Yingluck: Rohingya ' Might Join Southern Insurgency'

[webfact]

Thai PM: Rohingya 'might join southern insurgency'

By Francis Wade

BANGKOK: -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Sinawatra indulged in some loaded conjecturing yesterday when she warned that the 840-plus Rohingya in detention in Thailand “might join the southern insurgency rather than seek asylum in a third country”. The men, women and children in question were found in Songkla’s Sadao district over the course of several raids last week on smuggling dens run by human trafficking rackets.

Their future is now the subject of a tussle between Thai authorities and the UN refugee agency, although Yingluck made clear her feelings that they are a threat to Thailand and should be deported back to Burma (a veritable lions’ den for the stateless Muslims). That had anyway seemed likely until the UN intervened and stalled the deportation, and Thailand now appears to be feeling the pressure of several years of international condemnation following other grisly episodes involving the Rohingya. [more...]

Full story: http://asiancorrespo...ern-insurgency/

-- asian correspondent 2013-01-17

[dcutman]

Ouch!

Only yesterday a Yingluck worshiper and TVF member (no need to mention the members name) was "brought to tears" by her humanitarian sentiments.

[doctorproc156]

Fear mongering; using this as an excuse to justify deporting them.

[MunterHunter]

Fear mongering; using this as an excuse to justify deporting them.

by deporting them you mean put them in a boat with no food, water or oars then dragging them out 10km and leaving them there... isn't that what the Shinawatra family like to do with these kinds of people?

[OzMick]

This has to be her own idea - nobody else could be that bloody stupid!

[Thait Spot]

Bloody hell! If she said that then she's in for a tough time on the international stage.

They may as well round up the bearded ones on Soi 3 too following that comment.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[submaniac]

I may get slack for this and I do not like yingluck on a personal level but I think there is some basis for the concern. If you read the other articles written by the author that are linked to this article you will see that there is some serious ethnic, racial and religious turmoil in myanmar. http://asiancorrespondent.com/91189/is-ethnic-burma-stable-the-un-thinks-so/

Like its analogous to what was happening in the former Yugoslavia. There's already armed fighting with the rohingya in Burma and in another post I linked the Wikipedia article regarding terrorist links with the rohingya. I believe she may have a point for concern.

Thailand is not a signatory to the un treaty on refugees. It seems Hypocritical to me that the un nations are putting pressure on Thailand to take refugees that they themselves won't take. Fine, USA uk Australia Germany if humanitarianism is so important to you, then you take them. Because the un countries don't want to take them let's make it thailand's problem.

[OzMick]

I may get slack for this and I do not like yingluck on a personal level but I think there is some basis for the concern. If you read the other articles written by the author that are linked to this article you will see that there is some serious ethnic, racial and religious turmoil in myanmar. http://asiancorrespo...e-un-thinks-so/

Like its analogous to what was happening in the former Yugoslavia. There's already armed fighting with the rohingya in Burma and in another post I linked the Wikipedia article regarding terrorist links with the rohingya. I believe she may have a point for concern.

Thailand is not a signatory to the un treaty on refugees. It seems Hypocritical to me that the un nations are putting pressure on Thailand to take refugees that they themselves won't take. Fine, USA uk Australia Germany if humanitarianism is so important to you, then you take them. Because the un countries don't want to take them let's make it thailand's problem.

So they flee a couple of thousand km in leaky boats to get involved in more violence? Is that logical? What makes the struggle for independence from Thailand so attractive to another racial group with a different language?

[FarangTalk]

by deporting them you mean put them in a boat with no food, water or oars then dragging them out 10km and leaving them there... isn't that what the Shinawatra family like to do with these kinds of people?

You seem to be mistaken, it's what Abhisit ordered done with them.

In January 2009 Thailand’s National Security Council, led by then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, authorized the navy to intercept incoming Rohingya boats and detain the passengers before pushing them back to sea. Later that year, Thai security forces were captured on video towing boats with Rohingya out to sea, which the government initially denied, but which Abhisit later conceded, saying, “I have some reason to believe some of this happened.” While the recent “help on” strategy has meant that intercepted boats are re-provisioned, the Thai navy is still pushing back to sea boats filled with Rohingya, with some deadly results.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/01/02/thailand-don-t-deport-rohingya-boat-people

[Thai at Heart]

I may get slack for this and I do not like yingluck on a personal level but I think there is some basis for the concern. If you read the other articles written by the author that are linked to this article you will see that there is some serious ethnic, racial and religious turmoil in myanmar. http://asiancorrespo...e-un-thinks-so/

Like its analogous to what was happening in the former Yugoslavia. There's already armed fighting with the rohingya in Burma and in another post I linked the Wikipedia article regarding terrorist links with the rohingya. I believe she may have a point for concern.

