Malaysia is home to one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world. Refugees live in constant fear of arrest, abuse and detention; they struggle to find work and are at risk of exploitative employers. In a new report entitled, “In Search of Survival and Sanctuary in the City,” the IRC details the hardships faced by Burmese refugees living in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia is home to one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), some 120,000 refugees and stateless persons are living in the country. Refugees live in constant fear of arrest, abuse and detention; they struggle to find work and are at risk of exploitative employers. Malaysia has not signed U.N. conventions that protect the rights of refugees, and the government makes no distinction between refugees and economic migrants.