Thailand says no third country wants Rohingya

BANGKOK, June 04, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand said Tuesday that it was unable to find any other country willing to accept about 2,000 Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar who have been detained for several months.

"There is no third country ready to take them," foreign ministry spokesman Manasvi Srisodapol told AFP. "They are worried that if they receive one group, tens or hundreds of thousands of others will follow."

Many of the asylum-seekers have been locked up in crowded detention centres in Thailand for several months, prompting rights groups to call for their release.

Manasvi said the government was aware of the crowded conditions in the centres.

"Thai government agencies are currently discussing ways and solutions to improve their conditions," he added.

Since Buddhist-Muslim tensions exploded a year ago in the state of Rakhine in western Myanmar, thousands of Muslim Rohingya boat people -- including women and children -- have joined an exodus from the former junta-ruled country.

Those who arrived in neighbouring Thailand have been "helped on" by the Thai navy towards Malaysia -- their destination of choice -- or detained as illegal immigrants.

Thailand initially said the asylum-seekers would be allowed to stay for six months while the government worked with the UN refugee agency UNHCR to try to find other countries willing to accept them.

Manasvi suggested they might stay longer, describing the timeframe as "hypothetical".

UNHCR spokeswoman Vivian Tan said the ideal situation would be for peace to return to Rakhine so that the refugees could return home, but admitted that was unlikely to happen soon.

She said the crowded conditions at the Thai detention centres were not ideal but authorities were "trying their best to cope with this influx of people".

Rights groups have voiced concern that the Rohingya men have been separated from their wives and children -- who are held in separate community shelters -- and are not allowed to go outside unless they require hospital treatment.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-06-04

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

Thailand has a labour shortage... get them working at the minimum wage on the infrastructure programs... sorted.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

No No Doc, didn't you see they have been "helped on" by the Thai navy.

their destination of choice

They mean Thailand's choice on their behalf, I guess.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

See...that may be the point.

Thailand is part of the world community...yeeeees, even as the center of the universe, you are!

So they are here and I guess (I am not sure) Thailand has signed to refugee treaties.

As long as there is no better way, takes some money, give them some place to stay and regulate the stay.

In Phang Nga they are living under worse conditions than anyone would have chicken on a farm!

This is not about some "cattle", these are human beings.

And I don't care, who helps them,but as humans, we are defined by the way we treat the weakest and poorest and the ones that need our help.

So Thailand has to help- supported by the international community!

Sure it would be a great idea, to ship some Asian muslim to central Europe and have them stay there!

...or what is your solution?

Put them out of their misery with...???

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

See...that may be the point.

Thailand is part of the world community...yeeeees, even as the center of the universe, you are!

So they are here and I guess (I am not sure) Thailand has signed to refugee treaties.

As long as there is no better way, takes some money, give them some place to stay and regulate the stay.

In Phang Nga they are living under worse conditions than anyone would have chicken on a farm!

This is not about some "cattle", these are human beings.

And I don't care, who helps them,but as humans, we are defined by the way we treat the weakest and poorest and the ones that need our help.

So Thailand has to help- supported by the international community!

Sure it would be a great idea, to ship some Asian muslim to central Europe and have them stay there!

...or what is your solution?

Put them out of their misery with...???

Thailand is not a signatory to the UN Conventions for refugees, nor stateless people. So I imagine it would make it very difficult for UNHCR to follow internationally recognised processes & find countries to accept these people.

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e489646.html

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

See...that may be the point.

Thailand is part of the world community...yeeeees, even as the center of the universe, you are!

So they are here and I guess (I am not sure) Thailand has signed to refugee treaties.

As long as there is no better way, takes some money, give them some place to stay and regulate the stay.

In Phang Nga they are living under worse conditions than anyone would have chicken on a farm!

This is not about some "cattle", these are human beings.

And I don't care, who helps them,but as humans, we are defined by the way we treat the weakest and poorest and the ones that need our help.

So Thailand has to help- supported by the international community!

Sure it would be a great idea, to ship some Asian muslim to central Europe and have them stay there!

...or what is your solution?

Put them out of their misery with...???

Thailand is not a signatory to the UN Conventions for refugees, nor stateless people. So I imagine it would make it very difficult for UNHCR to follow internationally recognised processes & find countries to accept these people.

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e489646.html

Didnt know that. Tragic!

...that being said: there has to be a "humane" solution for this...and fast!

typical racist response from this bigoted bunch of political morons.

Here's an idea; Iran instead of funding weapons purchases for Hamas in Lebanon could take some of the money and donate it to the NGOs caring for these refugees. Better yet, Iran wants to improve relations with Thailand, what better way to do that then to help with the Rohingya care? Same for Russia. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, instead of funding some questionable groups could send a few million $$ Thailand's way. How about Pakistan offering some help?

