Thai Govt: Ship of Abandoned Myanmar Migrants Will Not Land in Thailand

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thai Govt: Ship of Abandoned Myanmar Migrants Will Not Land in Thailand

By Khaosod Eng

A boat of abandoned refugees from Myanmar found by reporters and naval officers off the coast of Satun province on 14 May 2015. [Photo: Royal Thai Navy]

BANGKOK — A spokesperson for Thailand's military government said the refugees from Myanmar found by foreign reporters in the Andaman sea today will continue traveling to another country.

The boat, carrying around 300 people who identified themselves as Myanmar refugees, was spotted by reporters from the New York Times and BBC near Lipe island.

The passengers told reporters the captain and crew dismantled the ship’s engine before abandoning them to starve at sea.

Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a spokesperson of the Thai military government, said naval officers have provided the group with food and water, and are currently repairing their boat.

According to Maj.Gen. Sansern, the refugees told Navy officers they intended to travel to another country, likely to be Malaysia or Indonesia.

"Once ships from the Third Region Navy inspected the boat and asked about the refugees’ intentions, we discovered that none of them intended to land on the Thai coast," Maj.Gen. Sansern said. "I expect that the repair of the refugee boat's engine will be completed tonight. They will be able to continue their journey as they wish."

He continued, "We have given the Navy clear policy that if refugees intend to land on the Thai coast, they are welcome to do so, and we will give them humanitarian assistance, but we will treat them in accordance with laws about illegal entry into the country."

Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1431608919&typecate=06&section=

-- Khaosod English 2015-05-14

RELATED: Thai police to prosecute abandoned migrants

[Jonathan Fairfield]

'10 deaths' on stranded Myanmar migrant boat

photo: BBC

THAILAND:-- Myanmar migrants on a boat stranded for a week in the Andaman Sea with no food or water say 10 people have died, while some are resorting to drinking urine.

The fishing boat, carrying about 350 people of the Muslim Rohingya minority, has been refused entry to Thailand.

Those on board told the BBC the crew abandoned them and disabled the engine. They said the bodies of those who had died were thrown overboard.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been turning away migrant boats.

Several thousand people are still believed to be stuck in boats off the coasts of Thailand and Malaysia.

Most are Rohingya Muslims who cannot go back to Myanmar, also known as Burma, where they are not recognised as citizens of the country and are regularly persecuted.

The BBC's Jonathan Head reports from alongside the vessel off the southern coast of Thailand, off Koh Lipe, that it is a "desperate sight".

He said: "People are calling out to us begging us for food and water.

"There are a lot of women and children on board. This is a very old-looking fishing boat that's completely packed with people.

"We can see there are actually people drinking their own urine from bottles. We've been throwing them bottles of water - everything we've got on board."

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32733963

-- BBC 2015-05-14

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Migrants From Myanmar, Shunned by Malaysia, Are Spotted Adrift in Andaman Sea

IN THE ANDAMAN SEA OFF THAILAND — A wooden fishing boat carrying several hundred migrants from Myanmar was spotted adrift in the Andaman Sea on Thursday, part of an exodus in which thousands of people have taken to the sea in recent weeks but no country has been willing to take them in.

Cries of “Please help us! I have no water!” rose from the boat as a vessel carrying journalists approached. “Please give me water!”

The green and red fishing boat, packed with men, women and children squatting on the deck with only tarps strung up to protect them from the sun, was turned away by the Malaysian authorities on Wednesday, the passengers said.

The passengers said 400 migrants were aboard the boat, which was north of the Malaysian island of Langkawi and west of the Thai mainland. At least 160 people were visible above deck.

Women and children wailed as the boat with journalists approached.

“Myanmar refugees! Myanmar refugees!” a man who gave his name as Selim yelled to a reporter.

