' Rohingya Are Illegals, But Will Be Treated Humanely'

[Lite Beer]

'Rohingya are illegals, but will be treated humanely'

The Nation on Sunday

The Rohingya who recently arrived from Myanmar were smuggled into the country, so they must be prosecuted under Thai law for illegal entry, Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday. He added, however, that legal procedures could be flexibly applied, especially in regard to women and children.

Speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on her weekly TV show yesterday, Surapong, who is foreign minister, said the detention of Rohingya in Songkhla last week was a matter for the National Security Council (NSC). The migrants had entered Thailand illegally and would be dealt with according to Thai law.

As a short-term solution, agencies had provided temporary shelter and care for the Rohingya. In the long term, Thailand would consult with international organisations including the International Organisation for Migration, the International Com-mittee of the Red Cross, the UNHCR and Unicef on what could be done. He said Yingluck had urged officials to take care of the Rohingya according to humanitarian principles as they had suffered a great deal, hence there would be no immediate repatriation.

Surapong said the permanent secretary for foreign affairs and the NSC chief would discuss ways of working with international agencies on providing shelter for the Rohingya, while Thailand would monitor and seek to eradicate human-trafficking crimes involving the group. Surapong also thanked the Muslim community in Songkhla, where over 800 Rohingya were detained last week, for their donations and other offers of assistance.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalya-sut urged the government to talk to Myanmar and Bangladesh and encourage them to accept the Rohingya in their countries as citizens. Among the Rohingya who had been detained for illegal entry, those looking for work in Thailand as unskilled labourers should be separated out and held in a designated zone, while officials intensified efforts to prevent the Rohingya from enter the Kingdom illegally, the spokesman said. Lastly, the government should contact international agencies to find a third country to take the Rohingya, he said, warning that Thailand should proceed speedily but carefully, otherwise many more Rohingya will try to come before third countries can be found to take them.

In Hat Yai, officials and volunteers searched for at least eight Rohingya thought to be in the Kaew Mountain Range, after authorities urged locals not to harm them following reports a Rohingya man was shot dead last month after being mistaken for a thief.

Ranong Islamic Committee president Surachet Prasongpol yesterday gave food and donated items to 22 Rohingya men who were detained along with 64 others on January 17 off Phang Nga's Takua Pa and have since been moved to an immigration centre in Ranong. Members of the Ranong fishing community, however, voiced fear desperate Rohingya would attack locals to obtain food and supplies, and had set up volunteer security teams to patrol on land and at sea.

Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 officer Maj-General Manas Khongpaen said 2,817 Rohingya migrants were detained for illegal entry from October to December last year and warned that more would come this year, as violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state continued. He said Thailand would stop Rohingya from entering Thailand illegally using Standard Operating Procedures and according to humanitarian principles.

NSC secretary-general Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanathabutr said the government affirmed a status of the Rohingya captured in Songkhla as illegal entries, not refugees, hence the Kingdom could not set up a camp for them.

"Even if the country of origin had fighting or human rights violation, the Rohingyas' home province doesn't border with Thailand so support for the Rohingya here doesn't mean war refugee status."

He also commented that a gang's detention of the Rohingya pending transport to Malaysia may not be human trafficking, but illegal detention and harboring of aliens.

He said the Rohingya were economic workers kept in Thailand pending transport to the destination country.

"We've to be careful about this issue because giving too much aid might be a signal for the remaining Rohingya to travel to Thailand, leading to endless problems," he said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-20

[Lite Beer]

More vessels on the way, Rohingya tell Thai officials

Jim Pollard

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Thai officials will go to an island off Phang Nga today after another boatload of Rohingya refugees - thought to be the fourth over the past week or so - was found there late yesterday. Officials said the refugees were hiding in jungle on the unnamed island and it was too dark to try to round them up last night.

The arrival of two more vessels - one on the island, and another towed ashore near Khura Buri on Friday means about 1,000 Rohingya have landed on Thailand's Andaman coast or been captured in Sadao, further south, this month.

Meanwhile, five more vessels are allegedly at sea and heading this way, according to refugees on the "third" vessel, who came ashore on Friday.

Some 114 people were on "third" boat that arrived in Phang Nga province on Friday, about 100km south of Ranong. These refugees, aged from 60 to a one-year-old baby, were said to be in a very weak condition as they had run out of food and water, despite having stopped and collected water on an island on their 13-day journey south.

A translator working for Al Jazeera said the Rohingya on the "third" boat told provincial officials they were on one of eight boats that left Sittwe together. Only three of these had arrived in Thailand to date. The eight boats drifted apart over the past two weeks and the location of the other five is unknown.

Sittwe is a port in Arakan State (also known as Rakhine State) in western Myanmar close to sites where ethnic violence caused more than 100 deaths and forced tens of thousands of people - mostly Muslims - to flee their homes in June and then again just a few months ago.

District officials were overseeing aid for the "third" boatload at the district hall in Khura Buri yesterday. Medics and local Muslims were helping to give out medicine, food and blankets. Many people on this boat were sick, none were said to have died during the trip.

