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簡介
馬來西亞自1970年代中開始，便成為東南亞難民暫居的主要國家之一，收容因柬越戰爭與越南船民而逃離的尋求庇護者，四十幾年來收容過來自菲律賓，越南，柬埔寨，印尼，緬甸，泰國以及世界其他地區的難民。
根據最新的聯合國難民署（UNHCR）統計，馬來西亞境內約有18萬名已登記的尋求庇護者，其中八成五來自緬甸，剩餘2萬多名難民則是來自50個不同國家，包含巴基斯坦、葉門、敘利亞、索馬利亞等。由於沒有正式難民法，難民登記主要由聯合國難民署負責。
此次分享邀請到曾在聯合國難民署馬來西亞分部工作的唐南發先生，除了 #分享難民議題在馬來西亞的歷史脈絡、現況與進展，藉由工作坊 #進行難民甄別模擬與個案分析，以及討論馬來西亞難民議題中，#各族群和不同利害關係人的觀點，希望透過這場工作坊，借鏡馬來西亞經驗，推進台灣於難民議題更多面向的討論。
共筆會主要語言為中文，於Microsoft Teams進行
講者簡介
唐南發
畢業於英國倫敦都會大學文化研究學士及倫敦大學亞非學院國際政治碩士，馬來西亞網路媒體《大馬透視》(The Malaysian Insight) 中英文版專欄作者，不定時為台灣《轉角國際》撰寫專題。曾於馬來西亞，泰國和印尼的聯合國難民署從事難民註冊，甄別與安置工作長達十三年，目前為聯合國獨立顧問。研究興趣範圍包括難民與移工議題，以及東南亞區域政治，視人道主義為國籍(humanity is my nationality)。熱愛閱讀，下廚，騎車和了解世界各國茶酒文化。
共筆討論資料(點擊►看更多)：
討論方式：將參與者分成三組，每組討論預先準備好的問題，討論完後回到主會議室，各組分享討論成果與進行提問
討論案例介紹
越南個案(1 / 男性): 經濟移民→難民
個案一來自越南中部山區的少數民族，1990年代透過仲介到馬來西亞打工，原以為會於餐廳打工，結果被仲介騙到工廠工作，薪資、工作環境很差，因此想方設法逃離後卻成為無證人士 (PLKS，工作准證/短期間無法再重新申請的話就會變成無證人士)，僅能透過打工維生。
他想不透為何該名仲介單位是與越南官方合作，卻還藉此騙人？為了討回公道，他想盡辦法回到越南，由於是無證人士，只能從馬來西亞到泰國，而後到柬埔寨，最後回到越南。回越南後，他開始批評越南政府以及這類的仲介行為，並且成立非政府組織，發起許多政治行動、倡議和示威，對此越南政府開始施壓，他遂在2003年離開越南，到泰國的難民署尋求庇護。
當時泰國難民署並未全然了解他的狀況，無法批准難民證。但他的案件日後有被重新審核、甄別與面談，確認核發難民身分後，安置部門將他安置其到其他國家。
越南個案 (2 / 女性): 丈夫是難民→附屬難民
個案二的家裡為她安排相親，丈夫家庭對她不好，因而來台灣工作三年，三年後延簽沒有成功，必須返回越南。然而，當時遇到仲介，前去南賽普勒斯，認識一巴勒斯坦難民後相愛結婚。但由於丈夫從伊拉克逃跑，賽普勒斯政府並沒有給予難民證，而是臨時居留證。
輾轉被人口販子騙去曼谷，但抵達後卻無人接應，丈夫被泰國政府抓至拘留所，而她因剛生產沒有被拘留，卻希望和丈夫在一起，而自願前往拘留所。在這案例中，她並不符合難民定義，而由於丈夫被承認後為難民後，她也成附屬難民身分。
討論摘要
- 改善國內問題
- 韓國明星鄭雨盛 / 年輕人反對顯現出國內問題，如保障不夠 / 要解決難民問題先決條件是需要「改善國內工作經濟條件與政策，減低相對剝奪感。」
- 雙方期待落差
- 難民與接收國對於期待與看待不同（難民可能希望從事自身擅長或理想的職業，但接收國可能會希望難民從事國內缺工工作，補足勞力短缺）
- 資源與政策討論
- 「資源」可能才是排擠其他人的主因
- 難民與移工不同，資源、政策等要如何應對（延伸：難民會不會壓縮移工工作空間？雙方群體會不會因為工作政策規範不同而產生衝突？）
- 現況研究
- 應先瞭解工作競爭狀況（嘗試釐清難民可能影響國內就業市場到甚麼程度）
- 族群包容？
