MALAYSIA Sea nomads evicted in Borneo. NGO: violation of human rights

Off the coast of Sabah, 500 Bajau Laut were evicted from their houseboats, which were demolished and set on fire. An offensive against undocumented immigrants, which has affected the stateless ethnic group. Human rights activists expressed concern. Jerald Joseph from Pusat Komas: “Victims of systematic discrimination for decades.”

Kuala Lumpur () – Between June 4 and 5, more than 500 people belonging to the fishing community known as Bajau Laut, sea nomads who live on the coast of the state of Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo, were evicted by the authorities , who demolished and burned their homes. Rights activists say the move is part of a government crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The Bajau Laut are a community of stateless people who live in floating wooden houses built on stilts in Semporna district, Sabah.

For generations they have lived in close contact with the water, they are known throughout the world for their diving skills and their fascinating relationship with the sea. But since they do not have identity documents from birth, the majority do not have access to basic resources such as education, financial or health services. They often live in fear of being detained by immigration agents or evicted without cause. In the last three days this fear has come true. The destroyed houses belong to the Bajau Laut, who live on seven islands around Semporna. This was also confirmed by Mukmin Nantang, founder of the Borneo Komrad NGO. Among the affected islands are: Pulau Bohey Dulang, Pulau Maiga, Pulau Bodgaya, Pulau Sebangkat and Pulau Sibuan.

Another NGO, Kuala Lumpur-based Pusat Komas, said the incident “highlights the critical issues of racism, development injustice and statelessness in the State of Sabah in Borneo.” Speaking to , the director of the Board of Directors of Pusat Komas, Jerald Joseph, said he was deeply concerned about the recent eviction. He explains that the Bajau Laut “have faced systematic discrimination for decades. Their forced expulsion in recent days raises serious questions about the fair treatment of ethnic minorities in Malaysia.” He adds that “it is imperative to ensure that all communities are respected and protected by national and international human rights laws.” Then, recalling Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Director Jerald Joseph stated that “Similarly, the Federal Constitution establishes, in Article 8, that all citizens are guaranteed equal protection before the law and that discrimination based on religion, race, ancestry, place of birth or sex is prohibited.”

On the other hand, in this story there remains an unanswered question: who gave the authorities the mandate to carry out such violent destruction? That is, who should be held responsible for the eviction of the Bajau Laut. “Sustainable development must include comprehensive planning that takes into account the needs and rights of indigenous populations – said Joseph -. The eviction of the Bajau Laut without proper consultation or alternative housing solutions is an example of a lack of balance between development and social justice.” For this reason, the NGO Pusat Komas respectfully calls on local authorities to put an end to further evictions and engage in meaningful dialogue with the Bajau Laut community to find humane and just solutions.

The problem of statelessness affects several generations stabilized in the State of Sabah. Last year it was recorded that the Malaysian Human Rights Commission received around 5,440 complaints between 2015 and 2020, with many of the cases investigated involving citizenship issues in Sabah alone. According to Joseph, Pusat Komas understands that this is a difficult and multifaceted issue, but avoiding the problem is not the solution. “The state and federal governments must take the lead in addressing the issue to prevent further generations of stateless children in Malaysia. “Taking people away from their homes only serves to move the problem elsewhere instead of solving it.”