The passengers said that they had been on the boat for three months, that 10 of them had died during the voyage and that their bodies had been thrown overboard.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/15/world/asia/burmese-rohingya-bangladeshi-migrants-andaman-sea.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

[Jonathan Fairfield]

https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/598791755023028224

[Jonathan Fairfield]

https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/598792216832659456

[Jonathan Fairfield]

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Possible Refugee Crisis As Malaysia, Thailand Turn Away Hundreds Of Myanmar Migrants

LANGKAWI, Malaysia (AP) — Rohingya and Bangladeshis abandoned at sea by traffickers had nowhere to go Thursday as Malaysia turned away two crammed migrant boats and Thailand kept at bay a large vessel with hundreds of hungry people.

"What do you expect us to do?" Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jafaar said. "We have been very nice to the people who broke into our border. We have treated them humanely but they cannot be flooding our shores like this."

"We have to send the right message that they are not welcome here," he told The Associated Press. Four days earlier, about 1,000 refugees landed on the shores of Langkawi, a resort island in northern Malaysia near Thailand. Another 600 have arrived surreptitiously in Indonesia.

Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha also made it clear that his government does not have resources to host refugees.

"If we take them all in, then anyone who wants to come will come freely. I am asking if Thailand will be able to take care of them all. Where will the budget come from?" Prayuth said. "No one wants them. Everyone wants a transit country like us to take responsibility. Is it fair?" he said.

Southeast Asia for years tried to quietly ignore the plight of Myanmar's 1.3 million Rohingya but finds itself caught in a spiraling humanitarian crisis that in many ways it helped create. In the last three years, more than 120,000 members of the Muslim minority, who are intensely persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, have boarded ships to flee to other countries, paying huge sums to human traffickers.

But faced with a regional crackdown, the smugglers have abandoned the ships, leaving an estimated 6,000 refugees to fend for themselves, according to reliable aid workers and human rights groups.

"This is a grave humanitarian crisis demanding an immediate response," said Matthew Smith, executive director of nonprofit human rights group Fortify Rights. "Lives are on the line."

Despite appeals by the U.N. and aid groups, no government in the region — Thai, Indonesian or Malaysian — appears willing to take the refugees, fearing that accepting a few would result in an unstoppable flow of poor, uneducated migrants.

Wan Junaidi said about 500 people on a boat found Wednesday off northern Penang state were given provisions and sent on their way. Another boat carrying about 300 migrants was turned away near Langkawi island overnight, according to two Malaysian officials who declined to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak to the press.

Meanwhile, a boat carrying 300 Rohingya was spotted at the Thai-Malaysian maritime border in Satun province, Thailand's deputy government spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

The Thai navy contacted the migrants, who said they "wanted to travel to a third country and asked for help in repairing their boat and asked for food and water," Sansern said.

"None of them wanted to go to the Thai shore but wanted to travel to a third country," he said. "Thai sailors have given them what they wanted by providing food and water for them. Currently, they are in the process of repairing the broken engine." The repairs will finish tonight, he said.

Malaysia, which is not a signatory of international conventions on refugees, is host to more than 150,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority of whom are from Myanmar. More than 45,000 of them are Rohingya, according to the U.N. refugee agency, many more than almost any other country.

But because they have no legal status, job opportunities are limited. They also have little or no access to basic services like education and health care, and are vulnerable to arrests and deportation. A small number are resettled to third countries.

Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch Asia accused Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia of playing "a three-way game of human ping pong." At the same time, the three countries and others in Southeast Asia have for years bowed to the wishes of Myanmar at regional conferences, avoiding all discussions of state-sponsored discrimination against the Rohingya.

Denied citizenship by national law, members of the Rohingya minority are effectively stateless. They have limited access to education or adequate health care and cannot move around freely. They have been attacked by the military and chased from their homes and land by extremist Buddhist mobs in a country that regards them as illegal settlers.

Wan Junaidi, the deputy home minister, said it was time to put pressure on Myanmar to address the Rohingya crisis.

"You talk about democracy, but don't treat your citizens like trash, like criminals, until they need to run away to our country," he said.

