ROHINGYA MIGRANTS

Narathiwat governor orders trafficking probe

Supitcha Rattana,

Piyanuch Thamnukasetchai

The Nation

Seeks to 'clear air' over reports hundreds smuggled into province for work

NARATHIWAT: -- Narathitwat Governor Apinan Seutananuwong has ordered a probe into reports that more than 700 Rohingya have been smuggled into the southern province after crossing the border from Myanmar.

"I don't know how the reports have come out. But to clear the air, I have told relevant officials to investigate," he said yesterday.

Apinan said he had not heard that hundreds of illegal Rohingya migrants were in his province until media featured the reports.

"We will probe deeply into the matter," he said.

If the reports are confirmed, the number of Rohingya found illegally entering Thailand this month could soar past 2,000.

As of Wednesday, official statistics showed at least 1,381 Rohingya were being detained in various spots by officials for illegal entry. All of them were believed to have just arrived in Thailand.

Described by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, the Muslim Rohingya have been denied citizenship and face ongoing persecution in their native Myanmar. Several of the latest arrivals to Thailand have reported suffering severe discrimination and brutality in their homeland.

The Fourth Army Area has launched a probe into an allegation that the Rohingya are being trafficked into Thailand with the help of Thai soldiers.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) had so far found no evidence of trafficking, DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said yesterday.

"At this point, we can't conclude that these cases are about human trafficking," Tarit said.

He said available information to date had shown that the Rohingya had illegally entered Thailand in search of work.

"There's no sign they were duped or physically mistreated," he said.

Tarit said the DSI would take over cases related to the Rohingya if further evidence suggested that they were victims of human trafficking.

He assigned DSI deputy chief Yanaphon Youngyuen to attend a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Ministry about the Rohingya today.

In a related development, a Songkhla man surrendered himself to police yesterday to face charges of sheltering and detaining illegal migrants. Saroj Kaewmaneechote had been sought by police after they found a group of Rohingya at his home in Songkhla's border district of Sadao earlier this month.

Montae sae Lor, a 58-year-old Thai, and Dorlohmae, a 55-year-old Myanmarese, were arrested and charged with supervising the Rohingya for Saroj.

"We have found that agents for illegal migrant workers have had Malaysian accomplices too," said Songkhla's deputy police chief Colonel Krissakorn Pleethanyawong.

Also yesterday, officials from organisations including the Sheikhul Islam Office, the Songkhla Islamic Committee and the International Committee of the Red Cross yesterday met and agreed to set up a co-ordination committee to facilitate the flow of assistance to the Rohingya in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2013-01-25

The good news is the Naratiwat governor is opening an investigation. The bad news is Tarit will then take over and close it.

In the other English language newspaper they are saying DSI are treating then as illegal entrants to Thailand & intend to deport them back to Burma. This proposed action is in contravention to UNHCR policy, whilst at the same time Thailand is asking for assistance from UNHCR. From the various newspaper reports it appears with the Thai government agencies the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

Edited January 25, 201313 yr by simple1

In the other English language newspaper they are saying DSI are treating then as illegal entrants to Thailand & intend to deport them back to Burma. This proposed action is in contravention to UNHCR policy, whilst at the same time Thailand is asking for assistance from UNHCR. From the various newspaper reports it appears with the Thai government agencies the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

As Churchill used to say....... "If you can't convince, confuse".

You have to have sympathy for these displaced people. But as to who and what is controlling the trafficking is gradually being swept under the carpet (as always) by introducing 'experts', investigations and buck passing. Under international law, displaced persons or those being abused or whose lives are threatened have the right to seek political asylum in any country. That has not been mentioned to my knowledge so far. Thailand happens to be the closest but they all head south the their Muslim counterparts so there is certainly 'local influence' as it would be far easier and less dangerous to simply hop into say Ranong.

Edited January 25, 201313 yr by Locationthailand

Thais are scurrying about covering up now. First they say the Thai navy and the army conspired to intercept them and then sold/trafficked them forward to a plantation owner who was named and on the run. Now there is no evidence of that. The "evidence" is on the run too. Boy oh boy, those Thais, they are always covering up their tracks. They are really very good at coverup. Cover up is essential to the Thai state of mind. Biy oh boy those Thais! They sure can fool us.

The good news is the Naratiwat governor is opening an investigation. The bad news is Tarit will then take over and close it.

Thai officialdom at cross purposes again as the DSI has said they have discovered people smuggling but no trafficking so can a governor override a national government department ? I'm sure anyone involved in trafficking will welcome as many investigations as possible since "too many cooks etc" as it's difficult enough to get one department to do a proper job especially if they have been briefed in advance what their findings will e