- 對於「民族」的認知，其中包含令人恐懼的言論散播，影響對於接受「外來者」的包容性程度
- 持悲觀的想法：族群包容的說詞是謊言？因為存在有龐大的保守勢力-妖魔鬼怪化，很難以道德的觀點（等二分法）來實踐社會包容相關法案。
- 站在「人道」觀點如何實踐，主要遇到的問題有：文化適應與大眾排外
- 針對難民和阿拉伯人（延伸：包容所有族群，還是包容特定族群？）
- 媒體角色
- 呈現難民多元樣貌，破除或削減大眾對難民的刻板印象 / 大眾知道資訊有限，比起「我們該怎麼辦」，先想到「我們會失去什麼？」
- 他國借鏡
- 德國的借鏡 / 語言、其他資源相關協助
- 葉門相關疑問
- 葉門的國際教育或是國際化的程度。
- 每個國家與脈絡（比如巴勒斯坦和葉門）
討論題目
- 甄別過程如何甄別？符合哪些考量因素。除了以下聯合國難民公約迫害原因外，還有哪些原因是難民甄別過程中會考量的因素？聯合國難民公約五點難民被迫害原因（種族、宗教、國籍、特定社會團體成員身分、政治見解歧異）
- 難民署判定和政府判定嚴格程度差異，是什麼原因呢？ (賽普勒斯政府沒有給身分；難民署卻通過審查)
- 甄別會面臨的挑戰？（例如：語言、經驗、表達方式、個人特質等）
- 如何判定核發難民資格的因素？（例如：要有政治反抗行動）
- 情境討論題目
| 台灣現狀 – 未有難民法與相關配套措施討論思考 – 長期定居，取得公民身分 | 馬來西亞現狀 – 現在短期停留，送到第三國安置討論思考 – 長期定居，取得公民身分 |
| – 接收與否 如果你是________ (例：台灣政府)，你會接收難民嗎？ >> 有何疑慮 （例如：難民與本地公民權益？） – 宗教、種族疑慮等 >> 例：在思考是否接收時，腦中有任何疑慮嗎？是怎樣的疑慮呢？ – 落實難民法後，例如20年後，你覺得社會大眾會有何反應、衝擊與變化？ – 相關配套措施（政策、支持系統等）例：你會用什麼方法來化解那些疑慮呢？例：制定特別政策、結合現有社區資源等。 – 缺乏什麼？ 可以如何調整呢？ – 最後想想，無證的狀況與生活會是怎樣？（請條列式） | – 接收與否 如果你是________ (例：台灣政府)，你會接收難民嗎？ >> 有何疑慮 （例如：難民與本地公民權益？） – 宗教、種族疑慮等 >> 例：在思考是否接收時，腦中有任何疑慮嗎？是怎樣的疑慮呢？ – 落實難民法後，例如20年後，你覺得社會大眾會有何反應、衝擊與變化？ – 相關配套措施（政策、支持系統等）例：你會用什麼方法來化解那些疑慮呢？例：制定特別政策、結合現有社區資源等。 – 缺乏什麼？ 可以如何調整呢？ – 最後想想，無證的狀況與生活會是怎樣？（請條列式） |
討論摘要
- 甄別過程如何甄別？符合哪些考量因素。除了以下聯合國難民公約迫害原因外，還有哪些原因是難民甄別過程中會考量的因素？聯合國難民公約五點難民被迫害原因（種族、宗教、國籍、特定社會團體成員身分、政治見解歧異）
其他被迫害原因
性別因素、氣候變遷、戰爭難民、地方幫派、恐怖攻擊、經濟因素
申請庇護與甄別流程反思
- 難民如何知道庇護申請的流程？ / 難民及移工與非法移工之界定
- 無論以什麼樣的理由申請迫害，還需確認母國政府無法保護身份安全
- 語言、文化不同
- 申請上訴機制 : 重新看報告時，發現未問到重點，例如：無翻譯到重點等，都會影響到資格審核的結果。有很多行為是反政府的行為、家庭暴力是否能夠成為原因？ 如果配偶不符合難民資格也會成為附屬難民嗎？
- 家暴和割禮某個層面都有文化背景因素，要端視這個行為造成的社會大眾反應，是否會影響到個人安全。
- 身分與情況的變動：難以取得身分證 → 無法取得身分 → 身份是被剝奪的、被毒打等 → 審核難民資格，到泰國以政治、種族的身份來取得資格；越南山區少數群體，在不同時期受到不同的待遇（例如：被視為攏靠法國 → 被視為反對方)
個案延伸討論
- 間接性的考量：於大馬的遭遇對身分甄別有影響嗎？
- 在政治見解歧異上 / 政治上有打壓性存在, 90年代相關的仲介與援助組織不多，移工在大馬遭遇的狀況 → 申訴管道有哪些？申訴有效果嗎？