Four teenage boys who had been on the "third" vessel but hid from Thai authorities on an island off the coast before it was towed to the mainland, wandered into the camp yesterday to join their friends after getting a lift to the mainland on another boat.

All up some 114 on the "third" vessel had been charged by police for illegal entry into Thailand.

Meanwhile, about 550 were found in raids in Sadao, further south, and 135 arrived on two vessels that arrived last week.

Officials in Khura Buri said they were waiting to hear from top authorities in Bangkok on what to do with the latest arrivals.

Many of the Rohingya survivors have been stuck in refugee camps not far from Sittwe living in bleak conditions and facing an uncertain future, given that Nay Pyi Taw has refused to recognise them as citizens, and asked United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres in June to resettle them.

The Myanmar government calls the Rohingya "Bengalis" and insists they arrived in their country in recent times, despite evidence by academics that this ethnic group has lived in the Rakhine area for several centuries.

-- The Nation 2013-01-20

[dcutman]

He also commented that a gang's detention of the Rohingya pending transport to Malaysia may not be human trafficking, but illegal detention and harboring of aliens.

He said the Rohingya were economic workers kept in Thailand pending transport to the destination country.

Now that military officers and soldiers have been implicated in the trafficking of these people and have been doing so for many years (article in the other paper), putting lipstick on this pig is not going to make it any more attractive.

[chooka]

Boat people, starting to feel a lot more like Australia. Thailand could solve this problem if they take a leaf out of Indoneasia's book. Leave them in the boats 50 metres offshore, call Australian Naval Command and tell them there is a boatload of refugees in distress off the Thailand coast and it would be quicker to send an Australian naval vessel from Darwin than Thailand. Australia resues them and they become Australia's problem, Thailand collects the foreign aid from Australia to look after them. Just like selling rice.

[noitom]

Is this newspaper a joke or what? The other newspaper has already broken the story that high level army ISOC officers have already been busted on trafficking Rohingya. The authorities are now on the hunt for a rubber plantation owner who is the key conspirator with the army officer. News reports stated that riff among the army officers caused the breakdown in the syndicate and someone "reported" the plantation owner.

So now we will see how the news follows up and reports on the Rohingya victims plight as well as the army arrests and convictions. Is this The Nation newspaper for real? What will it report now on the Rohingya issue?

[Locationthailand]

The Nation keeps regurgitating old news. Gutter journalism at its best when their editors have nothing better to add.

[DocN]

So nice to read, that they will be "treated humanely"!

[submaniac]

Boat people, starting to feel a lot more like Australia. Thailand could solve this problem if they take a leaf out of Indoneasia's book. Leave them in the boats 50 metres offshore, call Australian Naval Command and tell them there is a boatload of refugees in distress off the Thailand coast and it would be quicker to send an Australian naval vessel from Darwin than Thailand. Australia resues them and they become Australia's problem, Thailand collects the foreign aid from Australia to look after them. Just like selling rice.

That actually sounds like a good business plan. Probably could make more money off assistance for taking care of them from the Australian government than the slave labor on a rubber plantation.

...however, I still like my idea of putting them on a U.S. aircraft carrier bound towards Australia or UK.... I mean doesn't necessarily have to be Australia or UK...perhaps there are other, less liked, members of the commonwealth we could pawn them off on send them onto freedom towards.

[ChrisY1]

Could it be that the other paper should have asked first, before puting into print about military personnel' involvement in human trafficking..they may recieve a visit shortly.

[bigbamboo]

That's nice.

No one way boat ticket back to Burma then.

[AnOfficialSource]

So nice to read, that they will be "treated humanely"!

All this morning BBC World TV has been carrying a report of an investigation they carried out and they claim the military, police and officialdom have been "selling" the Rohinga to Malaysian human traffickers and one batch supposedly fetched B1.5 million. The Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry was suitably defensive - "serious charges, govt will do everything to identify those involved" etc. If this was not an international story it would be quietly binned

[InActionMan]

So nice to read, that they will be "treated humanely"!

All this morning BBC World TV has been carrying a report of an investigation they carried out and they claim the military, police and officialdom have been "selling" the Rohinga to Malaysian human traffickers and one batch supposedly fetched B1.5 million. The Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry was suitably defensive - "serious charges, govt will do everything to identify those involved" etc. If this was not an international story it would be quietly binned

The govt claims to already be investigating claims that military personnel from Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) are involved but what's the bet there will be "insufficient evidence" to identify anyone or even confirm the wrongdoing actually happened. It wouldn't be the first time

[Bellweather]

So nice to read, that they will be "treated humanely"!

