About 50 individuals from a Rohingya community in a rural Penang village were forced out of their homes a week before Hari Raya, confirmed the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR).
Describing the forced eviction during the holy month of Ramadan as a "tragedy", UNHCR Malaysia said a small group of locals forced out the families who had lived there for nearly a decade.
“Without provocation, the community of refugees was driven from their homes. This tragedy was completely avoidable with dialogue and understanding.
“These refugees are the unfortunate victims of ignorance and intolerance,” it said on Facebook last night.
With a photograph depicting a traditional Malay house, locked up and abandoned, the post describes the quiet atmosphere surrounding the house and a dozen other homes, in stark contrast to what was missing - the bustle of families preparing for Ramadan and excited children awaiting the festivities.
No warning
According to a UNHCR community-based protection officer, the UNHCR was hopeful that the Rohingya refugee families would find a safe place and compassion for the Hari Raya celebrations.
UNHCR was in the village located in Panaga with NGO partners to look into the situation.
“We were shocked to learn that in Ramadan, which emphasises the values of empathy and generosity, over 50 refugee children, parents, and grandparents were made to leave the village with no warning.
"Neighbours told us that the Rohingya community had lived here for nearly 10 years and caused no problems, had integrated well, and even spoke Malay in the local dialect.
“More often than not, this is the typical experience for many Malaysians living close to refugees,” it said.
The UN refugee agency added that solutions to friction and differences between communities could be reached through cross-cultural communications and dialogues.
The team on the ground also reported meeting with Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad and Penaga assemblyperson Mohd Yasin Mat Piah to discuss improving the social cohesion between host communities and refugees so that such incidents did not recur. - Mkini
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