WEEK 7

1. Cooper, S., Olejniczak, E., Lenette, C., & Smedley, C. (2016). Media coverage of
refugees and asylum seekers in regional Australia: a critical discourse analysis. Media
International Australia, 162(1), 78-89. https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878x16667832

In regards to the media’s role in shaping public perceptions of refugees, this article is useful
in observing past trends of media coverage, and how to change the discourse to a more
positive perspective. Through critical discourse analysis, whereby the researchers conducted
a quantitative analysis on what was included and excluded in national newspapers, this can
give rise to how social issues reproduced and legitimized truths in the nation. Positive articles
used personal stories and provided expert opinions without using derogatory terms, negative
articles used incorrect terms or viewed the refugees as burdens, and neutral articles were not
supportive of refugees, nor were they critical of government policies. The study found that
78% of the media coverage was positive, which can be translated to approximately
three-quarters of the nation having a positive stance on refugees. My group’s short-term aim
is to change public perceptions of refugees, so that they are represented in a more human
light, so this article can help guide us to induce the news organizations to change their
narratives. Instead of being neutral, we have to push news organizations to represent the
refugees in a more positive light, by provoking them to include stories about refugees being
active participants in training programs, really emphasizing how their integration will be
positive to our nation’s socio-economic future. By inducing personal stories, photos,
reactions, and emphasizing how refugees have been actively trained to integrate into society,
and including quotes from training staff, instead of just government and policy-makers,
media coverage of refugees can be changed to a more positive, humanizing perspective.
 2. Oguzhan, C. (2010). Humanising Exile. But a Few Untold Stories. International
Migration, 48(1), 232-244. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2435.2008.00507.x
In regards to the process of legitimizing and documenting refugees, this article provides a
contextual background and criticisms as to how UNHCR filters out which refugees are
allowed to be accepted under their protection. As some psychological insight is applied to
how unfair the UNHCR documentation process is like, this article can help our group make
changes to our process. This article details how the UNHCR’s acceptance process is a long
one, usually leaving the undocumented ayslum seekers in a limbo for a year, which is highly
risky as they can easily be exploited with no identification. A solution that our group can take
to combat this problem is to campaign for more UNHCR volunteers and workers, so there are
more hands on deck to speed up the process. The article also explains how after a long
waiting process, for a majority of them, three letters appear next to the refugee’s six digits:
LOC (lack of credit), BPS (burden of proof not satisfied) and FED (no forced external
displacement). Facing these letters means that a safe and brighter future for the refugees has
been rejected. However, upon interviewing the rejected refugees, the researcher found that
they did not fully understand the questions that UNHCR asked them. A 17-year-old Ethiopian
girl said she omitted her several years of rape and imprisonment because she thought the
UNHCR would tell her parents, who would immedieatly disown her. Another Somalian boy
was asked by the UNHCR if he knew the leader of the rebel group, and he replied “no,” as he
thought they asked if he knew the leader personally, as opposed to working for him.
Furthermore, the UNHCR asks for exact dates and locations when interviewing the refugees,
which psychologists have disputed against, as trauma and torture has scientifically been
proven to create gaps in the invididual’s memories. Thus, our group should learn from these
mistakes and change our documentation process, so that it treats the refugees more as
patients, rather than illegal immigrants presenting their qualifications for a job interview. Our
group should implement changes to our policies by creating a safe and welcoming
environment where our employees are more empathetic towards the effects of trauma on the
refugees’ ability to provide credibility for their displacement. Our group should work with
psychologists, and alter our interview questions to allow the young refugees to feel
comfortable with sharing their trauma. By campaigning for more competent staff, and by
being more empathetic towards refugees’ plights, the documentation process of accepting
refugees can become smoother and more humanized.