All this morning BBC World TV has been carrying a report of an investigation they carried out and they claim the military, police and officialdom have been "selling" the Rohinga to Malaysian human traffickers and one batch supposedly fetched B1.5 million. The Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry was suitably defensive - "serious charges, govt will do everything to identify those involved" etc. If this was not an international story it would be quietly binned

This report has been upgrade from a new item to the main item and the story is being expanded. Watch the govt run for cover especially after some of the stupid comments that have been made starting with the PM being afraid they might join the southern insurgency

[howzat]

Yes now the first main news item on BBC so the world is watching. We are used to high voltage rhetoric from Thai officialism but when the dust settles its back to "as you were" in the same way the intended prosecution of the spoilt rich kid brat and Red Bull heir has disappeared into a void of uncanny silence.

[hellodolly]

Yes now the first main news item on BBC so the world is watching. We are used to high voltage rhetoric from Thai officialism but when the dust settles its back to "as you were" in the same way the intended prosecution of the spoilt rich kid brat and Red Bull heir has disappeared into a void of uncanny silence.

I think a possible result from this could be some people being transferred to other positions.

[hellodolly]

So nice to read, that they will be "treated humanely"!

Took a long time and a lot of international attention to get that out of them.

Some how them saying it does not make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

[A Member]

Yes now the first main news item on BBC so the world is watching. We are used to high voltage rhetoric from Thai officialism but when the dust settles its back to "as you were" in the same way the intended prosecution of the spoilt rich kid brat and Red Bull heir has disappeared into a void of uncanny silence.

I think a possible result from this could be some people being transferred to other positions.

The infamous "inactive post" where they get paid for doing less than usual but lose out on the fiddle money

[ggold]

I can see the government are getting on top of the Trafficking, no doubt another hub in the making! Obviously aiming for number 1 slot on the list of nations involved in human trafficking.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.

[Gary A]

It makes me wonder why no one wants these people. Normally, where there's smoke there's fire.

[sunshine51]

'Rohingya are illegals, but will be treated humanely'

The Nation on Sunday

This is a load of bull. The only thing treated "humanely" is the $50K USD sent up from

Malaysia into the pockets of the Thai "authorities" .Paid by a Malaysian human trafficker so

he/she could reap huge benefits on the next sale. Not only is The Nation failing miserably

so are the so-called Thai Authorities....simply shameful.

Here's the link to the BBC's video report that's stirring up the stew pot....

http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-21106819

[Buchholz]

Rohingya Are Illegals, But Will Be Treated Humanely

That appears to now mean they will be turned back to sea to fend for themselves.

Yesterday, a boat jammed with 140 Rohingya was encountered in Thailand's territorial waters, off the coast of Ranong province.

They were provided with food and water, refused entry to land, and turned back out to sea.

Details in the other paper.

.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Buchholz

[hellodolly]

Rohingya Are Illegals, But Will Be Treated Humanely

That appears to now mean they will be turned back to sea to fend for themselves.

Yesterday, a boat jammed with 140 Rohingya was encountered in Thailand's territorial waters, off the coast of Ranong province.

They were provided with food and water, refused entry to land, and turned back out to sea.

Details in the other paper.

.

Sounds OK to me if they also were provided with enough fuel to reach shore in Malaysia.

It sounds hard but it is a chance for them to let them land in Thailand and go through a repatriation is not really humane treatment.

[Credo]

I think the Thais are putting a lot of things in jeopardy, including the lives the people. They have already been pretty much nailed for trafficking the Rohingya's, now it appears that if they cannot sell them, then they will not treat them humanely.

Although Thailand is not a signatory to the UN Conventions on the Rights of Refugees, there are also international maritime conventions about what is permissible when encountering people in distress on the open seas.

They are following neither the letter nor the spirit of the regulations.

[Buchholz]

Sounds OK to me if they also were provided with enough fuel to reach shore in Malaysia.

It sounds hard but it is a chance for them to let them land in Thailand and go through a repatriation is not really humane treatment.

Bon Voyage and Good Luck to you all...

Matichon - Jan. 30, 2013

.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Buchholz

[ratcatcher]

'Rohingya are illegals, but will be treated humanely'

The Nation on Sunday

This is a load of bull. The only thing treated "humanely" is the $50K USD sent up from

Malaysia into the pockets of the Thai "authorities" .Paid by a Malaysian human trafficker so

he/she could reap huge benefits on the next sale. Not only is The Nation failing miserably

so are the so-called Thai Authorities....simply shameful.

Here's the link to the BBC's video report that's stirring up the stew pot....

http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-21106819

I'm sure most people remember these folks referred to as "boat people". Long ago, not so far away.

[Buchholz]

I'm sure most people remember these folks referred to as "boat people". Long ago, not so far away.

Precious little has changed between May 15, 1984 and January 30, 2013

[sunshine51]

I'm sure most people remember these folks referred to as "boat people". Long ago, not so far away.

Precious little has changed between May 15, 1984 and January 30, 2013

Yes...sad and not forgotten...just about the same situations too....the dates have

just been changed...and still...nobody get's protected.

Edited January 30, 2013 by sunshine51

[dcutman]

I am actually surprised the Thai Navy and coastal police have not figured out, that if you push them out to sea, it would appear as if they are escaping from Thai shores instead of sailing towards them.