- 申訴時間多長？（參與者補充：大馬通常只給1至2個月寬限期給有勞動爭議移工完成申訴這個，但很多時候就不夠的） → 只有短時間進行個案審查（Case Review） → 勞動條件和糾紛並沒有被解決
- 難民署判定和政府判定嚴格程度差異，是什麼原因呢？ (賽普勒斯政府沒有給身分；難民署卻通過審查)
難民署立場
- 難民署判斷時會以「議題的立場」來思考
- 難民署會以中性的立場
- 甄別較為鬆，毋須舉出被迫害的例子
- 可能或不太可能被起訴
國家立場
- 國家會判斷時會以「自己的立場」來思考
- 國家實際的狀況，經濟、空間、文化、等利益面向思考，現實狀況下無法處理時，這樣的立場下，可能無法判定。
- 國家嚴格管控，要求證明或證據，移民管控的思維
- 各國政府內政規章（Home Offcie Guidance Note）→ 以自己的利益角度思考
- 國家可以收容的人數（不同的數量） / 國家可提供的工作、經濟機會有限
- 甄別會面臨的挑戰？（例如：語言、經驗、表達方式、個人特質等）
難民方
- 逃離過程的細節很難記得清楚 → 故事的可信度如何維持？
- 雙方信任：難民能否放心地說出經歷
進行甄別方（難民署和政府）
- 各國歷史、文化脈絡的不同，地緣關係 → 如何定義可能會很片面，面試的人員可能會有所偏誤
- 語言、文化辨別、居住區域（地方性衝突）
- 進行甄別的官員的偏見與既定印象
- 如何判定核發難民資格的因素？（例如：要有政治反抗行動）
客觀事實
- 難民母國的政治及法律變動（例：印度宗教法排除穆斯林及其他宗教少數）
- 難民母國政權變動（例：阿富汗、緬甸政變）
- 雖有客觀標準或事實，但還是有可能沒看到的一面
其他影響因素
- 面試官的主觀因素。特定國家的人會有偏見，有自己的政治觀點。要保持客觀、專業、中立。
- 不同國籍的翻譯（為了保持中立，會考慮譯者背景，例：敘利亞人案件不會雇用敘利亞翻譯）
- 參考的資料，注意媒體立場，但可採用事實事件
- 例如：特定群體的媒體資料 → 盡可能採用中立。
- 情境討論：倘若今天面臨難民來到台灣或馬來西亞，政府考慮開放與接收，將會有什麼狀況呢？請透過以在地文化、歷史、族群等現況思考
台馬差異（參與者觀點）：
馬來西亞是種族混雜的社會，與台灣很不一樣，不同群體交融，但群體認知上不同，群體找到不同的生存空間。而台灣相對是社群相似、語言相似的地方。
| 台灣現狀 – 未有難民法與相關配套措施討論思考 – 長期定居，取得公民身分 | 馬來西亞現狀 – 現在短期停留，送到第三國安置討論思考 – 長期定居，取得公民身分 |
| – 接收與否 如果你是________ (例：台灣政府)，你會接收難民嗎？ ⊚ 個人：是，站在人道立場。 ⊚ 政府：1. 例如中國人是否是難民？會影響其他面向面？2. 收難民，是否會提升國家形象。3. 政府有沒有好好規劃勞動人口進入勞動市場，真正參與就業市場。4. 台灣人民是否可以用接受多元立場而接受此議題。 ⊚ 台灣本身的能力（原文：capacity），例如：地狹人稠，可能不太適合接收難民。 ⊚ 國情 → 收容難民的能以同理的方式來思考 ⊚ 各國以各自的國情來思考，是否需要再討論？ >> 有何疑慮 （例如：難民與本地公民權益？） – 宗教、種族疑慮等 >> 例：在思考是否接收時，腦中有任何疑慮嗎？是怎樣的疑慮呢？ ⊚ 以個人立場：能接受這樣的多元文文化嗎？ ⊚ 以政府立場：1. 例如中國人是否是難民？會影響其他面向面？2. 收難民，是否會提升國家形象。3. 政府有沒有好好規劃勞動人口進入勞動市場，真正參與就業市場。4. 台灣人民是否可以用接受多元立場而接受此議題。 ⊚ 文化多元性的接納到多高？ ⊚ 經濟工作機會有很多嗎？ ⊚ 居住空間、政策議題、全球戰略和國際關係 ⊚ 非華人文化背景會有融入社會的問題 ⊚ 以台灣的外交做考量中國政治議題→超越國籍考量 – 落實難民法後，例如20年後，你覺得社會大眾會有何反應、衝擊與變化？ 台灣地景可能適應難民的存在經濟層面上→勞動人口的補足對於文化上能夠接納開始執行後，有更多的接觸才有理解，人民接受度會提高 – 相關配套措施（政策、支持系統等） >> 例：你會用什麼方法來化解那些疑慮呢？