3. Mitsilegas, V. (2017). Humanizing solidarity in European refugee law. Maastricht

Journal Of European And Comparative Law, 24(5), 721-739.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1023263x17742817

In regards to the Malaysian government’s claims of not having enough resources to be able to
take in any more refugees, this article can provide possible solutions, followed by European
laws and how they share their duties to protect refugees, as a union. The Dublin Regulation
was put into place so that instead of rejecting refugees due to the government’s claim of lack
of resources, an automated system was set up so that the refugees could be passed on to
another Member State that was more capable of taking in more refugees with their resources.
To prevent countries passing on refugees to another Member state, due to other reasons (such
as threat to national security or socio-economic concerns), an automated system is put into
place that keeps track of how many refugees each Member state has accepted, and is in the
process of accepting. If a Member state refuses to take in a refugee that is passed on from
another Member state, or if their state falls significantly below their share, they should
instead make contributions towards the nation in helping the refugees (ex: provide UNHCR
with aid or money that is equivalent to rejecting to take care of the refugee). This could be a
possible solution for the Malaysian government, as we are one of the top Southeast Asian
nations that have accepted several refugees, yet get criticisms when we reject more. Our
group can propose this system to the Malaysian and Myanmar Governments, so that the
“burden” and “responsibility is shared not only among these two nations, but with the region.
Our group should also propose this to AICHR, as they can advocate for the ASEAN
community to adopt the European Dublin Regulations of sharing the responsibility of taking
in refugees based on their resource capacity. We would also make sure that each nation’s
documentation process and regulations is the same, in order to create a uniform process. By
learning from the European Union, and adopting an automated system of sharing the
responsibility of taking in refugees, the ASEAN community can stand in solidarity with
protecting as many vulnerable refugees as possible.
WEEK 8
1. Bradley, M., 2007. Palestinian Refugee Repatriation: Global Perspectives. Edited by
Michael Dumper. Journal of Refugee Studies, 20(1), pp.152-154.

In regards to our group’s long-term goal of repatriation of the Rohingya refugees back to
Myanmar, this journal article offers a brief history of UNHCR’s repatriation efforts, processes
and mechanisms. Prior to the 1990’s, repatriation was not of a main concern to UNHCR. It
had spent a majority of its repatriation budget on planning negotiations, instead of taking
action in executing this long-term process. In a sense, I feel like this is our current state in
the simulation- we have been having several meetings every week with local and
international NGOs, but the planning of repatriation has been meager, due to the heftiness
of the task. Although we have been in the works of providing short-term shelter with basic
necessities for repatriation refugees, the execution does not feel complete. This is because
we have not taken into account what happens after the short-term resettlement has been
completed. Then what happens to the refugees? It is essentially like raising a child until it
stops breastfeeding, and then throwing them out into the world. What is the point of
UNHCR providing short-term resettlement relief and protection, if it is only for a temporary
time. Hence, this article also talks about how post-1980, UNHCR shifted their attention to
post-repatriation assistance and integration projects. By following up on the refugees which
UNHCR helped to repatriate through its records, the repatriation process feels more
complete and long-term. We have already proposed integration programs, but we will meet
with the Refuge of Justice Coalition next week, to collectively pool in our resources so
sufficient training and assistance is available to hire training employees. Since we already
have a plan for social and cultural integration, our next step would be to develop plans for
post-repatriation assistance. In case the refugee is repatriated to a place that has increased
in danger, UNHCR can be made aware of this and can step in post-repatriation. UNHCR
should follow-up on the refugee’s whereabouts and status through our database records.
Thus, a meeting with the Refuge of Justice Coalition and the MInistries of Foreign Affairs will
be held next week, in order to develop post-repatriation assistance.
 2. The Dublin Regulation. UNHCR. (2020). Retrieved 11 October 2020, from
https://www.unhcr.org/en-my/protection/operations/4a9d13d59/dublin-regulation.html.

In regards to my proposal of a regional agreement based on my research memo of the

Dublin Regulation last week, this document published by UNHCR explains the mechanisms
behind this Regulation, and the flaws that come with it. The document states that although
each EU member state has signed the agreement to the Dublin Regulation, their application
and screening process are not uniform. Since the point of the Regulation is for asylum
seekers to appeal to be taken care of in another member state, it should be assumed that
each member state practices common procedures and processes in taking in the refugee
from a third-country national. Hence, although our group has proposed an ASEAN-based
regional burden-sharing agreement to AICHR and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia,
and both groups have gotten on board with our idea, our next step is to make sure that our
adoption of the regulation enforces the procedures and criterias to be uniform for each
member state. We need to go beyond just listing down the requirements and objectives of
the regional agreement, as it is not assured that all the member states will follow these
rules. Thus, we should seek to include government representatives on-site the screening
process for each member state, once a general meeting of the representatives has been held
in regards to understanding the uniformity of the agreement. For example, for the interview
part of the screening process, it should be required that the questions are open-ended and
conducive for the applicants to speak about their trauma, for proof of credibility. Since it is
not assumed that all member states will abide by this rule, it should be required that each
member state’s screening site also includes a psychologist/therapist that has been trained
through the same program. By having a psychologist/therapist on-site in each member state,
the questions asked during the interview process would be more susceptible to being
uniform. These proposals can be discussed with AICHR and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Malaysia, as well as Myanmar.
 3. Supaat, D. (2014). The UNHCR in Malaysia: The Mandate and Challenges. South
East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, Vol., 5(4), 23-30.
Retrieved October 11, 2020.

