Similans Tourists See Boat People Mistreated

sriracha john · January 29, 2009

Rohingya teenagers "in good condition"

BANGKOK, 29 January 2009 (IRIN) - The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) was granted full access late on 29 January to 12 teenage Rohingya boys who washed ashore in Thailand earlier this week.

“This is a step forward,” Kitty McKinsey, a spokeswoman for UNHCR, told IRIN regarding the meetings, which were held at the Ranong immigration centre in the presence of Thai immigration officials.

“We wanted to know who they were, where they were from, and what their protection needs were,” she said.

The boys, ranging in age from 14 to 17, were in good condition and spirits and felt comfortable in freely answering questions, she said.

Part of a larger group of 78 Rohingya boat people, they were intercepted off the coast by the Thai Royal Navy on 27 January after fleeing their native Myanmar.

UNHCR is working closely with Thai authorities to gain access to the remaining 66 Rohingya men being detained for illegally entering Thailand and now facing deportation.

“In principle, we have an agreement to get access to them as well and we are working out the details on this,” the UNHCR official said.

“We will be holding discussions with the Thai government before deciding what to do next,” McKinsey said, adding: “We are getting good cooperation from the Thai authorities.”

According to human rights groups, the Rohingya, Muslim residents from Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state, are an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority that are de jure stateless in accordance with the laws of Myanmar.

Their systematic and continuous persecution by Myanmar’s government has for years prompted thousands to flee the country, mainly to Bangladesh or other countries in the area of the Andaman Sea, as well as Indonesia and Malaysia.

There are more than 200,000 Rohingya living in Bangladesh, of whom 28,000 are documented refugees living in two UNHCR camps.

Thai authorities view those Rohingya entering the kingdom as illegal labour migrants and estimate there are already some 20,000 in the country.

Earlier this month, Thai authorities were criticised over their handling of arriving Rohingya boat people amid allegations that hundreds were towed out to sea and left to die without adequate humanitarian supplies.

brahmburgers · January 30, 2009

Don't worry, since it's our local CSI star Dr Pornthip who investigate the case, the wounds will probably be found to have been caused by obsolete Chinese boats purchased by the Thaksin administration.

Ms Pornthip is good at what she does, and that's why police consistently are annoyed by her. She tells it like it is. In many cases, she's pressured to instead tell it like the police (or in this case, the military) want her to describe it. If she got assigned (rather than volunteered) for the job, it's surprising - because it would appear (from recent denials of wrongdoing) top brass would rather maintain their cover up.

Scott · January 30, 2009

In this instance there is no cover-up. That is why they want all the confirmation possible that the Thai authorities weren't responsible for the mistreatment. Much like a theif who admits to robbing a house, but claims he didn't shoot the owner.

The problem the authorities are creating in trying to make themselves look good is that when they repatriate the Rohingyas, they will be returning people who have a well-founded fear of persecution--as already demonstrated by the beatings!

Jai Dee · January 30, 2009

Foreign Minister : Thailand to raise Rohingya issue in regional fora

The Minister of Foreign Affairs assured UNHCR’s representative the Thai Government was conducting a transparent process to ascertain facts around media's allegations on Thai army towed Rohingya refugees out to the Andaman sea, while Thailand would raise this issue in regional fora.

Mr. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Mr. Raymond Hall, regional representative in Thailand and regional coordinator for South East Asia, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN refugee agency, on Thursday (January 29) to discuss issues relating to illegal migrants in the Andaman Sea and means of cooperation to address the problem.

After the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that discussion was held on three levels of cooperation to resolve the Burmese minority group Rohingya illegal migrants issue, including between Thailand and the UNHCR; among the countries of origin, transit and destination in the region and the UNHCR; and among concerned countries in the region, the UNHCR and donor countries.

Such co-operation would seek to find short and long term solutions to this issue which also related to the problem of human trafficking.

He reiterated that Thailand, as a member of the United Nations, has extensive experiences in working with the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). An example which demonstrated successful outcome from such cooperation was the case of the Vietnamese boatpeople decades ago, for which the Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) had been drafted to resolve the problem.