例：制定特別政策、結合現有社區資源等。 ⊚ 開始接收大量可能會衝擊較大，可以從離島開始，可以從地方開始測試，再進行規模化等。 ⊚ 更多教育面向的分享難民議題。 ⊚ 有什麼相關的配套措施讓難民參與社會融入？ ⊚ 如何判定標準？ ⊚ 移工到台灣已經困難，那難民議題呢？（移工的議題借鏡） ⊚ 確保收留難民不會剝奪該地原有住民權益 ⊚ 適合的工作、教育及生活空間 ⊚ 對台灣人來說，增加語言及文化交流環境。 ⊚ 難民法的落實，不同領域對於難民、移工議題的人來帶動討論 – 缺乏什麼？ 可以如何調整呢？ ⊚ 難民法與相關政策的真正並確實落實 ⊚ 政府官員需具相關語言及文化背景 – 最後想想，無證的狀況與生活會是怎樣？（請條列式） ⊚ 每日生活在驚恐之下 ⊚ 無法進行身份辨別、間接影響受教、醫療等權益 | – 接收與否 如果你是________ (例：台灣政府)，你會接收難民嗎？ ⊚ 會，接收原因：人性本善，土地/空間夠大→可以有地方安置，例如東馬與西馬。 ⊚ 會，如果政黨輪替（較開明的政府） ⊚ 基於人道立場，試著想辦法，收得了就收（可能有限額） >> 有何疑慮 （例如：難民與本地公民權益？） – 宗教、種族疑慮等 >> 例：在思考是否接收時，腦中有任何疑慮嗎？是怎樣的疑慮呢？ ⊚ 宗教、種族 / 排擠他族，鞏固權威馬來西亞政府也曾經透過難民議題來提升自己對於穆斯林的形象。 ⊚ 政黨藉此議題相互攻擊，社會情緒可能會難消化此。 ⊚ 宗教不會是最重要因素 ⊚ 個人背景，接納後可能帶來的隱患（會不會是特定組織或國家的重點人物） ⊚ 馬來西亞若接收難民法的話，各族群對於自己的利益會有更多聲音？對於政府來說也是很難決定，可以從民間開始聲援，例如：INGO, NGO, 企業。首要讓大家開始討論、了解。 – 落實難民法後，例如20年後，你覺得社會大眾會有何反應、衝擊與變化？ ⊚ 客觀現實：多元種族對於國家對於其的對待是不同，若有更多不同群體的人進到大馬是否會有更多衝擊？政府能落實人人平等？潛在因素會更多。 ⊚ 馬來西亞社會有高度適應性的存在，相對對於其他群體有更多接納 ⊚ 不用等到20年，通過當下成為熱議，社會上可能還有刻板印象，但人民可能會見怪不怪，融為一體，馬來西亞社會很融合 – 相關配套措施（政策、支持系統等）例：你會用什麼方法來化解那些疑慮呢？例：制定特別政策、結合現有社區資源等。 ⊚ 需要做很多研究，而非被推半就的形式，會有很多影響，例如對於二代的影響的。 ⊚ 盡最大的可能把現有的大馬福利普及至難民群體上，例如教育、醫療等 ⊚ 盡可能做教育跟分享難民議題意識。 ⊚ 個人想法：與其說特別制定政策，不如無差別待遇，讓難民融入馬來西亞社會。即使有為難民制定優待政策（如特定比例、考試加分），也不要高調宣揚 – 缺乏什麼？ 可以如何調整呢？ 什麼都缺相關準則（Guideline） 與社會大眾溝通，讓社會大眾對於難民有多元的認識 – 最後想想，無證的狀況與生活會是怎樣？（請條列式） 身為人應該要有歸屬感，雖然認命，但還是會難過，未有安全感，很難有目標與動力。 |
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Introduction
Since the mid-1970s, Malaysia has become one of the main countries for temporary residence of Southeast Asian refugees, hosting asylum seekers who fled the Cambodia-Vietnam War and Vietnamese boat people. For more than 40 years, it has hosted refugees from the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and other parts of the world.
