Myanmar says 'boat people' crisis not caused by Rohingya strife

[webfact]

Myanmar says 'boat people' crisis not caused by Rohingya strife



BANGKOK: -- The government of Myanmar on Monday vows to collaborate with regional governments to combat trafficking while denying the recent exodus was caused by conflict and discrimination in the country, The Irrawaddy reported.

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door conference with foreign diplomats in Yangon, Minister of Information Ye Htut denied that the crisis at sea was related to the treatment of stateless Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine.

He called it “a problem of human trafficking” that should be resolved by all governments affected by the trade.

The minister said Myanmar disapproves of claims that the migrants tried to escape from Rakhine where there is conflict.

“Traffickers brought these people to Thailand and Indonesia. This is just a case of human trafficking. As we are a member with other [Asean] countries and the international community, we will work together to solve this problem.”

The minister did not commit to attending a May 29 multinational summit hosted by Thailand to address the crisis, which is believed to have left thousands of people from Myanmar and Bangladesh afloat on abandoned boats with little or no food and water as neighboring countries refuse to let them approach their shores.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/myanmar-says-boat-people-crisis-not-caused-by-rohingya-strife


-- Thai PBS 2015-05-19

[trogers]

And so traffickers freely landed on Burmese soil to do their trade?

[JoePai]

The minister said Myanmar disapproves of claims that the migrants tried to escape from Rakhine where there is conflict.

This Minmister is an idiot

[Robby nz]

We will cooperate in ending the trafficking as long as no one attempts to say that these non Burmese who came from Burma wanted to leave because of anything we did, lays any blame on us, or expects us to take any of these people back.

Please wait while we confer, we may have more conditions such as interest free loans or handouts from the US, UN or others.

[Thaddeus]

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door conference with foreign diplomats in Yangon, Minister of Information Ye Htut denied that the crisis at sea was related to the treatment of stateless Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine.

Did he state any credible reason as to what the cause was?

[DM07]

Oh...that's okay than!

They actually like the KZ- like camps they are shoved into, they don't care for basic human rights and actually are quiet happy to be killed by some radical Buddhists!

Nothing to see, move on!

Despicable!

[Strangebrew]

Maybe US should rethink this Burma issue and yes I'm calling it Burma. The other sounds like a ferry boat.

[oneday]

“...Traffickers brought these people to Thailand and Indonesia. This is just a case of human trafficking. As we are a member with other [Asean] countries and the international community, we will work together to solve this problem...”

Pigs are flying over a bridge I have for sale. Any takers?

[Baerboxer]

Not us, not our problem, we've done nothing wrong. All someone else's fault and responsibility.

Sounds familiar.

Another lying politician. Burma - shameful, despicable and heartless.

[nakhonandy]

What a complete idiot, of course it is because of the conflict!

This needs to be stopped at source.

Maybe the UN/US should pressure Bangladesh and Myanmar, stop foreign aid, trade etc until they do someting about their problem.

Of course there are traffickers in the other countries and they should be hunted down and prosecuted, but these countries, Thailand included are not the root cause of the problem.

[Emster23]

Considering conditions those folks live in are called "open air concentration camps" on international news, yeah I'd say Burma's hands are dirty in this one. But the big lie lives on.... Ship of fools, part 37....

[Docno]

What a complete idiot, of course it is because of the conflict!

This needs to be stopped at source.

Maybe the UN/US should pressure Bangladesh and Myanmar, stop foreign aid, trade etc until they do someting about their problem.

Of course there are traffickers in the other countries and they should be hunted down and prosecuted, but these countries, Thailand included are not the root cause of the problem.

The conflict that he (and possibly you) is likely referring to is the 2012 communal violence. Rohingya were leaving Myanmar long before that.

There are many issues here... the situation is not a simple one. The Rohingya do not have Myanmar citizenship, which puts them in a precarious position from the start. Rakhine people still blame them for vicious massacres they perpetrated on the Buddhist population during WWII (think Croatia vs Serbia ... memories last after generations die). They are also seen as colonial 'imports' (i.e., the Brits brought them in as labour during the colonial era) whose culture and religion better fit Bangladesh/India than Myanmar. And I know some Rakhine-Buddhist people (all women) who tell me about the aggressive behaviour of Rohingya men in their communities (they claim personal experience, though of course this may also represent ethnic bias and stereotypes). All of these things lead to the Rohingya being marginalised ... even without hot conflict there will be pressure to leave. So there are a lot of things driving tensions and fueling the exodus. And to be honest, the Myanmar government and Rakhine people are only happy to see them go ... that's the root of the problem.

[nakhonandy]

What a complete idiot, of course it is because of the conflict!

This needs to be stopped at source.

Maybe the UN/US should pressure Bangladesh and Myanmar, stop foreign aid, trade etc until they do someting about their problem.

Of course there are traffickers in the other countries and they should be hunted down and prosecuted, but these countries, Thailand included are not the root cause of the problem.