In regards to the accessibility of UNHCR offices, this article provides a brief history of
the organization and the flaws it has yet to fix. One of the issues relates to limited UNHCR
presence, which is only found in Kuala Lumpur. This means refugees must travel to the city
to make an application. Currently there is only one UNHCR office in Malaysia situated in
Kuala Lumpur, after it closed its office in Sabah. Thus, refugees have to approach or get to
their office in Kuala Lumpur to apply for refugee status determination. From the very
beginning, the Malaysian government is taking no part in any processes pertaining to
refugees. All are being independently managed by UNHCR Malaysia. The journey and its
expenses may hinder refugees living far from Kuala Lumpur from making the application.
Furthermore, they may also refuse to travel in order to avoid the authorities, especially
members of RELA who are reported to have extorted refugees for money in return for being
arrested (CHRO). Thus, reading this article provokes me to propose opening up other offices
and branches outside of KL. The government or local NGOs should monitor the hot-spots
where the refugees arrive on shore to, and then set up camps, or better yet, branches there.
This will greatly facilitate and fasten the screening and status determination process, as it is
more accessible for refugees to go to, as well as there being more helping hands on deck.
Thus, our group should look further into campaigning for funds to set up more UNHCR
branches around Malaysia, from the government or businesses.
WEEK 9

1. Anderson, P. (2016). Vocational training and therapeutic care of young asylum seekers
and refugees in germany. Rajagiri Journal of Social Development, 8(2), 111-128.
Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1933073216?accountid=12528

In regards to providing training for the social integration of the refugees, this article
offers insights into how a holistic approach needs to be taken, in order for the process to be
effective in the long-run. This article details the works and challenges of the Bavarian
program of preparatory classes for asylum seekers between the ages of 16-21. Completed
over the course of 2 years, this vocational training equips young refugees with skills needed
to find a job in their new society. I learned from this article that it is imperative that the
professionals in education, social work and therapy, have regular meetings with each other, in
order to align each area’s objectives to an overarching common goal of helping the refugees
find employment and integration into the community. Furthermore, it is crucial for each
professional to keep a progress record of the refugees, so they can keep track of their
achievements, and how to constantly adjust their methods and training to better suit their
needs. Thus, UNHCR could write up a draft detailing the specific policies and regulations for
their social integration programs. These rules could include the participant observation of a
UNHCR manager in the training facilities, to monitor the progress of the program, a monthly
meeting with the teachers, social workers and therapists to align the organization’s vision and
mission, and some sort of measurement to ensure the training is absorbed by the refugees.
Since a test or exam is putting additional stress on the refugees, UNHCR could possibly
measure the progress of the vocational training, by conducting simulations that prepare the
refugees for the real world. For example, holding fake job interviews, turning the community
halls into a miniature Kuala Lumpur, to test if they can navigate around the country, and
lending them a mobile phone for a day to see if they are technologically competent. By
emulating real-world situations for the refugees in addition to all the training and counselling
provided, UNHCR can ensure a successful implementation of the social integration,
employment and mental well-being of the refugees in Malaysia.
 2. Palmgren, P. (2017). Survival and integration: Kachin social networks and refugee
management regimes in Kuala Lumpur and Los Angeles. Journal of Ethnic and
Migration Studies, 43(13), 2247–2264.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2016.1255140