According to the latest United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) statistics, there are approximately 180,000 registered asylum seekers in Malaysia, 85% of whom are from Myanmar, and the remaining more than 20,000 refugees are from 50 different countries, including Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, etc. In the absence of formal refugee law, refugee registration is primarily the responsibility of the United Nations Refugee Agency.
This sharing invites Mr. Tang Nanfa, who once worked for the Malaysian branch of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to #share the historical context, current situation and progress of refugee issues in Malaysia , conduct refugee screening simulations and case analysis through the workshop, and discuss #the perspectives of various ethnic groups and different stakeholders on refugee issues in Malaysia. It is hoped that through this workshop, we can learn from the Malaysian experience and promote more discussions on refugee issues in Taiwan.
The main language of the co-writing conference is Chinese and will be held on Microsoft Teams
Speaker profile
Josh Hong
Graduated from London Metropolitan University with a BA in Cultural Studies and a MA in International Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is a columnist for the Chinese and English versions of the Malaysian online media "The Malaysian Insight" and writes special topics for Taiwan's "Corner International" from time to time. He has been engaged in refugee registration, screening and resettlement work for the United Nations Refugee Agency in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia for 13 years. He is currently an independent consultant to the United Nations. His research interests include issues of refugees and migrant workers, as well as regional politics in Southeast Asia, and views humanity as my nationality. Loves reading, cooking, cycling and learning about tea and wine cultures around the world.
Shared discussion materials (click ► to see more):
Discussion method: Divide participants into three groups, and each group will discuss pre-prepared questions. After the discussion, return to the main conference room, and each group will share the results of the discussion and ask questions.
Discussion case introduction
Vietnam case (1/male): economic immigrant→refugee
Case 1 is from an ethnic minority in the mountains of central Vietnam. He came to Malaysia to work through an agency in the 1990s. He originally thought he would work in a restaurant, but was deceived by the agency into working in a factory. The salary and working environment were very poor, so he tried every means to escape and became an undocumented person (PLKS, a work permit/if he cannot reapply for a short period of time, he will become an undocumented person). He could only make a living by working.
He couldn't figure out why the agency was cooperating with the Vietnamese government but still used it to deceive people. In order to seek justice, he tried his best to return to Vietnam. Because he was an undocumented person, he could only go from Malaysia to Thailand, then to Cambodia, and finally back to Vietnam. After returning to Vietnam, he began to criticize the Vietnamese government and such intermediary practices, established non-governmental organizations, and launched many political actions, initiatives, and demonstrations. The Vietnamese government began to put pressure on him. He left Vietnam in 2003 and sought asylum at the UNHCR in Thailand.
At that time, the Thai Refugee Agency did not fully understand his situation and could not approve a refugee certificate. However, his case was re-examined, screened and interviewed in the future. After confirming his refugee status, the resettlement department resettled him to other countries.
Vietnam case (2 / female): husband is a refugee → dependent refugee
Case 2’s family arranged a blind date for her, but her husband’s family treated her poorly, so she came to Taiwan to work for three years. After three years, her visa extension was unsuccessful and she had to return to Vietnam. However, I met an agent at that time and went to South Cyprus, where I met a Palestinian refugee and fell in love and got married. But because her husband fled from Iraq, the Cypriot government did not grant him a refugee certificate, but a temporary residence permit.
She was deceived by human traffickers to go to Bangkok, but no one came to pick her up when she arrived. Her husband was arrested by the Thai government and sent to a detention center. However, she was not detained because she had just given birth, but she wanted to be with her husband, so she voluntarily went to the detention center. In this case, she did not meet the definition of a refugee, and since her husband was recognized as a refugee, she also became a dependent refugee.
Discussion summary
- Improve domestic problems
- Korean star Jung Woo-sung/Young people object to domestic problems, such as insufficient protection/The prerequisite for solving the refugee problem is to " improve domestic working and economic conditions and policies and reduce the sense of relative deprivation ."
- The gap in expectations between the two sides
- Refugees and host countries have different expectations and views (refugees may want to engage in a career they are good at or ideal for, but the host country may want refugees to work in domestic shortage jobs to make up for the labor shortage)
- Resources and Policy Discussion
- "Resources" may be the main reason for excluding others
- Refugees are different from migrant workers. How should resources, policies, etc. be dealt with? (Extension: Will refugees compress the work space of migrant workers? Will the two groups conflict due to different work policies and norms?)
