NEW DELHI: The Indonesian government has justified its new activities by removing hundreds of Bajau Laut, a asynchronous sea-faring group, from their homes off the beach of Sabah position. The authorities assert that the foreclosures were necessary to improve surveillance and combat cross-border crime in the area.
More than 500 Bajau Laut people, who live on crumbling marinas or stilted southern houses, were this week demolished or set on fire by law enforcement, according to nearby activists. The procedure, which took place in Sabah’s Semporna area, faced criticism from right groups, who urged the government to prevent the foreclosures and ensure the safety and security of the Bajau Laut area.
Christina Liew, Sabah’s minister of tourism, society, and setting, stated that the authorities were authorized to take action against illegal activities, such as fish, building structures, and farming without consent, in protected areas under the authority of Sabah Parks, a state conservation organization. ” The sovereignty of the country’s laws in this issue must be upheld”, she said in a statement on Friday.
138 structures were destroyed between Tuesday and Thursday in “hot spots” around the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, a popular tourist destination known for its diving spots, and were given evacuation notices last month, according to Liew. She also claimed, citing police sources, that some homeowners had purposefully destroyed their homes in order to win people over and spread their rumors on social media.
The Bajau Laut have been living there for centuries, but many of them are detained by the authorities because they are illegal immigrants. A rights group called on the state to provide alternative housing and address documentation issues to ensure that the Bajau Laut are treated fairly and have access to essential services. The organization said that” their forced removal raises serious questions about how equitable ethnic minorities are treated in Malaysia.”
( With inputs from agencies )