As an international organization, UNHCR’s job is to primarily aid and protect

refugees in their journey of seeking shelter, employment and eventually repatriation.
However, as Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, UNHCR cannot
prevent external forces, such as the police, from predatory and inhospitable behavior. This
article can help our group to devise strategies which the U.S refugee networks implemented,
to ensure the fair treatment of asylum seekers, outside of local and international NGOs.
Whereas the Kachin refugees receive information about UNHCR and resettlement to the U.S
from other migrant workers at their jobs, the Kachin refugees receive information and support
from a wide social welfare network including permanent residents, immigrants, church
communities and their pastors. Whereas UNHCR and the Kachin Refugee Community is the
only form of extensive support provided for their survival in Malaysia, Resettlement
Agencies, church pastors and volunteers act as an anchor and network of integration for the
Kachin in America. Thus, our group should post a call to action for a wider network of
support, outside of NGOs. Religious institutions could be a good addition to the support
network, where we call local mosques to offer donations or their place of worship as a safe
space for conversation and information provision of other resettlement ties abroad.
Additionally, we should have a meeting with the governments and the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs, to put up policies that implement consequences for police officers and citizens for
inhospitable and predatory behaviour against the refugees. Perhaps we could add a policy in
the Memorandum of Understanding that prevents hate speech and actions, as well as
penalization and punishment to those who commit it against the refugees. By calling for
support outside of the Refuge of Justice, UNHCR can ensure that the refugees can have both
professional and interpersonal ties to aid them in their journey of security and repatriation.
 3. Aron, A. (1992). Applications of psychology to the assessment of refugees seeking
political asylum. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 41(1), 77–91.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.1992.tb00687.x

In regards to UNHCR’s screening process of illegal migrants, this article is useful in

justifying the need for a psychologist to help prove credibility of an asylum seeker. The
psychologist intervenes and takes on a forensic role, as they perform tests to identify if the
individual’s current symptoms match with their traumatic past. These include the Rorschach
test, whereby the psychologist displays graphic cards and asks the client to associate words
with it, thematic apperception tests and drawing pictures of themselves and their families.
The caveat to these tests is that it can be highly traumatic to refugees who have suffered
extreme conditions, which induces them to go into shock and become dissociative or
emotional. Hence, a better method would be for the psychologist to have a one-on-one
conversation with the applicant, where they disclose that their information will strictly be
kept confidential, and used to help them have a successful testimony. Having a psychologist
before the hearing case bridges the gap of discomfort between the applicant and the judge,
ultimately becoming the deciding factor of whether or not they possess enough credibility.
This article emphasizes the importance of hiring psychologists in the screening process, to
identity nuances and symptoms which depict fear of persecution or Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder, so UNHCR can filter out the applicants that do not demonstrate proof of credibility.
Our next step is to continue working with the Refuge of Justice coalition (SUARAM,
Tenaganita, The Arakan Project and Human Rights Watch), to gather resources and
psychologists who want to volunteer in humanizing UNHCR’s screening proceedings.

WEEK 10
 1. Budak, F., & Bostan, S. (2020). The Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic on Syrian
Refugees in Turkey: The Case of Kilis. Social Work In Public Health, 35(7), 579-589.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2020.1806984

When it comes to overcoming a global pandemic, it is also crucial to get the refugees
themselves, to not only practice the standard precautionary measures, but to also instill
confidence and hope that they can fight this battle. In this sense, this article is useful in
providing insights into the perceptions of Syrian refugees in combating COVID-19, and
recommendations to ease their anxiety. According to this study, 40% of the Syrian refugees
did not have enough information about the pandemic, while 45% did not have access to
personal protective equipment and healthcare. Additionally, the study found that mothers had
a more positive outlook in combatting the pandemic, as they are used to taking care of others,
while single refugees did not have much hope. Therefore, this highlights the need for
UNHCR to conduct surveys among the refugees, to gain their perceptions, and then act and
adjust our policies accordingly. It is imperative that we get input from the refugees
themselves, as without their cooperation, the process of combatting the migrant crisis and
COVID-19 will be slow and painful. If we discover upon collection of the surveys that the
Rohingyas did not feel confident in overcoming the pandemic, then heavier efforts should be
directed towards informative campaigns and programs that educate the refugees on how to
wear a mask, how to wash your hand properly, how to social distance, etc. Additionally, to
ease the anxiety of the Rohingyas, pandemic packages that include masks, sanitizers and
antibacterial soap should be distributed around the rural areas, and therapists/counselors
specifically dedicated to answering questions about the pandemic, should be made available
on-site at the UNHCR office and temporary camps. Hence, UNHCR should propose this
addition to the government in the Memorandum of Understanding, as well as campaign for
the cooperation and crowdfunding to the Refuge of Justice coalition. By educating the
refugees, providing them access to free protective equipment and mental health services, as
well as providing hygienic temporary accommodation, the Rohingyas will develop a more
positive outlook in combating COVID-19.
 2. Schomaker, R., & Bauer, M. (2020). What Drives Successful Administrative
Performance during Crises? Lessons from Refugee Migration and the Covid‐19
Pandemic. Public Administration Review, 80(5), 845-850.
https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13280

