III. The Discovery of the Wang Kelian Mass Graves and Human-Trafficking Camp
70
including 108 bodies in “Sector 1” and 28 bodies in “Sector 2.”239 A Deputy Superintendent in charge
of anti-trafficking told the Commission on September 11, 2017 that 106 remains were exhumed from
139 graves located at the Wang Kelian site. 240
The post-mortem reports were completed and submitted to the police on March 3, 2016.
Phase II
Phase I was from September 1 to 4, 2015. The Commission was told that the post-mortem reports of
Phase II have yet to be completed due to a technical issue in the DNA reports of the remains.
Observation of the Forensic Team
Dr. L stated that the remains received by the hospital underwent a boning process, and most of the
remains had lost their soft tissues and internal organs. He said that the graves unearthed by the
authorities also contained bits of human tissue. Dr. L stated that the hospital could only manage to
identify the factors of death for three remains, finding those factors to be: coronary-related disease,
a stab wound or injury at the hip, and pneumonia. Factors of death for the other 147 remains remain
undetermined.
Dr. L said that the period of death of the remains ranged from a few months to a few years. The
Forensic Department could not pinpoint a specific period of death of the remains because the
remains had undergone the decomposition process. He further explained to the Commission that
some remains with tissues intact would have died more recently than those with no tissues at all.
Dr. L explained that the decomposition of remains in Wang Burma hill happened in phases. During
the early phase, decomposition of a remain may include bloating, peeled skin, and softening organs.
During the next phase, the remain may experience loss of tissues due to animal activities or natural
decomposition. Environmental factors such as stagnant water and the type of soil where the
remains were buried may influence the decomposition process.
Dr. L informed the Commission that his team conducted DNA reports of remains found on the Wang
Kelian hill, and those reports suggest the examined remains were of South Asian or Indian descent;
however, the reports do not pinpoint any specific ethnicity.
STATEMENT OF IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, KANGAR,
PERLIS STATE
Job Scope of Enforcement Division, Immigration Department
“Person N” was the Head of the Lock Up and Deportation Unit in the Immigration Department
of Perlis State in 2015. He explained to the Commission that the scope of duties of the Lockup
and Deportation Unit of the Enforcement Division of Immigration Department are to receive
“undocumented foreign migrants” who commit an offense under the Immigration Act and manage
the deportation of those migrants after receiving orders from the Deputy Public Prosecutor or a
court order. He further explained that “undocumented foreign migrants” who had served their
sentence in prison would be sent either to the immigration detention center or deported to their
country of origin.
239 The Commission interview with hospital staff, 2018. The Commission, “A Report on the Investigation of the
Discovery of Wang Kelian Mass-Graves, Wang Kelian, Perlis State,” internal report, 2017, on file with the Commission
and Fortify Rights.
240 Ibid.