Washington Post condemns Thai treatment of Rohingya

[webfact]

Top US Paper Condemns Thai Treatment of Rohingya
By Khaosod English


A Rohingya refugee is escorted by police officers at a detention centre in Phan Nga province on 8 August, 2013.

BANGKOK — A leading U.S. newspaper has published an editorial harshly criticizing Thailand’s role in the human trafficking of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims.

The Washington Post editorial, titled “How Thailand is contributing to the misery of Burma’s persecuted Rohingya,” slammed the Thai Royal Navy for pursuing lawsuits against journalists that have reported on the flight of Rohingya people.

“Instead of seeking to rectify the situation, the Royal Navy has denied mistreating the refugees and decided to intimidate the messenger,” the editorial reads.

In December, the Royal Thai Navy charged two Phuketwan journalists of criminal defamation and breach of the Computer Crimes Act for publishing an excerpt of a Reuters report that alleged the navy’s involvement with the trafficking of Rohingya.

A similar complaint was also lodged against Reuters this month.

If convicted, both the Phuketwan and Reuters journalists could face up to seven years in prison.

Every year, thousands of Muslim Rohingya attempt to escape religious and ethnic persecution in Myanmar and travel by boat to perceived safe havens, such as the Muslim-majority country of Malaysia.

Boats carrying Rohingya refugees are intercepted in Thai waters, where they are either detained and sent back to Myanmar, or sold into the hands of human traffickers.

The Washington Post editorial board condemned the navy’s effort to silence reporting on the fate of Rohingya refugees, a move that can only worsen the already tragic lives of what the U.N. has referred to as "one of the world's most persecuted peoples.”

The Washington Post editorial concludes:

This is a sad case of Thailand’s navy attempting to extinguish reporting rather than the misery that the reporting exposed. It is wrong to punish the journalists. But this misguided attempt at coercion is doubly wrong because it attempts to hide the shameful treatment of a people, the Rohingya, who are already suffering far too much.

In April, the Reuters investigation into the plight of Rohingya people won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting.

Last month, U.S. lawmakers cited the Reuters report when they called on President Obama to downgrade Thailand for doing too little to fight human-trafficking and protect Rohingya refugees.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1400230624

-- Khaosod English 2014-05-16

[millwall_fan]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

[poohy]

Sounds like Admiral Somchai will have to borrow some of Chalerms paratroopers to arrest these pesky journalists!

[rreddin]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

The more pertinent question is: why is Thailand is in denial over this?

[greg71]

Will a defamation suite be brought against the washington post ?

[Payboy]

The only way to counter that is to flood the US with copies of the Nation.

Show them what real reporting looks like.

Edited May 16, 2014 by Payboy

[Thai at Heart]

Sue away, Please!!!!

And then the newspapers can continue to hold up the absurdity of these defamation laws for all to see.

[Cnxforever]

Yes this is what you get if you try to take on the international press!

This is only just the beginning - you try to intimidate journalists they not only stick together but if you try to silence them with phony laws protecting most of the crooks in this country you have it coming!

Kudos to the WP !

I hope others will follow suit and expose this filth hiding behind uniforms making money off desperate people!

[pookiki]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

.

Bangladesh won't grant asylum to the Rohingya. If Bangladesh border guards catch any Rohingya at the border, they are sent back. If the Rohingya are successful in crossing the border, they will probably be arrested or seek the services of brokers who promise them to provide boats to take them to Malaysia or Indonesia. There are Rohingya refugee camps (both formal and infromal) in Bangladesh but the Bangladesh has been refusing any new entries for quite some time. Bangladesh wants to return the Rohingya to Myanmar. The response from Myanmar is that they must prove that they are Myanmar citizens first. They are stateless people. The sectarian violence in Myanmar against the Rohingya in the past months has been horrendous and they are living in peril from day to day in Arakan State. It is truly a sad, sad story. More akin to genocide.

[slipperylobster]

Will a defamation suite be brought against the washington post ?

No, but I will have some of what you are smoking...

[Jingthing]

I know how much the liberal journalists at the Washington Post love their Thai food. Sissified sophisticates as they all are. Ungrateful wretches! No tom yum for you until you take it back!

[TimCM]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

Edited May 16, 2014 by TimCM

[clockman]

Another source of cheap labour! T.I.T.

[winstonc]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

you dont like an honest post..there in lies your problem....

[thesetat2013]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

They are not coming into thailand. They are being intercepted in thai waters enroute to malaysia.

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TimCM]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

you dont like an honest post..there in lies your problem....

Blaming the victims is hardly a reference of character.

Using the same logic, it was the Jews fault for the acts of the Nazis, Black people for slavery

[Elmer Gantry]

I know how much the liberal journalists at the Washington Post love their Thai food. Sissified sophisticates as they all are. Ungrateful wretches! No tom yum for you until you take it back!

Correct me if I am wrong,but was it not the Washington Post that help expose Watergate,or was that just fiction created by Hollywood starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.I have never been one to get in the way of truth.

[Elmer Gantry]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

You will allow him some leeway if you know anything about Millwall football fans,not exactly a good advert for the UK or football.

[ChrisY1]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

Bangladesh.....they escape persecution and extreme poverty and go to an extremely poor nation wher there fate is unknown....