Increasingly over the years, Rohingya boarding boats in the Bay of Bengal have been joined by Bangladeshis seeking an escape from poverty.

Their first stop until recently was Thailand, where migrants were held in jungle camps until their families could raise hefty ransoms so they could continue onward. The smugglers changed tactics after recent crackdowns and began holding people on large ships offshore.

Initially migrants were shuttled to shore in groups on smaller boats after their "ransoms" were paid. But as agents and brokers on land got spooked by arrests — not just of traffickers but also police and politicians — they went into hiding.

That created a bottleneck, with migrants stuck on boats for days and weeks.

-- (c) Associated Press 2014-05-15

[DavisH]

And heading to Australia means almost certain death and / or incarceration This is a very sad an desperate situation and it's a very poor show for the members of AEC to be shunning these people.

[pinkpanther99]

This is so desperately sad that these countries are turning their back on these people during this terrible time of need.

Why is there such little consideration for human life?

There are young children on these boats!!!

Shame on Thailand and Malaysia.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

https://twitter.com/pakhead/status/598867589075378177

[NCC1701A]

jesus christ! do you think you can give them some frickin water? and a bag of old rice? this is being reported now in the USA and it is all over twitter.

the US coast guard at least feeds boat people from cuba and gives them some water and then detains them and deports them.

HOW HARD CAN IT BE?

Thailand is going to be sorry when young people pick up on this story and somebody organizes a boycott of Thailand or does a concert to raise awareness. then maybe some PC pressure to change holiday plans.

[Seismic]

Interesting that Malaysia and Indonesia, (both Muslim countries), are refusing these refugees. Thailand is of course a Buddhist country...........well I guess we wont go there. I am now waiting for all the posters who give Australia a hard time to write in and express their concern and disgust........But then again that will probably be a waste of time too.

[Seismic]

And heading to Australia means almost certain death and / or incarceration This is a very sad an desperate situation and it's a very poor show for the members of AEC to be shunning these people.

Its another 4000 Km to Australia??, Why even mention that country unless you are another of those white apologists who thinks they have no right to police their borders.

[TomJoad]

Stranded for over a week at sea with no food or water? And I tend to complain about being stuck in traffic in Bangkok for more than 30 minutes. Puts things in perspective...

[EyesWideOpen]

So Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia have chosen to not help them.

The outcome will be thousands of people starving to death at sea.

This will indeed be a black chapter in the annals of South East Asia...

[NeverSure]

It's not that easy. Yes the US gives good care to boat people including medical care and deports them to Cuba. The Rohingya aren't citizens of Burma. They have probably lived there for eons but they are not welcome, are persecuted, and won't be allowed back. They are stateless. The same is true of many of the people from Bangladesh. They can't go back.

The SE Asian countries who are involved don't want to be overwhelmed and are trying to send a message - don't come.

I can see both sides of this. The boat people made a choice to try to illegally enter another country. The countries involved are protecting their borders from illegal immigration.

I don't know what they are going to do. They should never have left home but there they are...

[pinkpanther99]

Would it not be unreasonable to assume that some of the migrants on these boats perhaps find themselves in this terrible situation having been at the hands of Thai trafficking gangs?

I don't think it's a coincidence that as the Thai authorities are currently raiding the south and finding empty migrant camps that boats full of migrants start appearing in waters just off Thailand.

Thailand and other neighboring countries have a basic human duty to help here.

[Berkshire]

It's not that easy. Yes the US gives good care to boat people including medical care and deports them to Cuba. The Rohingya aren't citizens of Burma. They have probably lived there for eons but they are not welcome, are persecuted, and won't be allowed back. They are stateless. The same is true of many of the people from Bangladesh. They can't go back.

The SE Asian countries who are involved don't want to be overwhelmed and are trying to send a message - don't come.

I can see both sides of this. The boat people made a choice to try to illegally enter another country. The countries involved are protecting their borders from illegal immigration.

I don't know what they are going to do. They should never have left home but there they are...