The conflict that he (and possibly you) is likely referring to is the 2012 communal violence. Rohingya were leaving Myanmar long before that.

There are many issues here... the situation is not a simple one. The Rohingya do not have Myanmar citizenship, which puts them in a precarious position from the start. Rakhine people still blame them for vicious massacres they perpetrated on the Buddhist population during WWII (think Croatia vs Serbia ... memories last after generations die). They are also seen as colonial 'imports' (i.e., the Brits brought them in as labour during the colonial era) whose culture and religion better fit Bangladesh/India than Myanmar. And I know some Rakhine-Buddhist people (all women) who tell me about the aggressive behaviour of Rohingya men in their communities (they claim personal experience, though of course this may also represent ethnic bias and stereotypes). All of these things lead to the Rohingya being marginalised ... even without hot conflict there will be pressure to leave. So there are a lot of things driving tensions and fueling the exodus. And to be honest, the Myanmar government and Rakhine people are only happy to see them go ... that's the root of the problem.

I was referring to the conflict between the Rahine and the Rohingya over the history of them being there, not specifically 2012. You are correct it has been happening for a long time.

I agree that Myanmar is not bothered in the slightest that they leave.

I realise the problem is complex but as you point out they have been there for a long time.

I still believe the problem is something Myanmar should address, other than the unscrupulous traffickers it is not fair to blame Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

[PeCeDe]

I lived in North America and Europe a long time, and I always got a craw stuck in my throat, when I was seen by an Third world Doctor. Their country, at comparatively great cost gave them a superior education, and now here they are enjoying the good life without a thought or (seemingly) care for their Brothers and Sisters back home who are living in poverty and despair. My ancestors back three hundred years ago lived in the very same situations we see playing out now in many of the worlds poor and downtrodden nations, but what did my ancestors do? They didn't abandon me, they stayed and fought, giving their lives, sometimes in the most horrible ways, so that future generations like mine could live a better life. My position is simple, the people we now see jettisoning their countries and fleeing to the west and richer countries, should think twice and stay with the country they were given, they should fight every inch of the way and in any way necessary so that their future generations can live like valid and respectable human beings, not just renounce their fellow people and head for greener pastures. I know this sounds a little high minded, but if you don't fight (and I mean fight tooth and nail) for what you think is right and instead just get out, thus leaving the mess for others, then you don't deserve much sympathy.

[Johpa]

I still believe the problem is something Myanmar should address, other than the unscrupulous traffickers it is not fair to blame Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Those "unscrupulous traffickers" include some very high ranking Thai government officials. Thus the world is allowed to place some blame on the Royal Thai government for facilitating the trafficking.

Chaiyo!

[Farang99]

The minister said Myanmar disapproves of claims that the migrants tried to escape from Rakhine where there is conflict.

This Minmister is an idiot

Maybe, but essentially he is a minister in an oppressive government which at least has stood by while "pacific" Buddhists assault and persecute a Muslim minority, so that they flee and fall into the hands of traffickers, and may well be encouraging the assaults. They already deny that the Rohingya are Burmese citizens.

[Yunla]

I wonder if these diplomatic and philosophical statements in the media would be the same if the person making them was suddenly left floating on some rickety old tub, with nothing but slavery, starvation and death to look forward to.

I would wager that the statements would be more simple and urgent, like "please help me."

[FangFerang]

"Traffickers brought these people to Thailand and Indonesia. This is just a case of human trafficking."

And

"The minister did not commit to attending a May 29 multinational summit hosted by Thailand to address the crisis"

Obfuscate, deny, repeat as necessary. NO ONE IS BELIEVING THIS.

[boomerangutang]

"Ye Htut denied that the crisis at sea was related to the treatment of stateless Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine."

Ye Htut is wrong.

[maidee]

here is an idea : who not drag the boats back to .... MYANMAR ??????????????

[PeCeDe]

I wonder if these diplomatic and philosophical statements in the media would be the same if the person making them was suddenly left floating on some rickety old tub, with nothing but slavery, starvation and death to look forward to.

I would wager that the statements would be more simple and urgent, like "please help me."

Frankly Yunla, I don't think you would find me on a rickety old tub in the first place, instead I'd be looking for my M16 and Ammo. The alternative these people are choosing is just too throw themselves on the mercy of yet more people who don't want them. They are at a crossroads, and there is absolutely no choice but to stay where they are and fight for justice for their people. When I see the pictures of those Illegal Immigrants who landed in Indonesia, let's face it, some of them are murderers, I am amazed by the number of young military age men, who have just abandoned their fellow countrymen and women in Bangladesh and Myanmar, yelling "Seeya!" Hoping we won't see through their thinly veiled disguise, and we'll feel sorry for them because they deliberately put themselves in a position where they very well could die. Sure feed them, give them water and medical attention, but they need to go back and sort out their various situations. If they do that, I would gladly help.