As for the case of Rohingya illegal migrants, the Thai side has been coordinating with the UNHCR and representatives from the concerned countries and the donor nations, both in Bangkok and Geneva.

However, it must be admitted that funding was required in order to provide systematic assistance to the Rohingyas in order to address the problem at source.

On regional cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs informed Mr. Hall that Thailand has been coordinating with Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Upon his instruction, Mr. Virasakdi Futrakul, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, last week held a meeting with ambassadors from those countries to jointly find long term solutions to the problem.

Moreover, Thailand is considering the possibility of raising this issue in regional fora such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). and Indian Ocean Regional Cooperation.

Mr. Kasit reassured Mr. Hall that the Thai Government was conducting a transparent process to ascertain the facts around the media's allegations.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and American-based Cable News Network (CNN) earlier reported that Thai army towed Rohingya’s boat to the Andaman sea after the Muslim minority group tried to illegally entered into Thailand.

As for the UNHCR’s request to have access to the group of Rohingyas now under custody in Thailand, he said in principle the Thai side has no objections, but Thai authorities concerned, which met in the afternoon of Thursday, must first discuss practical details of the mode of operation.

Mr. Hall said after the meeting that the UNHCR can work with Thailand to resolve the Rohingya issue both in the context of Thailand and in the broader regional dimension, as well as in the area of origin.

Mr. Hall said he considered the Thai Government’s response as positive after meeting on Thursday, adding he was aware that the Thai Government needed space on this issue. Furthermore, he was confident of the forthcoming cooperation from the Thai authorities.

Source: National News Bureau of Thailand - 30 January 2009

Jai Dee · January 30, 2009

UNHCR visited Rohingya in Thailand

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) officials visited 12 teenage illegal Rohingyaon Thursday, the Bangkok Post website reported on Friday.

The visit came the same day after UNHCR Representative Raymond Hall met Thai Foreign Ministry in Bangkok.

These 12 migrant Rohingya were under age 18 so they were under police's custody at the Ranong immigration police office.

Meanwhile, the rest 66 Rohingya were charged by provincial court on Wednesday of illegal entry and serve jail term, instead of paying a find 1,000-2000 baht (29-58 U.S. dollars) before being deported to their home country, according to police

Kitty McKinsey, UNHCR Asia spokeswoman, said a team of four officials interviewed the boys aged 14 to 17 in the southern coastal province.

"They appeared in good condition ...it is really a step forward that we have had this access," the website quoted McKinsey as saying

However, Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said the visit was allowed on humanitarian grounds on condition that the UNHCR would not attempt to give them refugee status.

78 Rohingya were captured by Thai navy in Jan. 27 near Surin island and they were taken to Police in Ranong province.

Source: Xinhua - 30 January 2009

samgrowth · January 30, 2009

Shouldn't the Thai government be taking the Royal Thai Navy to court for men slaughtering?

saneroad · January 30, 2009

Shouldn't the Thai government be taking the Royal Thai Navy to court for men slaughtering?

NOT the Navy....see today's South China Morning Post story below:

******

Army to lead Rohingya inquiry

Reuters and Staff Reporters

The Thai military unit that has been linked to the fatal expulsion of Rohingya boatpeople is leading the investigation into their mistreatment.

However, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday pledged full transparency after confirming to the United Nations refugee agency that the army's Internal Security Operations Command was investigating.

"It's our internal arrangement and if the military investigation is not satisfactory, we'll set up another group to do it," Mr Kasit said after meeting Raymond Hall of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

"Don't doubt before the investigation is completed. This is a very transparent government."

South China Morning Post (SEHK: 0583, announcements, news) investigations this month revealed that about 1,000 Rohingya had been towed out to sea by the army in unpowered boats and set adrift. Hundreds died as a result. A photograph provided to the Post two weeks ago showed ISOC regional commander Colonel Manat Khongpan overseeing the processing of Rohingya on Koh Sai Daeng, the island site of a secret army detention camp.

Colonel Manat denied involvement in forced expulsions. But other regional army chiefs have confirmed that the army funded and trained local villagers to round up the Rohingya who were then "pushed" back out to sea, insisting no Rohingya were mistreated in the process.

