Stateless in Sabah: Bajau Laut's Struggle for Recognition Intensifies Ahead of Planned Protest March on Parliament

Stateless in Sabah: The Bajau Laut's Struggle Hits a New High with a Protest March Coming Up

So, there's this big deal happening in Malaysian Borneo, right? They bulldozed this Bajau Laut settlement, and it's got everyone talking about statelessness again. The Bajau Laut are like these cool sea nomads who've been diving and living off the coast for ages, and now they're basically homeless.

The Not-So-Nice House Cleaning

Back in June, some videos hit the internet showing a bunch of officials in uniforms tearing down these wooden houses like they were playing Jenga, and apparently, they even set some on fire. This was all under the guise of clearing ou

t these squatter areas on islands around Semporna district on the east coast. The Bajau Laut, who are like the Michael Phelps of holding their breath underwater, got the raw end of the deal because their crops got destroyed too.

No Homes, No Help

The thing is, these folks are known as "sea gypsies" because they're always on the move on the water. So now they're stranded without a place to live. Some of them are just chilling under the stars because they don't have the materials to build a shelter. It's not like they had a lot to begin with, and now it's raining cats and dogs, and they're getting soaked. Mukmin Nantang, who started this group called Borneo Komrad, says it's totally messed up that the government's just kicking them out without offering any kind of help.

The Long Road to Nowhere

These Bajau Laut people have been living in the waters around Borneo, the Philippines, and Indonesia for like, forever. But because they're always on the move, they don't have the right papers to call any of these places home. It's like they're stuck in this legal no-man's-land, and now they can't even get basic stuff like healthcare or education.

Time to Stand Up

Well, enough is enough, and some brave souls are planning a march to parliament to get the government's attention. They want the Bajau Laut to be recognized and get the help they need. It's not just about stopping these unfair evictions; it's about fixing this whole mess of statelessness.

The Bigger Picture

This isn't just a local problem; it's got people from all over the world talking about human rights. The Bajau Laut's story is like a sad reminder of all the other folks in the region who don't have a country to call their own. We're all watching what happens next because it could set the tone for how we treat these communities everywhere.