IMMIGRATION DETAINEES RIOT AFTER RELA BEATS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000399

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/MTS AND PRM/ANE -- ERICA THIBAULT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREF PGOV PINR KDEM MY
SUBJECT: IMMIGRATION DETAINEES RIOT AFTER RELA BEATS
PRISONERS

REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 58 - EMBASSY RAISES RELA WITH
IMMIGRATION

B. 07 KUALA LUMPUR 1659 - UNHCR WARY OF ROLE FOR
RELA IN DETENTION CENTERS

Classified By: POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF MARK D. CLARK, REASON 1.4 (B AND
D).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Some 60 to 70 detained suspected illegal immigrants
rioted at Lenggeng Immigration Detention Center (IDC) on
April 21, setting fire to the temporary administration
building according to press and firsthand accounts.
Malaysia's Head of Immigration Enforcement claimed the riot
started after the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) refused the refugees' applications for
resettlement, an allegation denied by UNHCR. Based on
multiple witnesses' accounts, the riot's catalyst was the
severe beatings of detainees by Immigration Officers and
People's Volunteer Corps (RELA) members assigned as guards to
Lenggeng. The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM)
told us deplorable conditions, overcrowding and alleged
abuses by RELA all contributed to the riot. We continue to
express concern to the GOM regarding RELA's increased
authority over immigration enforcement. End Summary.

RELA Guards Overcrowded Facilities
--------------


2. (SBU) Lenggeng IDC is one of 17 IDCs in Malaysia.
Formerly operated by the Prisons Department, the IDCs are now
responsibility of the Immigration Department, which lacks
sufficient personnel and therefore uses RELA, a
government-sponsored public security auxiliary force, to
guard the facilities (ref A and B). Besides providing
security, RELA members also arrest suspected illegal
immigrants for a bounty. The Lenggeng facility is severely
overcrowded. Siva Subramaniam, a commissioner for SUHAKAM,
informed poloffs the camp currently holds 1,090 prisoners,
including seven children and about 280 women. Building
tensions between the detainees and their guards came to a
head on April 21 when some 60 - 70 detainees rioted and set
fire to a temporary administration building.

Witnesses Tell Their Stories
--------------


3. (SBU) Poloffs met with two Burmese refugees formerly
detained at Lenggeng on May 6. They related that on or about
March 31, Immigration and RELA guards accused a group of
Burmese and Indonesians of smoking in camp and allegedly
punished the group with a beating. On April 20, after more
cigarettes were found, Immigration officers beat an
Indonesian and a Pakistani detainee. One refugee described
how the officers struck the men on the soles of their feet
and along their shins, and administered electric shocks. The
Pakistani detainee reportedly cried out for help during his
beating and, unable to walk, tried to crawl away until
another detainee was ordered to drag the injured man back to
the detention block. Other detainees became agitated and
demanded to speak with the senior Immigration Officer.
(Note: A local NGO informed poloffs that officials took the
man to Seremban Hospital for treatment. End note.) A RELA
officer told detainees they could express their concerns the
following morning.


4. (C) According to the two Burmese refugees, the riot broke
out the following morning after detainees realized they would
not get to speak with the senior officer. The initial
disruption involved detainees from two blocks destroying the
interiors of those facilities. Both Immigration and RELA
guards, totaling about 30-40 officers, fled and took up
positions at the camp's perimeter. After detainees broke
through the blocks' doors, a group set fire to the temporary
administration building. Several detainees attempted to flee
the compound, but guards at the outer gate stopped them.
Police, fire, and other security teams regained control and
quelled the fire. A number of detainees (including six
Indonesians, five Burmese, a Vietnamese, and a Cambodian)
were taken to the Seremban police station for questioning.
(Note: This account tracks closely with accounts provided to
the UNHCR and another local NGO from sources within the camp.
End note.)

Immigration Blames UNHCR
--------------


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5. (SBU) Ishak Mohamed, Head of Immigration Enforcement,
quickly blamed the UNHCR for the riot. He told international
press that rioters "were disappointed" after hearing that
UNHCR could not place them in a third country. However, the
UNHCR quickly denied this, issuing a statement that "no news
was delivered to the refugees that their resettlement
requests had been denied." (Note: UNHCR counted 75 refugees
and asylum seekers detained at Lenggeng during the riot. All
but seven refugees are Chin-Burmese. End note.) Despite
UNHCR's clarification, the government-influenced mainstream
media continued to maintain that UNHCR's denial of
resettlement provoked the riot. (Note: On some other
immigration matters, Ishak continues to be accessible and
helpful to the U.S. Mission. End Note.)

SUHAKAM Commissioner Describes Lenggeng
--------------


6. (C) Poloffs met with SUHAKAM Commissioner Siva
Subramaniam on April 25, the day after he personally visited
Lenggeng. He described prisoners living in severely
overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. About 280 women are
detained in an isolated section of the camp and do not
receive adequate medical care, including provision of
sanitary napkins. He approached NGOs, such as Tenaganita, to
obtain basic essentials for the women. He told us conditions
in other IDCs are similar to Lenggeng. He believes
overcrowding and harsh treatment by RELA contributed to the
riot. Siva also noted severe understaffing at the IDCs,
adding that only about 40 of the authorized 208 officer slots
at Lenggeng are manned. Prior to the riot, Siva claims he
warned Immigration officials that the IDCs were "powder kegs"
needing urgent reforms to deal with the growing burden. Siva
wants to hold a roundtable with RELA, Home Ministry,
Immigration, and the Prison Department to discuss possible
solutions to the underlying problems, such as overcrowding,
poor sanitation, and detained children. Our May 6 interview
with two former detainees at Lenggeng reinforced Siva's
description of the IDC's harsh conditions.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) The riot occurred during the same week the Home
Ministry proposed elevating RELA to a formal government
agency. Immigration and RELA detain suspected illegal
immigrants at a rate that outstrips Malaysia's current
willingness and ability to expeditiously process
deportations. Siva noted that some of the detainees have
languished at Lenggeng for almost 1 1/2 years. Post
continues to express our concerns about RELA in contacts with
government officials, including Immigration.
KEITH