The Thai government has yet to allow outsiders to investigate the reports of abuse, despite the urgings of the United Nations refugee agency.

Mr Hall stressed the importance of the probe, ordered by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva amid pledges Thailand was committed to upholding international human rights norms.

"It needs to be a proper investigation; it needs to be transparent; it needs to give people the satisfaction that they know what has actually happened," Mr Hall said.

Kitty McKinsey, the UNHCR's Asia spokeswoman, said she, two UN protection officers and an interpreter spent 50 minutes yesterday interviewing 12 under-age Rohingyas who were among a boatload of 78 arrested off the Andaman coast on Monday. The youths are in police custody in Ranong.

It was the first time that UNHCR officials had met any of the boatpeople in Thailand since January 20, when the agency requested access to all Rohingya in Thai custody. At the time it feared scores were being held on Koh Sai Daeng.

*****

brahmburgers · January 30, 2009

******
Army to lead Rohingya inquiry

Reuters and Staff Reporters

The Thai military unit that has been linked to the fatal expulsion of Rohingya boatpeople is leading the investigation into their mistreatment.

Foxes investigating a chicken coup slaughter - with fox prints all around.

Scott · January 31, 2009

I understand that some of these Rohingyas have been turned over to immigration for deportation. Some are still be treated for their wounds and aren't being turned over until they have a doctors clearance.

Will those in hospital have to serve their jail time first? Were the unaccompanied minors also turned over for repatriation?

Any updates would be appreciated. Burma claims that they really aren't Burmese, they are Bangladeshi. I wonder what happens if Burma refuses to take them back?

saneroad · January 31, 2009

I understand that some of these Rohingyas have been turned over to immigration for deportation. Some are still be treated for their wounds and aren't being turned over until they have a doctors clearance.
Will those in hospital have to serve their jail time first? Were the unaccompanied minors also turned over for repatriation?

Any updates would be appreciated. Burma claims that they really aren't Burmese, they are Bangladeshi. I wonder what happens if Burma refuses to take them back?

From this morning's South China Morning Post (subscription req'd):

Rohingya set to be deported

THAILAND

Agence France-Presse in Bangkok

Feb 01, 2009

Thai prison officials yesterday released 62 Rohingya boatpeople into the custody of immigration authorities for deportation. However, an immigration official said they did not know where the men would be sent, and were awaiting instructions from the government.

The adult Muslim migrants, who remain in detention in the southern province of Ranong, were among a group of 78 discovered off the coast of Surin Island in the Andaman Sea on Monday night and detained for trying to enter Thailand illegally.

"We handed over 62 people who just completed their sentences [for illegal immigration]. Immigration have to wait for doctors' permission to release four more who are in hospital," having wounds tended to, Ranong's governor, Wanchart Wongchaichana, said.

The United Nations refugee agency met 12 teenagers who form the rest of the group on Thursday but refused to comment on their condition.

The Muslim Rohingya are effectively stateless. Hailing from the border areas between Bangladesh and Myanmar, thousands have settled in Bangladesh. Many use Bangladesh as a staging post for journeys to other countries in rickety boats.

But Myanmar's junta said last week that the Rohingya boatpeople could not be from Myanmar, since they are not among its 100 recognised ethnic groups. Myanmar claims the migrants are all Bangladeshi.

An immigration officer in Ranong said: "Normally, under the law, these people would be deported out of Thai territory after serving their sentence, but this is a special case so we have to wait for government instruction."

On Friday, human rights group Amnesty International called on Myanmar to stop persecuting the Rohingya people and urged neighbouring countries to meet their humanitarian obligations.

A South China Morning Post (SEHK: 0583, announcements, news) investigation last month revealed that the Thai army recently towed about 1,000 Rohingya out to sea in unpowered boats and abandoned them. Hundreds died as a result.

The group of 78 claimed Myanmese authorities brutalised them, with some showing the scars of beatings and burns. A Thai forensics expert said the injuries were inflicted before the men arrived in Thailand.

Scott · February 3, 2009

I saw something on the CNN web site about some more Rohingyas who were picked up in Indonesia (I believe two different locations). Both groups said they had been set adrift by the Thai military. God, I wonder how many more are out there?