Why don't the mosques in the EU start raising money for the refugees? Surely they have some compassion. If Christian churches and Jewish temples were able to raise millions for the Darfur refugees, on the basis of compassion, why can't the muslim community do the same for their bretheren?

Yes, Thailand has a moral obligation to provide some basic care for these refugees, but these are in large part economic migrants. It is a regional problem and both India and China should be doing something, but they are not. instead, Thaialnd gets lambasted. is it Thailand's fault for being the only beacon of hope in the region? How can people expect a country that cannot even provide basic health care to its own poor and where there is still child malnutrition to shoulder the responsibility for a group of people that have a culture and belief system that considers Buddhists to be infidels?

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

Thailand is not a signatory to the UN Conventions for refugees, nor stateless people. So I imagine it would make it very difficult for UNHCR to follow internationally recognised processes & find countries to accept these people.

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e489646.html

Didnt know that. Tragic!

It is tragic. Why can't Thailand just accept them? I would think the Rohingyas would be better able to settle in Thailand and adapt to the culture than in a culturally, geographically and climatically unfamiliar European country like Sweden, which is bursting at the seams with refugees. After all, the Rohingyas come from a neighboring country, and are little more than 900-1000km away from Bangkok.

Thailand can just resettle them in it's restive Muslim south. The people there are of the same religion and would surely welcome them. Can't really see a problem with that.

I'm sure the UK will take them if asked.

Time to make merit Thailand and show the world that the traditional Thai hospitality we hear so much about doesn't just extend to the welcome area of tourist hotels.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

See...that may be the point.

Thailand is part of the world community...yeeeees, even as the center of the universe, you are!

So they are here and I guess (I am not sure) Thailand has signed to refugee treaties.

As long as there is no better way, takes some money, give them some place to stay and regulate the stay.

In Phang Nga they are living under worse conditions than anyone would have chicken on a farm!

This is not about some "cattle", these are human beings.

And I don't care, who helps them,but as humans, we are defined by the way we treat the weakest and poorest and the ones that need our help.

So Thailand has to help- supported by the international community!

Sure it would be a great idea, to ship some Asian muslim to central Europe and have them stay there!

...or what is your solution?

Put them out of their misery with...???

I honestly can't understand why the European countries are not accepting them. It is not like they are rif raf looking for a government to support them they are people who have always worked and would be a far better choice of immigrants than the ones they are taking in now who only wish to change every one to be just like them while a high percentage of them live off of state welfare from a government they are trying to change some times with bombs.

Rant over

Time to make merit Thailand and show the world that the traditional Thai hospitality we hear so much about doesn't just extend to the welcome area of tourist hotels.

You might want to take a trip to Mai Sot and MyHongSon. Thailand is all ready doing more than there share. The one camp I was in the largest had 50,000 refuges in it. I have seen many homes just like theirs outside of the refuge camps being lived in by Thais.

That does not mean they are nice but they are taken carer of.

Time to make merit Thailand and show the world that the traditional Thai hospitality we hear so much about doesn't just extend to the welcome area of tourist hotels.

You might want to take a trip to Mai Sot and MyHongSon. Thailand is all ready doing more than there share. The one camp I was in the largest had 50,000 refuges in it. I have seen many homes just like theirs outside of the refuge camps being lived in by Thais.

That does not mean they are nice but they are taken carer of.

I was referring to hospitality not detention.

The Rohingya's would most definitely fit the category of a true political refugee. They are considered to be one of the most persecuted groups of people on earth. In Myanmar they are deprived of numerous basic rights, including the freedom of movement, citizenship and identification papers, not to mention restrictions on owning property.

Where this story breaks down, and where it may not be correct, is that if Thailand has not allowed the UNHCR to screen these people for refugee status, then a mechanism to resettle them would not be available. Once they are screened and determined to be a refugee, then they are presented to countries for resettlement.

The statement "unable to find any other country willing to accept about 2,000 Rohingya refugees" may not be accurate. Most resettlement countries will only resettle those given refugee status by the UN. So without refugee status, they can't be presented to countries for resettlement.

Why aren't the some of the Islamic country's helping these people?

As they are Muslims, surely their Muslim brothers in the UAE will welcome them with open arms?

As they are Muslims, surely their Muslim brothers in the UAE will welcome them with open arms?

It's odd that. They will take in a rich Buddhist who can return to his homeland but not a poor Muslim who can't..

Bloody Hell! Countries around the world including impoverished African nations are forced to cope with unwanted refugees who burden their infrastructure. Can the now SUV driving Thais not provide a home for at least a few? By 'A Home,' I do not mean some xxxxxx camp...