Good points. These countries know that if they allow these migrants in, many many more will come. No easy answers, but blaming Malaysia and Thailand for protecting their borders would be hypocritical as all western countries do the same.

[maidee]

some country will take them in and make them good obaying slaves, right ?

[Strangebrew]

Look simple the US should take a lead in this round up all these stranded people Take then in feed them. educate them give medical help Then bomb the crap out of the countries that sent away and give the land back to them.

[Jeffreyake]

jesus christ! do you think you can give them some frickin water? and a bag of old rice? this is being reported now in the USA and it is all over twitter.

the US coast guard at least feeds boat people from cuba and gives them some water and then detains them and deports them.

HOW HARD CAN IT BE?

Thailand is going to be sorry when young people pick up on this story and somebody organizes a boycott of Thailand or does a concert to raise awareness. then maybe some PC pressure to change holiday plans.

oh yeah, "rise awareness" is the best instrument of left-liberal fundamentalists to manipulate general public. This trick is not going to work here in Thailand.

God bless the Thai army! They have balls to do what is good for their country and not follow what "misters in pith helmets" from abroad are trying to force them to do.

And people like Matthew Smith - a founder and executive director of American NGO Fortify Rights - should be kicked out of the country as soon as possible.

if you are so kind, why don't you accept them in US or UK? I am sure these welfere states will be happy to feed Rohyngya forever! they are almost like Pakistani - your favorite type!

it's so easy to be merciful on someone else expense.

all progressive humanity should unite to fight against American NGO's who are trying to manipulate independent governments in sake of American (left liberal) interests.

Thailand and other neighboring countries have a basic human duty to help here.

Thailand and Malaysia have duties to their own citizen only. And if some Western tourists are not agree with that - nobody cares.

Look simple the US should take a lead in this round up all these stranded people Take then in feed them. educate them give medical help Then bomb the crap out of the countries that sent away and give the land back to them.

why don't you do that with Putin? let me guess.. therm-nuclear weapon? US is like a school bully, attacking the weak but running away from strong.

and you still ask why so many countries spend so much money to develop their own a-bomb?! this is the only way to keep the International Bully in his borders.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Jeffreyake

[backstairs]

No keep em out! Like we did with the Indochine boat people 20 years ago. Well, we took 3 people cause they were scientists.

Hell. Send them on to a Christian country. They will take them. They always do. 3 cheers for ASEAN. We agree on something

at last. Cut the lines and send em south. Asia truly Asia.

[BlackJack]

my old boss once said to me if your gonna bitch to me about something then give me a solution

so heads up people

whats the solution?

Australia took in 100's of 1000's of Vietnamese boat people and settled them in Cabramatta, a suburb in south-western Sydney Australia.

A well intended humanitarian gesture that backfired.

People with no jobs, Government handouts, gangs formed, imported the best heroin Australia has ever seen, cut the cost of heroin 50% and kept it almost pure, cornered the heroin market in less that 2 years, drove out local residents of Cabramatta as it turned into a drug haven, shot and killed a local Australian politician that stood up to them.

The only political assassination to take place in Australia's history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Assassinated_Australian_politicians

Now we have the next wave of refugees - so with it comes terrorists as seen with the Sydney Cafe siege, the 17 year old caught making 3 IUD's, the Imams preaching hate and the introduction of Sharia Law.

Australian food manufacturers forced to get a Halal License to export food to Muslim countries. What is done with these license fees? There is no accountability.

Now Tony about PM of Australia is about to embark on a 1/2 billion dollar tax payer funded project to educate new arrivals in the Australia ways.

Again I say if you going to have a bitch about these boat people or refugees then have a long term solution for what comes with them.

[DM07]

Just look at these pictures: do you really believe that ANYONE would do this, if they were not really, seriously desperate?

How does the hell of a life in Myanmar looks like, if an overcrowded boat in the middle of the ocean is an alternative to consider?

