Photo Credit: Refugees International/ Larry Thompson
03/15/2005

This photo is along the trail as Refugees International staff and Chin leaders walk to a site to meet with Chin refugees. The Malaysian government announced a crackdown of undocumented aliens to begin March 1. Most of the Chin in this area are not registered with UNHCR and thus are subject to arrest and deportation to Thailand by Malaysian authorities. The Chin in the highlands are afraid to take the risk and bear the cost of traveling to Kuala Lumpur to register. The crackdown on aliens living and working in Malaysia has caused labor shortages on Malaysia's plantations and in its booming construction industry and revealed that the country is heavily dependent on foreign workers.