In regards to administrative responses in a time of crisis, this article is useful in

suggesting methods and theories that have facilitated the management of refugees during a
pandemic. The findings are based on surveys conducted on local administrations, health
authorities and political leaders, in regards to the aftermath of the 2015 refugee migration
crisis in Germany and the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that successful
management of crisis involved tradition as opposed to to innovation, networking as opposed
to hierarchical decentralization, comparative learning as opposed to situational learning, and
intracrisis learning as opposed to intercrisis learning. Taking these findings into account,
UNHCR should refer back to the previous crisis of a similar scenario (ex: humanitarian
health crisis such as AIDS/HIV) and develop contingency plans based on these statistics and
what went well during the management of that previous crisis. By developing a contingency
plan based on similar situations, UNHCR can better be prepared for the next health crisis or
pandemic, merely making minor tweaks in terms of number of aid distribution or facility
set-up based on the magnitude of the crisis. Although being flexible and innovative can yield
new results, there is often no time for UNHCR to strategize and develop new plans from
scratch during an urgent crisis. Hence, UNHCR should keep documentation of statistics of
refugees, health records, UNHCR cards database, aid distribution, in order to plan for the
next contingency plan. Additionally, UNHCR should reach out further to other networks, as
we have mainly focused on discussions with Refuge of Justice, as we feel responsible as an
international NGO, for the rest of the local NGOs. When in reality, UNHCR should be more
heavily in contact with business stakeholders such as Petronas and FMM, as we as an
international NGO have more power than the local NGO coalition, in asking them to provide
funds for aid and temporary camp setups. Thus, I felt that UNHCR should have reached out
to industry players instead of constantly campaigning with Refuge of Justice, as perhaps the
funding of aid would have been facilitated faster, and other tasks such as campaigning for
de-stigmatization of refugees could have been given more time and effort. However, this can
possibly still be taken into account for the climax week.
 3. Wali, N., Chen, W., Rawal, L., Amanullah, A., & Renzaho, A. (2018). Integrating
human rights approaches into public health practices and policies to address health
needs amongst Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: a systematic review and
meta-ethnographic analysis. Archives Of Public Health, 76(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-018-0305-1
When it comes to solving the migrant crisis, the poor and unsafe health of the
refugees due to overcrowding and unhygienic living conditions, is a persistent problem. This
article is useful in providing insights into the underlying issues that refugees encounter inside
the camp, issues which never occurred to me, as I was typically focused on the external
forces, rather than the internal forces. By this, I mean the camp administrators, police and
refugee block leaders, who exploit and abuse the refugees because they know that they are in
a vulnerable position to be deported. This ethnographic study tells the story of how several
women in the refugee camps are sexually and physically harassed by the camp administrators
and police, as they threatened to deregister them from the database and deport them back to
Myanmar.Unfortunately, the women succumb to these sexual requests, as they have to protect
their families, as well as avoid stigmatization as a sexual survivor. Furthermore, the women
in the refugee camps face domestic abuse from their husbands, as they are frustrated from
their low-paying and unjust working conditions. This induces them to resort to domestic
violence on their wives, as the stress and feeling of inadequacy builds up in them from their
prolonged displacement. In response to these horrific treatment that women face in the
camps, I think there should be stricter measures and policies implemented to protect these
vulnerable women. Firstly, I think UNHCR should install CCTVs around our temporary
camps and headquarters, so evidence of violence and abuse can be captured. Additionally, the
installment of cameras can deter the abusers from committing violence and exploitation acts,
as they know that they are being watched. Consequently, a clause should be added to the
Memorandum of Understanding, whereby camp administrators, employees and police are
fined a hefty sum, and possibly serve time if their actions are caught on camera. This should
also apply to the husbands of the refugee women, but instead of money and time, they would
be subjected to having their UNHCR cards revoked. This would highly decrease the chances
of them inciting domestic violence against their wives, as possessing a legal status is their top
priority. Furthermore, to add tighter security, UNHCR should disperse highly-trained
patrollers that act independently from the police, around the camps, to monitor and report any
acts of violence and exploitation.