- Current situation research
- You should first understand the job competition situation (try to understand to what extent refugees may affect the domestic job market)
- Ethnic tolerance?
- Perceptions of "nation", including the spread of fearful rhetoric, affect the level of tolerance for "outsiders"
- A pessimistic thought: Is the rhetoric of ethnic tolerance a lie? Because there are huge conservative forces and monsters, it is difficult to implement bills related to social inclusion from a moral point of view (such as dichotomy).
- How to practice it from a "humane" perspective? The main problems encountered are: cultural adaptation and mass xenophobia
- Targeting refugees and Arabs (extension: inclusive of all ethnic groups, or inclusive of specific ethnic groups?)
- media role
- Present the diverse faces of refugees and break or reduce the public’s stereotypes about refugees/ The public knows that information is limited, so instead of “ what should we do ?”, they should first think of “ what will we lose? ”
- Learn from other countries
- References from Germany/Assistance related to language and other resources
- Questions about Yemen
- Yemen’s international education may be the degree of internationalization.
- Each country and context (such as Palestine and Yemen)
Discussion topic
- How is the screening process done? Which considerations are met. In addition to the following reasons for persecution under the United Nations Refugee Convention, what other reasons will be considered in the refugee screening process? The five reasons why refugees are persecuted in the United Nations Refugee Convention (race, religion, nationality, membership of a specific social group, political differences)
- What is the reason for the difference in severity between the UNHCR’s judgment and the government’s judgment? (Cyprus government did not grant status; UNHCR passed the review)
- What are the challenges in screening? (For example: language, experience, expression, personal characteristics, etc.)
- How to determine the factors that determine refugee status? (For example: there must be political resistance)
- situational discussion questions
| Taiwan's current situation – No discussion and reflection on refugee law and related supporting measures – Settle for a long time and obtain citizenship | Current situation in Malaysia – Now for a short stay, sent to a third country for resettlement, discussion and reflection – Settle for a long time and obtain citizenship |
| -receive or not If you were ________ (eg: Taiwan government), would you accept refugees? >> Any concerns (for example: rights of refugees and local citizens?) – Religious, racial doubts, etc. >> Example: When thinking about whether to accept it, are there any doubts in your mind? What kind of doubts are there? -After the refugee law is implemented, for example 20 years later, what reaction, impact and changes do you think the public will have? -Related supporting measures (policies, support systems, etc.) Example: What methods will you use to resolve those doubts? For example: formulating special policies, combining existing community resources, etc. -What is lacking? How can this be adjusted? -Finally, think about it, what is the situation and life like without a certificate? (please specify) | -receive or not If you were ________ (eg: Taiwan government), would you accept refugees? >> Any concerns (for example: rights of refugees and local citizens?) – Religious, racial doubts, etc. >> Example: When thinking about whether to accept it, are there any doubts in your mind? What kind of doubts are there? -After the refugee law is implemented, for example 20 years later, what reaction, impact and changes do you think the public will have? -Related supporting measures (policies, support systems, etc.) Example: What methods will you use to resolve those doubts? For example: formulating special policies, combining existing community resources, etc. -What is lacking? How can this be adjusted? -Finally, think about it, what is the situation and life like without a certificate? (please specify) |
Discussion summary
- How is the screening process done? Which considerations are met. In addition to the following reasons for persecution under the United Nations Refugee Convention, what other reasons will be considered in the refugee screening process? The five reasons why refugees are persecuted in the United Nations Refugee Convention (race, religion, nationality, membership of a specific social group, political differences)
Other reasons for persecution
Gender factors, climate change, war refugees, local gangs, terrorist attacks, economic factors
Reflection on the asylum application and screening process
- How do refugees know about the asylum application process? / Definition of refugees, migrant workers and illegal migrant workers
- Regardless of the reason for applying for persecution, it must be confirmed that the home country government cannot protect identity security.
- Different languages and cultures
- Application appeal mechanism: When re-reading the report, I found that the key points were not asked, for example, the key points were not translated, etc., which will affect the results of the qualification review. There are many behaviors that are against the government. Can domestic violence be the cause? Will a spouse become a dependent refugee if he or she does not qualify as a refugee?
- Domestic violence and circumcision have cultural background factors at some level. We must carefully consider whether the public reaction caused by this behavior will affect personal safety.
- Changes in identity and circumstances: Difficulty in obtaining ID card → Unable to obtain identity → Identity was deprived, beaten, etc. → Refugee qualifications were reviewed and went to Thailand to obtain qualifications based on political and racial status; Vietnamese mountainous minority groups were treated differently at different times (for example: considered to be closer to France → considered to be an opponent)
Extended case discussion
- Indirect consideration: Does the experience in Malaysia have any impact on identity screening?
