rights no-man´s-land after losing their legal status, often because employers withhold passports or refuse to pay their return airfares.
Date: Feb 8, 2008
Platforms: Radio • Web • Social Media
Interviewing the victims of human trafficking in Alot Setar, Kedah, Malaysia in November, 2007.
Impact & Reach:
Award-winner: Best Ongoing News Stories - Bronze Award by NY Festivals (2010).
Cited in UNHCR and ASEAN policy discussions.
Inspired advocacy campaigns by major human rights organizations.
My Role:
Field Reporter, Regional Correspondent, Bangkok-based Assignment
Responsibilities:
Conducted covert field reporting and in-person interviews in refugee communities.
Documented abuse, forced labor, and trafficking with photography and audio.
Interviewed the victims, witnesses, civil society groups in Kuala Lumpur, Burmese diasporas in Malaysia and Thailand–and wrote and produced the air-ready radio reports
Collaborated with NGOs and human rights groups for corroboration.
Produced multi-part investigative series for broadcast and web.
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