Here's an idea; Iran instead of funding weapons purchases for Hamas in Lebanon could take some of the money and donate it to the NGOs caring for these refugees. Better yet, Iran wants to improve relations with Thailand, what better way to do that then to help with the Rohingya care? Same for Russia. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, instead of funding some questionable groups could send a few million $$ Thailand's way. How about Pakistan offering some help?

Why don't the mosques in the EU start raising money for the refugees? Surely they have some compassion. If Christian churches and Jewish temples were able to raise millions for the Darfur refugees, on the basis of compassion, why can't the muslim community do the same for their bretheren?

Yes, Thailand has a moral obligation to provide some basic care for these refugees, but these are in large part economic migrants. It is a regional problem and both India and China should be doing something, but they are not. instead, Thaialnd gets lambasted. is it Thailand's fault for being the only beacon of hope in the region? How can people expect a country that cannot even provide basic health care to its own poor and where there is still child malnutrition to shoulder the responsibility for a group of people that have a culture and belief system that considers Buddhists to be infidels?

If Thailand is the only beacon of hope why are so many of them trying to get to Malaysia? Actually they are not economic refuges. If you will reread the article you will have a better understanding of the problem Here for example

"Since Buddhist-Muslim tensions exploded a year ago in the state of

Rakhine in western Myanmar, thousands of Muslim Rohingya boat people --

including women and children -- have joined an exodus from the former

junta-ruled country."

With all the refuges in Northern Thailand do you not find it strange that the Rohingya refugees (Muslims)are heading for Malaysia or the deep south of Thailand.

This news item on the Rohingya refugees in Thailand was broadcast on Channel 4 last Friday evening.

Not a good situation for either the Rohingya or the Thais. What are the Thais supposed to do? Let them go? All the while the poor sods are going crazy locked up in such conditions. They look nourished enough, but the incarceration must be torture.

Very sad and I don't possess the solution.

http://www.channel4.com/news/rohingya-kept-crammed-into-filthy-cages-in-Thailand

Thais typically don't help non-Thai human beings.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

Only after they push them out far enough and take their engine.

So?

What now, Thailand?

Back on the boat...push them out?

How about your home country? Willing to take them? I didn't think so.

See...that may be the point.

Thailand is part of the world community...yeeeees, even as the center of the universe, you are!

So they are here and I guess (I am not sure) Thailand has signed to refugee treaties.

As long as there is no better way, takes some money, give them some place to stay and regulate the stay.

In Phang Nga they are living under worse conditions than anyone would have chicken on a farm!

This is not about some "cattle", these are human beings.

And I don't care, who helps them,but as humans, we are defined by the way we treat the weakest and poorest and the ones that need our help.

So Thailand has to help- supported by the international community!

Sure it would be a great idea, to ship some Asian muslim to central Europe and have them stay there!

...or what is your solution?

Put them out of their misery with...???

I honestly can't understand why the European countries are not accepting them. It is not like they are rif raf looking for a government to support them they are people who have always worked and would be a far better choice of immigrants than the ones they are taking in now who only wish to change every one to be just like them while a high percentage of them live off of state welfare from a government they are trying to change some times with bombs.

Rant over

These are unskilled and uneducated people. They would require decades if not generations of care. It is more effective and realistic for westerners to provide assistance to the people where are they are currently located. However, your suggestion that these people be given jobs in other countries should be directed to the Gulf States and Saudi Arabia. These countries hire on hundreds of thousands foreign workers. it would be a good fit, since they are muslim. They could eat halal food and pray as they wish. In any case, why do you want western countries to take them in? Why are you not asking the muslim world to take them? Surely, with the shortage of labour in some arab countries and with all of the money in that region, there is a place. Better yet, Pakistan and Iran should take leadership on the issue. They can show the world some of their kindness and compassion they keep demanding from others.

Why aren't the some of the Islamic country's helping these people?

Good question. There are a number of challenges, many of the Islamic countries already have millions of refugees e.g. Pakistan approx 2 million, one million in Iran, Jordon 500k & so on. Indonesia? Estimated 2 million Indonesian illegal workers in Malaysia, so self explanatory

The added complication is that the Rohingya are stateless as the Myanmar regime rescinded their citizenship about thirty years ago, so no internationally accepted ID.

EDIT: Refugees processed and accepted by UNHCR, have to wait in for up to ten years to be placed into recipient countries.

While the Rohingya are undoubtedly being politically persecuted in Burma, it is a bit disingenuous to deny that they are economic migrants. About 90% of them are young men, if they are actually fleeing from violence, where are the women, children and elderly? Are they being left to face the Burmese bullets alone?

The other reason that Thais (and others) are reluctant to accept them is that if this 2000 was welcomed, another 200,000 would be right behind them. The Thai government is worried about the future impact of these migrants. In twenty years, the children of these migrants could very well become a disaffected, disenfranchised generation, ready to be recruited by the southern Muslim militants.