Boat people grateful for sanctuary, baffled by Gambia offer

[webfact]

Boat people grateful for sanctuary, baffled by Gambia offer

BAYEUN, Indonesia (AFP) - Boat people who have come ashore in Southeast Asia after harrowing journeys are delighted that Indonesia and Malaysia will give them temporary shelter -- although some were baffled by an offer of sanctuary in a tiny African nation they had never heard of.

Nearly 3,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants have been rescued or swum to shore in recent days in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, after a Thai crackdown on long-established human-trafficking routes threw the illicit trade into chaos.

The three nations had sparked outrage by turning away some vessels, but on Wednesday Indonesia and Malaysia relented, saying they would no longer drive boats away and would give migrants temporary shelter.

Thailand did not sign on fully to the initiative, saying only that it would no longer push boats out of Thai waters.

In Indonesia’s western Aceh province, where around 1,800 Rohingya -- a persecuted Muslim minority from predominantly Buddhist Myanmar -- and Bangladeshis have landed since the crisis began, the news was greeted with joy.

"I am happy now that Indonesia and Malaysia are accepting Rohingya," said Muhammadul Hasson, a 17-year-old who was rescued last week along with hundreds of other desperate people.

"Everything will be better now. People in Arakan are tortured continuously and they will keep on coming," he added, referring to the Rohingya’s home state of Rakhine in western Myanmar.

But there was some confusion over an offer from the impoverished West African nation of Gambia to take in all Rohingya migrants as part of its "sacred duty" to alleviate the suffering of fellow Muslims.

Asked about the offer, Hasson simply responded: "What is the meaning of Gambia?"

Muhammad Jaber, a 27-year-old Rohingya, was another migrant who was puzzled when confronted with the idea of going to live in a country thousands of miles away that he knew nothing about.

However, he concluded: "If it is a Muslim country and they accept us as their citizens, why not?"

Gambia’s offer stands in stark contrast with iron-fisted President Yahya Jammeh’s professed disdain for the thousands of African migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea, including many from his own country.

- ’Everything will be better now’ -

===================================

The migrants’ joy at the decision by Malaysia and Indonesia was untempered, however.

The stateless Rohingya suffer constant abuse in Myanmar, with the government insisting they are illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

They have long been boarding rickety boats to cross the Bay of Bengal, normally headed for relatively affluent, Muslim-majority Malaysia, and have in recent years been joined by Bangladeshis seeking to escape grinding poverty.

Jaber said he did not feel any anger towards Indonesia or Malaysia, despite their previous hardline stance.

Both countries are now offering to accept the boat people for one year, or until they can be resettled or repatriated with the help of international agencies. Jakarta is not obliged to resettle migrants as it is not a signatory to the UN refugee convention.

"We are ready to go to any country where they can accept us as citizens, but we will not go back to Myanmar," Jaber said.

The migrants normally spend months at sea before making it to land and grim tales have emerged, with Rohingya and Bangladeshis on one boat telling how they fought fierce battles over dwindling supplies that left at least 100 dead.

Some of the latest arrivals, from a group of 400 Rohingya rescued off the Aceh coast Wednesday, were being housed in a hastily erected tent village in the ruins of an old building in the village of Bayeun.

They told of a horrific voyage, drifting helplessly in the final days as they were pushed away by Thailand and then Malaysia, and said sending them back to Myanmar would be a death sentence.

"If the government of Indonesia returns us to Myanmar, it is the same as killing us," said Sohidullah, 45.

Hasson said he was happy to go to any other nation, but he had one condition: "I never want to go to another country by boat. Never again."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/aec/Boat-people-grateful-for-sanctuary-baffled-by-Gamb-30260694.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-22

[simon43]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

[winstonc]

gambia it is then..

[skildpadden]

Hmmm Gambia? They want to fill up the ranks as their own citizens are fleeing the country? But good for them if they can find a peaceful place in the world.

However I am astonished on the lack of involvement from ASEAN as this involves their member states - it seems this organization only exists for photo ops and hand shakes - and no concrete actions.

[steven100]

Gambia it is ! ..... simon ' Gambia thanks. very well mam.