At least Malaysia has proven reasonable for them......

[winstonc]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

you dont like an honest post..there in lies your problem....

Blaming the victims is hardly a reference of character.

Using the same logic, it was the Jews fault for the acts of the Nazis, Black people for slavery

if you want to go down that road it was blacks invading other villages and then selling them on as slaves..it didnt start as a white mans novel idea..they just made it more global....he asked a question he didnt attribute blame to any one side..

Edited May 16, 2014 by winstonc

[TimCM]

You will allow him some leeway if you know anything about Millwall football fans,not exactly a good advert for the UK or football.

I was about to ask about the badge he is using as an avatar.

Is this the real one they use or just a PS job?

[TimCM]

Blaming the victims is hardly a reference of character.

Using the same logic, it was the Jews fault for the acts of the Nazis, Black people for slavery

if you want to go down that road it was blacks invading other villages and then selling them on as slaves..it didnt start as a white mans novel idea..they just made it more global....he asked a question he didnt attribute blame to any one side..

Still not the fault of those that were trafficked. I think we all know what the cause of this issue but we are not allowed to discuss here.

As has been stated by another poster, they were on there way to Malaysia where they would be safe from these terrorist groups before being preyed upon by slave traders.

When you load a question like this, it is more rhetorical, hence my response as it is more of a statement. At least that is how I read it

[Elmer Gantry]

You will allow him some leeway if you know anything about Millwall football fans,not exactly a good advert for the UK or football.

I was about to ask about the badge he is using as an avatar.

Is this the real one they use or just a PS job?

Not sure,just remember the bad press they got.

[noitom]

Why do they come to Thailand? Easy to figure out if you are sane. Asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton replied, "that's where the money is."

[JohnThailandJohn]

Why do they have to come to Thailand to seek sanctuary, surely the nearest safe haven for the Rohingya is Bangladesh -populated by their ethnic and religious brethren. Why don't they go there - assuming that they are genuine refugees and not economic migrants? just wondering....

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have read anywhere.

I suppose all the sex slaves are to blame too.

you dont like an honest post..there in lies your problem....

Blaming the victims is hardly a reference of character.

Using the same logic, it was the Jews fault for the acts of the Nazis, Black people for slavery

If Black people were fleeing Africa to the US back in the slave days, knowing how they would likely be treated, then yes I would put some of the responsibility on them. Not much different than somebody who chooses to take a loan from a loan shark and gets beat when they don't make their payments. I think that is the point being made. While nobody deserves inhumane treatment, the story should be told more honestly because MANY of these people are headed for Thailand for work purposes and not just passing by Thailand to reach a safe religious haven.

It might put things more in context with Mexicans crossing illegally into the US and how they are treated by many border cities and people... in other words would make it a little bit harder for The Post to be casting stones outside their own backyard.

Especially since the minimum wage was raised in Thailand you will be hard pressed not to find folks from Burma and neighboring countries working here in most and retail outlet and restaurants or hotels.

I honestly don't know but would guess the majority of these folks are simply looking for a better life economically and for way to send money back home to their families and not people fleeing unjust persecution.

Edited May 16, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[Jingthing]

I know how much the liberal journalists at the Washington Post love their Thai food. Sissified sophisticates as they all are. Ungrateful wretches! No tom yum for you until you take it back!

Correct me if I am wrong,but was it not the Washington Post that help expose Watergate,or was that just fiction created by Hollywood starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman.I have never been one to get in the way of truth.

It is true and I got to meet the famous reporters behind that. Shameless and crass of me to mention it natch.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sumtingwong]

It should say “How Rohingya is contributing to the misery of Burma and Thailand”

[sumtingwong]

Blaming the victims is hardly a reference of character.

Using the same logic, it was the Jews fault for the acts of the Nazis, Black people for slavery

if you want to go down that road it was blacks invading other villages and then selling them on as slaves..it didnt start as a white mans novel idea..they just made it more global....he asked a question he didnt attribute blame to any one side..

Stop the presses

headline "The first slave owner in America was a black man" Anthony Johnson

http://topconservativenews.com/2012/03/americas-first-slave-owner-was-a-black-man/

[issanaus]

Edit due to quote restricts - sorry

If Black people were fleeing Africa to the US back in the slave days, knowing how they would likely be treated, then yes I would put some of the responsibility on them. Not much different than somebody who chooses to take a loan from a loan shark and gets beat when they don't make their payments. I think that is the point being made. While nobody deserves inhumane treatment, the story should be told more honestly because MANY of these people are headed for Thailand for work purposes and not just passing by Thailand to reach a safe religious haven.

It might put things more in context with Mexicans crossing illegally into the US and how they are treated by many border cities and people... in other words would make it a little bit harder for The Post to be casting stones outside their own backyard.

Especially since the minimum wage was raised in Thailand you will be hard pressed not to find folks from Burma and neighboring countries working here in most and retail outlet and restaurants or hotels.

I honestly don't know but would guess the majority of these folks are simply looking for a better life economically and for way to send money back home to their families and not people fleeing unjust persecution.

You guessed wrong, very wrong.

[sumtingwong]

Do what Angola did. problem solved

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=133245