Tangbau Kamli, a Kachin youth leader today left for the United States of America, which is accepting Burmese refugees. He was given a third country refugee status under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) programme in Malaysia, said Kachin refugees in Malaysia.

Tangbau Kamli was one of over 200 ethnic Kachin refugees currently in Malaysia from northern Burma. The rest of the Kachin refugees are also waiting to leave for third countries, according to Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur-based Kachin Refugee Committee (KRC).

Meanwhile, over 2,000 Kachins, mainly young people, have illegally arrived in Malaysia seeking refugee status from the UNHCR for departing to third countries, Maran Di La, chairman of KRC told KNG, recently.

Tangbau Kamli played an important role among Kachin refugees on refugee related issues and the problems regarding Kachin migrant workers in Malaysia before he left for the US, said Malaysia's Kachin refugee sources.

He served as the chairman of the Malaysia-based Kachin Development Organization (KDO) from 2006-2007. The KDO was later renamed as the Kachin Refugee Committee (KRC) early this year.

As a Kachin youth, he was also actively involved in leading roles in the monthly meeting among the leaders of the multi-ethnic nationalities in Malaysia from Burma--- Kachin, Chin, Karen, Arakan (Rakhaing), Mon, Shan, Karenni (Kayah), said Malaysia-based All Kachin Students and Youth Union (AKSYU) sources.
 
Before Tangbau Kamli's departure, three special welfare services were arranged separately among Burma's multi-ethnic leaders on Nov. 14, by Kachin comrades on Nov. 15 and at the Sunday service in Malaysia's Kachin Baptist Church on Nov. 16, respectively.

At the moment, most Burmese refugees in Malaysia are multi-ethnic minorities from Burma and the country is one of the host countries, which is accepting Burmese refugees.