[ezzra]

Bangladesh has 156 million people, and now that the flood gates are open and the news is in

the wind that Malaysia and Indonesia are offering refuge and resettlements elsewhere, expect

swarms of boat people to follow the ones that already landed...

[NickJ]

Gambia....bless there cottin socks....they are counting on the brownie points.....aint no Bangledeshi....or Boat rohinya gonna go there hell no......they want the camps with the MTV

[harryfrompattaya]

You see these people just want to take and get free things from EU England and the United States

Send them to Gambia or prison or back where they came from

[jpinx]

There's a lot more to this than meets the eye....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32835811#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

[veyron18]

Don't you think that there might be an ISIS strategy there in order to bring new fighters amongst their "nation" ?

[Johnny S]

Muhammad Jaber, a 27-year-old Rohingya, was another migrant who was puzzled when confronted with the idea of going to live in a country thousands of miles away that he knew nothing about.

However, he concluded: "If it is a Muslim country and they accept us as their citizens, why not?"

Wow ... Beggars can be choosers I see ... Typical muslim behaviour, let him rot ...

[Robby nz]

"Everything will be better now. People in Arakan are tortured continuously and they will keep on coming," he added, referring to the Rohingya’s home state of Rakhine in western Myanmar.

That is the scary bit and has been predicted......"They will keep on coming"

Could it be that Thailand has the right idea ?

[HerbalEd]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

That's what you "think" "you" would do if you were in "their" position? And from this one tiny article do you actually think that you now know how these people actually reacted to the news about Gambia ... or how many even heard the news? You can not possibly know the world these people live ... or even dream about how it feels ... so how could you possibly know what they're thinking? So don't judge them because they aren't doing what you "think" they should.

I'm ever amazed at the arm-chair experts here on TV.com.

Edited May 22, 2015 by HerbalEd

[HerbalEd]

Don't you think that there might be an ISIS strategy there in order to bring new fighters amongst their "nation" ?

Hmmmm. No. But watch out, there may be an ISIS-ian under your bed.

[simple1]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

Suggest you do some research on Gambia before naming the place as a 'safe haven'. e.g.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/press-releases/2011/07/gambia-hundreds-disappeared-killed-and-tortured/

[HerbalEd]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

Suggest you do some research on Gambia before naming the place as a 'safe haven'. e.g.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/press-releases/2011/07/gambia-hundreds-disappeared-killed-and-tortured/

Don't confuse the guy with facts.

[NickJ]

WAIT....THIS AINT THE FREE SHI@ WE HAD IN MIND....WHERES THE REMOTE!!!!!!

[Alwyn]

Hats of to Gambia! I noticed no other Islamic country had stepped forward with such an offer.. People slag Israel incessantly but when there are Jews in trouble, anywhere in the World, they will go and fetch them (Ethiopia was a great example) and airlift them to their ancestral home of Israel.

[Jaggg88]

Bangladesh has 156 million people, and now that the flood gates are open and the news is in

the wind that Malaysia and Indonesia are offering refuge and resettlements elsewhere, expect

swarms of boat people to follow the ones that already landed...

Unfortunately I fear this is the sad reality of the situation

[Jaggg88]

Hats of to Gambia! I noticed no other Islamic country had stepped forward with such an offer.. People slag Israel incessantly but when there are Jews in trouble, anywhere in the World, they will go and fetch them (Ethiopia was a great example) and airlift them to their ancestral home of Israel.

Good point. We haven't seen much brotherhood for the Moslem brothers.

[Happy Grumpy]

Are the Gambians going to cook and eat them?

[cookee68]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

exactly

[cookee68]

They wont go to Gambia because they have nothing to gain, it is about what they can get, not the fear of their country or they would accept that offer, hence migrants and not refugees, why not go to Syria, they will take any Muslims who will do their work, they will be fed and looked after, the women will have a job, and the kids will soon be married off with a husband, sorted

[Jingthing]

This is kind of unfair.

The Rohingya people don't speak in one voice.

They are all individuals and they are under a shocking amount of stress and life threatening situations.

We have no idea how many would accept refuge in Gambia or not.

Is refuge in Gambia really better than what they are fleeing?

Well, I don't really know and I reckon they don't either.

Also being human and many having relatives already in Malaysia, it is known many do prefer Malaysia.