- In terms of political differences/political repression, there were not many relevant intermediaries and assistance organizations in the 1990s. What are the conditions encountered by migrant workers in Malaysia → What are the channels for grievances? Are appeals effective?
- How long does it take to appeal? (Participant added: Malaysia usually only gives 1 to 2 months of grace period for migrant workers with labor disputes to complete the appeal, but in many cases it is not enough) → Only a short period of time for case review (Case Review) → Labor conditions and disputes have not been resolved
- What is the reason for the difference in severity between the UNHCR’s judgment and the government’s judgment? (Cyprus government did not grant status; UNHCR passed the review)
UNHCR’s position
- When making judgments, UNHCR will consider the "position of the issue"
- UNHCR will adopt a neutral stance
- The screening is relatively loose, and there is no need to cite examples of persecution.
- Likely or unlikely to be prosecuted
national position
- The country will think from its "own standpoint" when making judgments
- When the actual situation of the country, economic, spatial, cultural, and other interest-oriented considerations cannot be dealt with in the actual situation, it may not be possible to judge from such a standpoint.
- The state strictly controls and requires certificates or evidence, and the thinking of immigration control
- Home Offcie Guidance Note → Think from the perspective of your own interests
- The number of people the country can accommodate (different numbers) / The number of jobs and economic opportunities the country can provide is limited
- What are the challenges in screening? (For example: language, experience, expression, personal characteristics, etc.)
refugee side
- It’s hard to remember the details of the escape → How to maintain the credibility of the story?
- Trust on both sides: Can refugees feel safe speaking out about their experiences?
Screening Party (UNHCR and Government)
- Different countries have different histories, cultural contexts, and geographical relationships → the definition may be very one-sided, and the interviewers may be biased
- Language, cultural identity, residential area (local conflict)
- Bias and stereotypes of screening officials
- How to determine the factors that determine refugee status? (For example: there must be political resistance)
objective facts
- Political and legal changes in the refugee’s home country (e.g. Indian religious law excludes Muslims and other religious minorities)
- Regime changes in the refugees’ home countries (e.g. coups in Afghanistan and Myanmar)
- Although there are objective standards or facts, there is still a side that you may not see.
Other influencing factors
- Interviewer's subjective factors. People from certain countries will have biases and their own political views. Be objective, professional, and neutral.
- Translators of different nationalities (in order to maintain neutrality, the background of the translator will be taken into account, for example: Syrian translators will not be hired for Syrian cases)
- For reference information, pay attention to the media’s position, but you can use factual events
- For example: media materials for specific groups → be as neutral as possible.
- Scenario discussion: If refugees come to Taiwan or Malaysia today and the government considers opening up and accepting them, what will happen? Please think through the current situation of local culture, history, ethnic groups, etc.
Differences between Taiwan and Malaysia (participants’ perspectives):
Malaysia is a racially mixed society, which is very different from Taiwan. Different groups blend together, but the group cognition is different, and the groups find different living spaces. Taiwan is a place with similar communities and similar languages.
| Taiwan's current situation – No discussion and reflection on refugee law and related supporting measures – Settle for a long time and obtain citizenship | Current situation in Malaysia – Now for a short stay, sent to a third country for resettlement, discussion and reflection – Settle for a long time and obtain citizenship |
| -receive or not If you were ________ (eg: Taiwan government), would you accept refugees? ⊚Personal : Yes, from a humanitarian standpoint. ⊚Government : 1. For example, are Chinese people refugees? Will it affect other aspects? 2. Will accepting refugees improve the country’s image? 3. Has the government properly planned for the working population to enter the labor market and truly participate in the job market? 4. Can the people of Taiwan accept this issue by accepting diverse positions? ⊚ Taiwan’s own capacity (original text: capacity), such as its small territory and dense population, may not be suitable for accepting refugees. ⊚National conditions → Those who host refugees can think in a similar way⊚ Countries think based on their own national conditions. Do we need to discuss it further? >> Any concerns (for example: rights of refugees and local citizens?) – Religious, racial doubts, etc. >> Example: When thinking about whether to accept it, are there any doubts in your mind? What kind of doubts are there? ⊚ From a personal standpoint: Can you accept such a multicultural culture? ⊚ From the government’s perspective: 1. For example, are Chinese people refugees? Will it affect other aspects? 2. Will accepting refugees improve the country’s image? 3. Has the government properly planned for the working population to enter the labor market and truly participate in the job market? 