Thailand is not a signatory to the un treaty on refugees. It seems Hypocritical to me that the un nations are putting pressure on Thailand to take refugees that they themselves won't take. Fine, USA uk Australia Germany if humanitarianism is so important to you, then you take them. Because the un countries don't want to take them let's make it thailand's problem.

Coming up with reasons to not take immigrants, particularly moslem one's, by using the terrorism line, isn't particularly original. The logic of her statement becomes even more stupid, when it was only a year or so ago that the Thai and Cambodian armies got into armed conflict, but Thailand continues to import them by the truck load for labour.

Basically, no one, not even the muslem world really wants the Rohingya.

[submaniac]

There were over 850 rohingya discovered in the south. 667 men 30 women and about 160 minors. (Per previous tv article). Seems like a high proportion of men to woman if they are merely refugees.

Secondly why would they stay in thailand's southern provinces instead of moving to Malaysia which is a country that would accept them. That doesn't make sense to me to stay in southern Thailand.

And if you are asking me why they would we from one country to get into a conflict with another country (like Thailand) it seems to me because there is a Muslim majority in the southern provinces of Thailand and malaysia compared to Myanmar where they are a minority.

I mean, would you be okay if they started settling the rohingya in Australia? I mean its not just a country it's a continent. Plenty of space. If the answer is no then it's probably why he Thais don't want them either. I'm just saying.

Edited January 17, 2013 by submaniac

[Buchholz]

This has to be her own idea - nobody else could be that bloody stupid!

It wasn't her own Defense Minister's idea... as he expressed the exact opposite sentiments just yesterday.

.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Buchholz

[smutcakes]

Whilst she is wrong to probably openly say this, and people would hope that this would not happen, it is a fact of life that people who are rock bottom in all aspects of their life and truly desperate like these Rohingya are, then it is a possibility.

It would not go beyond the realms of possibility that these people would be fairly easily manipulated by organized gangs, should they be offered some level of assistance/future in the south of the country by the insurgents.

[Buchholz]

Fear mongering; using this as an excuse to justify deporting them.

Which is exactly what they were doing just last week with a different group of Rohingya...and what the government was reiterating were their plans with the current group just three days ago. But then with all the UN and other international attention focused that began over the past two days on the issue, that's when the fudging began.

.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Buchholz

[Kooweerup]

I am confused in another topic the P.M said she will provide care and try to help them. Another topic the government said it will work with the U.N on humanitarian issues for these people and then on this topic the government are saying they are a threat. Can't they collate all 3 stories together so it make more sense?

[submaniac]

You would think the stories are inconsistent. However This Is Thailand. (T.I.T)

[Bellweather]

Ouch!

Only yesterday a Yingluck worshiper and TVF member (no need to mention the members name) was "brought to tears" by her humanitarian sentiments.

pathetic, and this is the so called PM, but a quote worthy of any Thai poitician especialy her brother

[TheGhostWithin]

This is (as previously touched on by Smutcakes) economic desperation by impoverished people, whom are easily manipulated by sympathising "brothers and sisters" of Islam - terrorists throughout the Islamic wars against the rest of the world have used the poor and desperate as cheap cannon fodder, and this may very well take place here.

This is where the DSI should be involved with undercover surveillance, to track the movement of these people, and ensuring that local police or army checkpoints locate these people "by chance", and have them deported, or use their presence as an indication of final stages of planning an attack.

You let them in, you let them call themselves "refugees", not understanding that any immigrant taking things from locals, when they are less qualified and skilled than locals. You call them refugees, I like to think of this as immigration invasion and harassment of the population. China and India are also doing this very well around the world, it is not only the countries of Islam.

Everybody's belief systems and ways of life are at threat - smart countries with large populations no longer bomb countries, they just breed the locals out. The next step would likely see this sect, rejected by Burma, resident in Bangkok and providing a harder to detect platform for attacks closer than the red gumboot queen would like to call "home".

[Scott]

The Rohingya's are at very low risk of becoming a part of the insurgency, at least in the short term....if Thailand doesn't do anything to solve in a few generations, and the Rohingya's are still here, then they might be a risk.

The point for Thailand and these people is to understand they are persecuted minority. They should be accorded protection while in Thailand and they should not be returned unless there are guarantees for their safety that are agreed to by the UNHCR.

Thailand is under no obligation to resettle them, but it does have a responsibility to provide them with protection.

[Payboy]

Don't count of Bangladesh for anything, they've more then 17 million of their own in India.

[manarak]

There are more than 110.000 Rohingya in Thailand already.

Rohingya are a demographic and political threat, as most of them are fundamentalist Sunni.

It boggles the mind why they cannot find refuge with Indonesia or Malaysia which are muslim countries with together more than 250 million inhabitants.

[Buchholz]

From the OP Link:

The Prime Minister’s statement, apparently unsubstantiated, is a reckless one, based mainly on the hackneyed assumption that any disenfranchised Muslim is automatically a terrorist threat.