SmugFarangBore · February 3, 2009

Under intense international pressure, the Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, promised to investigate the scandal. But he gave the task to the very unit accused of the abuses, the controversial Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/0...t-people-rescue

poldebol · February 3, 2009

Thailand is a poor third world country what are they supposed to do give them room and board? I don't think these refugees should be abused at all but sending them back where they came from does not seem unreasonable.

As I said before: third world country is not a viable term any more. It implied that this group of countries was supposed to develop in the direction of the western model. Nowadays it looks more that western countries are going into the direction of these so called third world countries.

Two: Thailand is not a poor country. Thailand is a very, very rich country with many poor people. That says something about the rich people as well.

samgrowth · February 3, 2009

I saw something on the CNN web site about some more Rohingyas who were picked up in Indonesia (I believe two different locations). Both groups said they had been set adrift by the Thai military. God, I wonder how many more are out there?

Do you mean those that still alive, or those eatern by sharks?

Scott · February 4, 2009

It's getting hard to know what has happened to some of these people. I read the CNN report as meaning that this was a realatively new group of arrivals. It's getting a little hard to keep a time frame of when this stuff has happened. Of the known groups sent out to sea, I believe it is 550 that have never arrived anywhere. How many aren't known about, is anybody's guess.

I can understand Thailand's concern about these people arriving here. Thailand is under no obligation to keep them on a long term basis. However, there are international laws about situations like this--including those that regard boats which have problems on the High Seas. Some of these boats were destined for other places, but ended up here. I don't think the international laws has a special provision for dragging people back out to sea.

samgrowth · February 4, 2009

I don't think the international laws has a special provision for dragging people back out to sea.

Nor is any international law AGAINST such practise (dragging people back out to sea).

Remember the Vietnam Boat People 20 years ago. I believe many countries around Vietnam (Thailand included) refuse them to land, and leave them to die in international waters.

Felt 35 · February 4, 2009

Nor is any international law AGAINST such practise (dragging people back out to sea).

Your right refering to animals they follow instinct, but for humans there is rights.....

http://www.pdhre.org/rights/refugees.html

Felt 35 · February 4, 2009

Although i condemn the actions of the Thai navy lets not forget that the Australian government did a similar thing in the past. Not quite as severe but still?
THE AUSTRALIAN government was condemned as inhumane yesterday for refusing to allow into its territorial waters a ship with 434 asylum- seekers, inclu-ding sick people and children.

The would-be refugees, understood to be mainly from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, had been rescued from a crippled Indonesian ferry by the Norwegian cargo ship Tampa. They include 22 women and 43 children. Last night they were 12 miles off Christmas Island, the Australian outpost 1,000 miles west of the mainland.

Wahid Supriyadi, Indonesia's foreign affairs spokesman, said: "If Australian authorities refused [entry] because they don't have proper documents, we don't see any reason to let them in. We find it hard to believe that the ferry departed from Indonesian waters. Refugees normally travel on small boats."

Karsten Klepsvik, a Norwegian foreign ministry spokesman, urged Australia and Indonesia to take responsibility for the refugees.

Australia's conservative government, led by John Howard, has adopted a hardline stance towards the swelling numbers of "Boat People" arriving on its shores, but this is the first time Australia has turned away a ship. "We simply cannot allow a situation to develop where Australia is seen ... as a country of easy destination," Mr Howard said. Food and medical supplies would be sent to the Tampa by helicopter from Christmas Island, the Prime Minister added.

He said his government had taken legal advice and "it is our view, as a matter of international law, this matter is something that must be resolved between the government of Indonesia and the government of Norway".

An increasing number of refugees from the Middle East travel overland to Indonesia and pay "people smugglers" to take them to Australia, often in unseaworthy boats.

Tampa had diverted from its course to Singapore to answer emergency calls from a sinking Indonesian vessel, the KM Palapa 1. Arne Rinnan, the Tampa's captain, said five men had stormed the bridge and ordered him to take the group to Australia, threatening to throw themselves overboard unless he agreed.

"They flatly refused to go back to Indonesia and they were threatening to jump overboard," Captain Rinnan added. "It could have been turning into a really ugly situation." He said the men told him: "We have left everything behind. The situation is very bad. We do not want to go to Singapore or Indonesia. We have nothing to lose."