[jagfx]

I find these types of stories a little distressing if what is reported is true. If they are in Thai waters I would be of the opinion that the Thai govt has a duty of care to ensure that these people are brought to shore, given medical attention, food and water. Then take it from there. The chances of them continuing on their journey without further drama is highly unlikely, especially considering that a few of them have already died on the journey to date. At the end of the day, they are human beings, the same as us, therefore time to put policies and politics aside and just do the right thing by them.

I worked for G4S Security as a guard on one of Australia's offshore detention centres, Manus Island PNG. Was working during the riots in Feb 2014 and saw quite a bit. Being so close to the 'clients' in the centre, you get to talk to a lot of them and even befriend them to a certain extent. I always felt sorry for the Myanmar boys as I felt they were all genuine refugees, as some of the stories regarding persecution against them as Muslims in their home country was something I was not aware of until hearing it first hand from them. As they are also small in stature and fairly reserved, they were also bullied and intimidated by other nationalities, mainly the middle eastern boys. I can also assure you that no Myanmar boys were involved any riotous behaviour as they actually came to us guards looking for protection from PNG staff and Police.

Also when speaking to a lot of clients in the centre, most of them had come via either Malaysia or Indonesia, and I use to ask why they didn't want to settle in those countries or remain in their detention centres. The answer was always two things. One, they were treated like absolute sh#t in these two countries, where they were not fed for days, or beaten by staff or locals that were allowed into the centres, and two, they all wanted to come to Australia for a better life. As another poster has already stated, you would think Muslim refugees would be welcomed by a fellow Muslim nation! I guess not.

Now whether you agree with Australia's refugee policy or not, including the offshore processing centres, at least we give the people food, shelter and medical assistance. it is not perfect, I appreciate that, but under the circumstances it isn't too bad. I think more can be done, but it is a very difficult problem to deal with. But having said all that, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia - shame on all of you if you don't at least help these abandoned souls....

[BlackJack]

This is not an easy fix. The solutions cannot be knee jerk. They must be long term and planned properly without. Some self serving purpose otherwise you will end up with ghettos and groups that will never assimilate. They will be ripe.for control by gangs as we are seeing with people smuggler's and drug peddlers.

[cookee68]

He looks like Moses, must be on an arch. as long as they don't try coming here I don't give a shit

[kiwikeith]

This is so desperately sad that these countries are turning their back on these people during this terrible time of need.

Why is there such little consideration for human life?

There are young children on these boats!!!

Shame on Thailand and Malaysia.

The Thai navy repaired the engine and pointed them at Malaysia without a fit person who could even navigate.

The BBC and US and International news mentions nothing of them not wanting to land in Thailand.

The opinion from journalists was they were in desperate need of food, water and medical help and needed and wanted to go ashore.

Sanitation was almost non existent, they did not need or want to be cast adrift again by the Thai Navy.

That is criminal and a international shame on Thailand.

The real criminals are the Myanmar regime who allowed corporate gangsters to burn them off their land and the Snakeheads ( Asian people trafficking gang) along with international corrupt politicians.

The United Nations are useless they should demand Thai authorities rescue these people now! , and sort the migrants' issue out later, between Malaysia, Bangladesh and Thailand.

Come on Thailand you now look like cruel people trafficking supporters in front of the Eyes of the World.

Shame on all from the smugglers the corporate gangsters and corrupt politicians in this world and the pathetically weak United Nations.

Come on India, send a Naval recue ship out and embarrass the Thai/ ,Malaysian Navy who are to busy sitting out in the Hua Hin harbor lighting up the night.

The moral in this story is that there is none.

Someone maybe afraid of the tales that these people will tell when ashore.

And someone should wake up now and clean up the act.

A huge ask cleaning up the corruption and border camps? Yes.

A huge ask for the Thai Navy to win world wide humanitarian praise ? No.

A huge ask for the Thai Navy to rescue these People? it seems so,

WHY? Is there some tales in these people that might bring someone undone? Probably Yes!

Edited May 15, 2015 by kiwikeith