Deporting these ‘migrants’ could in fact amount to refoulement (international law-speak for returning a victim of persecution to a place of danger), which is illegal.

.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Buchholz

[simple1]

The current set of Rohingya refugees, according to Thai media were all in the process of being trafficked for low cost/slave labour into Malaysia. Again according to Thai media, a Thai politician is involved in the trade and they were secretly being held on his land until arrangements were made to smuggle them over the land border into Malaysia or as labourers on fishing boats. Allegedly they are sold for around 60k baht each. On the other side of the coin, according to media reports the Rohingya had paid the people smugglers, in expectation of getting entry to Indonesia and onto Australia, but had been duped.

For background info on the Rohingya extremists, small membership, go to http://en.wikipedia....n_Western_Burma

Whilst it sounds like a conspiracy story it does raise a red flag that Yingluck has raised the specter of potential terrorists, after a Thai politician has been exposed in involvement in the trade.

Edited January 17, 2013 by simple1

[Buchholz]

Rohingya demonstrators seek help from Thailand, international community

BANGKOK, Jan 17 – Four Rohingya ethnic people picketed at Thailand’s Foreign Ministry today, calling for humane treatment for their fellow countrymen and asking that Thailand not deport them to Myanmar.

The Rohingya demonstrators, claiming to represent their fellow ethnic people in Thailand, carried placards which read “Stop killing the Rohingya” and “Stop pushing out the Rohingya” using a loudspeaker, seeking justice for their community as stateless people.

They submitted a letter to the foreign minister urging the Thai government to not deport the Rohingya migrants who were arrested in the southern province of Songkhla, to Myanmar – their country of origin – for it would be tantamount to pushing them back to poverty and suffering.

They called on the Thai government to help search for Rohingya people missing in deep jungles or the high sea during their journeys to southern Thailand. They said they would also petition the British, US, Australian and Malaysian embassies in Bangkok.

Thai Navy Commander-in-Chief Surasak Roonrerngrom said those who intrude into the 24 nautical mile contiguous zone will be warned and ordered to leave, but given initial assistance and food.

Those penetrating the zone onto Thai soil must face legal action, but on a humanitarian basis as practiced by every country, he said, urging the international community to cooperate in solving the problem.

He said that favourable weather and smooth seas during this season in the Andaman Sea help facilitate the Rohingya ethnic people’s escape from Myanmar to a third country.

-- TNA 2013-01-17

[Bluespunk]

Narrow minded, religiously bigoted, intolerant crap. Just what I have come to expect every time her mouth opens. Prejudiced and xenophobic view of the world clearly on display here. The rohingya are fleeing violence not importing it.

[Rancid]

Seems quite a few quite here keen on Muslim Immigration, so have you been lobbying your home governments to increase Muslim Immigration and non-integration there?

[Pimay1]

Narrow minded, religiously bigoted, intolerant crap. Just what I have come to expect every time her mouth opens. Prejudiced and xenophobic view of the world clearly on display here. The rohingya are fleeing violence not importing it.

Muslims settling in a foreign land normally never import violence at first.

[Mudcrab]

The current set of Rohingya refugees, according to Thai media were all in the process of being trafficked for low cost/slave labour into Malaysia. Again according to Thai media, a Thai politician is involved in the trade and they were secretly being held on his land until arrangements were made to smuggle them over the land border into Malaysia or as labourers on fishing boats. Allegedly they are sold for around 60k baht each. On the other side of the coin, according to media reports the Rohingya had paid the people smugglers, in expectation of getting entry to Indonesia and onto Australia, but had been duped.

For background info on the Rohingya extremists, small membership, go to http://en.wikipedia....n_Western_Burma

Whilst it sounds like a conspiracy story it does raise a red flag that Yingluck has raised the specter of potential terrorists, after a Thai politician has been exposed in involvement in the trade.

The Wikipedia article is very disturbing

[Mudcrab]

Narrow minded, religiously bigoted, intolerant crap. Just what I have come to expect every time her mouth opens. Prejudiced and xenophobic view of the world clearly on display here. The rohingya are fleeing violence not importing it.

Muslims settling in a foreign land normally never import violence at first.

No they preach the religion of peace. Until they reach a crtictical mass.

[Bluespunk]

Narrow minded, religiously bigoted, intolerant crap. Just what I have come to expect every time her mouth opens. Prejudiced and xenophobic view of the world clearly on display here. The rohingya are fleeing violence not importing it.

Muslims settling in a foreign land normally never import violence at first.

No, generally it happens after decades of the type of narrowed minded prejudicial treatment that yingluck represents. If you treat people like the enemy within then a minority will turn to violence. These scum are found everywhere. The vast majority of Muslims do not take this path. The propensity for violence is a trait to be found in all religions, not just Islam. It is not a feature of Islam but a misguided, stupid and contemptible reaction to discrimination.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Bluespunk