Rohingya refugees in Malaysia - A man stands in his home

Hassan was just a teenager when he left Myanmar. During the journey from Myanmar to Malaysia, he has been detained, held for ransom and was made to work as a slave on a Thai fishing boat for four years before being released.

 

He has now lived in Malaysia for four years and is registered with UNHCR. He is afraid of revealing his identity for fear of human traffickers identifying him and extorting money from his family.

 

Now in his twenties, he’s managed to make a living collecting and selling used goods he finds on the street. He has earned enough money to save up for a motorbike and is able to support his wife and young son. He is occasionally stopped by police in the street. Some are sympathetic to his situation while others demand bribes. Still, Hassan is not resentful: “How can we dislike the police? This is not our country.

 

Photo © The Spacemen

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More info about the Humanitarian Policy Group: www.odi.org/hpg

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