Captain Rinnan told an Australian radio station he was worried about the health of two asylum-seekers, one who had suffered a suspected heart attack and the other who had a broken leg. Trod Svensen, vice-president of the Norwegian shipping company Wilh Wilhemsen, said some of the refugees had dysentery and other illnesses.

Several such boats have arrived in Australia in the past fortnight, carrying more than 1,500 asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, most of them via Christmas Island. The Tampa boatload is the largest single group to attempt entry. One report says a second boat carrying about 500 people is still heading for the island.

The Australian government's decision was condemned by human rights groups. Margaret Piper, executive director of the Refugee Council of Australia, said: "To prevent people from seeking protection is something that is contrary to our international obligations."

Australia, whose refugee policy is among the world's harshest, has been criticised by the United Nations and Amnesty International for detaining asylum-seekers in grim Outback camps while their applications are processed.

Independent Newspapers UK Limited

Cheers, Rick

This post has been edited by bangkokrick: 2009-01-18 21:15:38

Although i condemn the actions of the Thai navy lets not forget that the Australian government did a similar thing in the past. Not quite as severe but still?

THE AUSTRALIAN government was condemned as inhumane yesterday for refusing to allow into its territorial waters a ship with 434 asylum- seekers, inclu-ding sick people and children.

The would-be refugees, understood to be mainly from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, had been rescued from a crippled Indonesian ferry by the Norwegian cargo ship Tampa. They include 22 women and 43 children. Last night they were 12 miles off Christmas Island, the Australian outpost 1,000 miles west of the mainland.

Wahid Supriyadi, Indonesia's foreign affairs spokesman, said: "If Australian authorities refused [entry] because they don't have proper documents, we don't see any reason to let them in. We find it hard to believe that the ferry departed from Indonesian waters. Refugees normally travel on small boats."

Karsten Klepsvik, a Norwegian foreign ministry spokesman, urged Australia and Indonesia to take responsibility for the refugees.

Australia's conservative government, led by John Howard, has adopted a hardline stance towards the swelling numbers of "Boat People" arriving on its shores, but this is the first time Australia has turned away a ship. "We simply cannot allow a situation to develop where Australia is seen ... as a country of easy destination," Mr Howard said. Food and medical supplies would be sent to the Tampa by helicopter from Christmas Island, the Prime Minister added.

He said his government had taken legal advice and "it is our view, as a matter of international law, this matter is something that must be resolved between the government of Indonesia and the government of Norway".

An increasing number of refugees from the Middle East travel overland to Indonesia and pay "people smugglers" to take them to Australia, often in unseaworthy boats.

Tampa had diverted from its course to Singapore to answer emergency calls from a sinking Indonesian vessel, the KM Palapa 1. Arne Rinnan, the Tampa's captain, said five men had stormed the bridge and ordered him to take the group to Australia, threatening to throw themselves overboard unless he agreed.

"They flatly refused to go back to Indonesia and they were threatening to jump overboard," Captain Rinnan added. "It could have been turning into a really ugly situation." He said the men told him: "We have left everything behind. The situation is very bad. We do not want to go to Singapore or Indonesia. We have nothing to lose."

Captain Rinnan told an Australian radio station he was worried about the health of two asylum-seekers, one who had suffered a suspected heart attack and the other who had a broken leg. Trod Svensen, vice-president of the Norwegian shipping company Wilh Wilhemsen, said some of the refugees had dysentery and other illnesses.

Several such boats have arrived in Australia in the past fortnight, carrying more than 1,500 asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, most of them via Christmas Island. The Tampa boatload is the largest single group to attempt entry. One report says a second boat carrying about 500 people is still heading for the island.

The Australian government's decision was condemned by human rights groups. Margaret Piper, executive director of the Refugee Council of Australia, said: "To prevent people from seeking protection is something that is contrary to our international obligations."

Australia, whose refugee policy is among the world's harshest, has been criticised by the United Nations and Amnesty International for detaining asylum-seekers in grim Outback camps while their applications are processed.

Independent Newspapers UK Limited

Cheers, Rick