Spotlight on the stateless

THREE years ago, Malaysian documentary maker and freelance journalist Mahi Ramakrishnan started The Refugees Fest with the aim of showcasing the talents and abilities of refugees.
This year, the event – with the theme, Inclusion for a Better World – is happening from tomorrow to Sunday at MAP in Publika, Kuala Lumpur.
There will be activities ranging from film screenings to theatre performances, and book launches at MAP’s White Box and Black Box spaces.
“This is a cultural festival for the refugees,” says Mahi, adding that the fest is also held “to continue building bridges between Malaysian society and different refugee communities in the country”.
She hopes Malaysians will come out in full force to lend support to the festival and to mingle with the refugees.
Mahi says she understands why some Malaysians are hostile towards refugees, because they believe that refugees only bring problems to the country.
But she adds: “You must understand that [these people] were forced to flee their country because they faced persecution there.
“If they had remained in their country, they would have been killed. They had no choice [but to leave].
“Once you meet them, you will realise they are no different from us. All they want is a better life for themselves and their families.”
Mahi adds that one of the highlights of the fest is the launch of a book of 14 poems, From Exile With Love, penned by refugees from Syria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka who are living here.
The poems were written in the poets’ native language, and published together with an English translation, she says, adding that they wrote about “war, violence, persecution, loss, love and hope”.
The book is available at the fest upon a minimum donation of RM30.
Well-known Hungarian photojournalist David Verberckt will also be at the fest with his photo exhibition featuring Rohingya refugees.
Verberckt, who has been covering the Rohingya crisis for more than 10 years now, will also be conducting two free photography workshops for refugee children.
Mahi hopes that these children will later use the skills they learn from this workshop to tell their stories, and possibly feature their work in next year’s fest.
Among the films being showcased at the fest are two films by Indian filmmaker Fazil N.C.
The first, Road to Biate looks at the stateless Biate community who had fled from Tibet to Meghalaya in India years ago. The Biates speak Tibetan and Burmese, but remain a people without a country.
His second documentary, In the Shade of the Fallen Chinar 2, looks at the struggles of the Kashmiri people under the control of India’s military.
Meanwhile, author J.K. Asher, who lives in both Malaysia and Australia, will be premiering her debut film, From Killing Fields to the Playing Fields.
The film is about the young Rohingya football players in Australia and Malaysia who are training hard for the Conifa Games, a tournament set up for stateless people.
The fest will also feature two theatre productions by the refugees, including their children.
The first shows the refugees talking about their experiences, and the second focuses on the issue of child marriages among Afghans.
“We are also holding friendly football matches between different Rohingya teams in Ampang,” Mahi says.
For more, visit The Refugees Fest Facebook page.