4. Can the people of Taiwan accept this issue by accepting diverse positions? ⊚ How high is the acceptance of cultural diversity? ⊚ Are there many economic job opportunities? ⊚ Living space, policy issues, global strategy and international relations ⊚ Non-Chinese cultural backgrounds will have problems integrating into society ⊚ Use Taiwan’s diplomacy to consider Chinese political issues → beyond nationality considerations -After the refugee law is implemented, for example 20 years later, what reaction, impact and changes do you think the public will have? Taiwan's landscape may be able to adapt to the existence of refugees. On the economic level → the supplement of the working population will make it possible for cultural acceptance to be implemented. Only with more contacts can people understand and the people's acceptance will increase. -Related supporting measures (policies, support systems, etc.) >> Example: What methods will you use to resolve those doubts? For example: formulating special policies, combining existing community resources, etc. ⊚ Starting to receive a large amount may have a big impact. You can start from outlying islands, you can start testing from local areas, and then scale up. ⊚ Share refugee issues with more educational orientation. ⊚ What relevant supporting measures are there to allow refugees to participate in social integration? ⊚ How to determine the standard? ⊚ It is already difficult to migrate workers to Taiwan, but what about the refugee issue? (Learning from the issue of migrant workers) ⊚ Ensure that hosting refugees will not deprive the original residents of the area of their rights and interests ⊚ Suitable work, education and living space ⊚ For Taiwanese, increase the language and cultural exchange environment. ⊚ Implementation of the Refugee Law, people from different fields will lead discussions on refugee and migrant worker issues -What is lacking? How can this be adjusted? ⊚ The true and practical implementation of refugee laws and related policies ⊚ Government officials need to have relevant language and cultural backgrounds -Finally, think about it, what is the situation and life like without a certificate? (please specify) ⊚ Living in fear every day ⊚ Unable to identify one’s identity, indirectly affecting education, medical and other rights | -receive or not If you were ________ (eg: Taiwan government), would you accept refugees? ⊚ Yes, reason for acceptance: Human nature is kind, the land/space is large enough → there is a place to settle, such as East Malaysia and West Malaysia. ⊚ Yes, if party rotation occurs (more liberal government) ⊚ Based on a humanitarian standpoint, try to find a way and accept what you can (there may be a limit) >> Any concerns (for example: rights of refugees and local citizens?) – Religious, racial doubts, etc. >> Example: When thinking about whether to accept it, are there any doubts in your mind? What kind of doubts are there? ⊚ Religion, race/exclusion of other ethnic groups to consolidate authority. The Malaysian government has also used refugee issues to enhance its image towards Muslims. ⊚ Political parties use this issue to attack each other, and social sentiment may have difficulty digesting this. ⊚ Religion will not be the most important factor ⊚ Personal background, possible hidden dangers after admission (will he be a key figure in a specific organization or country) ⊚ If Malaysia adopts a refugee law, will various ethnic groups have more voices for their own interests? It is also difficult for the government to decide. Support can start from the private sector, such as INGOs, NGOs, and enterprises. First, let everyone start discussing and understanding. -After the refugee law is implemented, for example 20 years later, what reaction, impact and changes do you think the public will have? ⊚ Objective reality: The country treats multi-racial people differently. If more people from different groups enter Malaysia, will there be more impact? Can the government implement equality for all? There are many more potential factors. ⊚ Malaysian society is highly adaptable and is more accepting of other groups. ⊚ You don’t have to wait for 20 years. It has become a hot topic now. There may still be stereotypes in society, but people may not be surprised and integrate into one. Malaysian society is very integrated. -Related supporting measures (policies, support systems, etc.) Example: What methods will you use to resolve those doubts? For example: formulating special policies, combining existing community resources, etc. ⊚ A lot of research needs to be done, rather than being pushed half way, it will have many impacts, such as the impact on the second generation. ⊚ Do your best to extend existing Malaysian welfare to the refugee group, such as education, medical care, etc. ⊚ Do your best to educate and share awareness of refugee issues. ⊚ Personal thoughts: Rather than formulating special policies, it is better to treat refugees without discrimination and integrate them into Malaysian society. Even if there are preferential treatment policies for refugees (such as specific ratios, extra points for exams), do not publicize them in a high-profile manner -What is lacking? How can this be adjusted? Nothing is missing relevant guidelines (Guideline) Communicate with the public and let the public have a diverse understanding of refugees -Finally, think about it, what is the situation and life like without a certificate? (please specify) As a human being, you should have a sense of belonging. Although you accept your fate, you will still feel sad. Without a sense of security, it is difficult to have goals and motivation. |