It's so easy to judge others.

That said, some on the boats are economic migrants and some are fleeing a genocide in Burma.

That's hard for the people receiving them to figure out which is which, assuming there is going to be some relief at least for those fleeing genocide.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Jingthing

[kiwikeith]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

That's what you "think" "you" would do if you were in "their" position? And from this one tiny article do you actually think that you now know how these people actually reacted to the news about Gambia ... or how many even heard the news? You can not possibly know the world these people live ... or even dream about how it feels ... so how could you possibly know what they're thinking? So don't judge them because they aren't doing what you "think" they should.

I'm ever amazed at the arm-chair experts here on TV.com.

More than 5000 migrants many from Gambia have died in the last 12 months trying to flee to Europe.

The Gambian president Yahya Jammeh is delighted to take these people. source (The Guardian)

The United States will provide assistance. $$$$$$ say no more.

[Naam]

Kudos to The Gambia for their generous offer. I find it a little disconcerting that the Rohingyas seem rather nonplussed by that offer. Surely if they were genuine refugees (and not economic immigrants), they would jump at such an offer to find a safe haven from persecution?

"surely"... an utmost ignorant comment for somebody who has worked in Myanmar and is able to read non-burmese news

[Steely Dan]

Muhammad Jaber, a 27-year-old Rohingya, was another migrant who was puzzled when confronted with the idea of going to live in a country thousands of miles away that he knew nothing about.

However, he concluded: "If it is a Muslim country and they accept us as their citizens, why not?"

Wow ... Beggars can be choosers I see ... Typical muslim behaviour, let him rot ...

Why get hung up on whether its a Muslim Country or not? A non-Muslim Country can be changed to one by mass immigration, coercion, threats, the setting up of no go zones under Sharia law. The locals are then free to convert, leave or become second class citizens in their own land. Look at Sweden to see what can be achieved.

[simon43]

"surely"... an utmost ignorant comment for somebody who has worked in Myanmar and is able to read non-burmese news

I stand by my comment. The Rohingya community are in no position to pick and choose their final destination. If it is a choice of being terrorised and killed in Myanmar, or having a safe but perhaps hard and economically poor life in Gambia, then Gambia it is.

Beggers definitely cannot be choosers.

Let's be realistic here. There is no way on earth that developed countries are going to open their doors to anything but a few, genuine refugees. If Gambia is willing to accept large numbers of Rohingya, then that is a very positive step forward.

Is there corruption, poverty, unjustness in Gambia? I am 100% sure of that. But it has to be a better future than what the Rohingya community is experiencing right now.

It is because I have worked in Myanmar that I believe 100% that the Myanmar government and especially the Buddhist, Burman majority will never accept the Rohingya into their communities. The answer lies outside Myanmar.

[Steely Dan]

"surely"... an utmost ignorant comment for somebody who has worked in Myanmar and is able to read non-burmese news

I stand by my comment. The Rohingya community are in no position to pick and choose their final destination. If it is a choice of being terrorised and killed in Myanmar, or having a safe but perhaps hard and economically poor life in Gambia, then Gambia it is.

Beggers definitely cannot be choosers.

Let's be realistic here. There is no way on earth that developed countries are going to open their doors to anything but a few, genuine refugees. If Gambia is willing to accept large numbers of Rohingya, then that is a very positive step forward.

Is there corruption, poverty, unjustness in Gambia? I am 100% sure of that. But it has to be a better future than what the Rohingya community is experiencing right now.

It is because I have worked in Myanmar that I believe 100% that the Myanmar government and especially the Buddhist, Burman majority will never accept the Rohingya into their communities. The answer lies outside Myanmar.

Regarding your comment that developed Countries are not going to open their doors to anything but a few genuine refugees. Wrong, I wish I was joking.

https://swedenreport.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/img_0115.png

[simple1]

"surely"... an utmost ignorant comment for somebody who has worked in Myanmar and is able to read non-burmese news

I stand by my comment. The Rohingya community are in no position to pick and choose their final destination. If it is a choice of being terrorised and killed in Myanmar, or having a safe but perhaps hard and economically poor life in Gambia, then Gambia it is.

Beggers definitely cannot be choosers.

Let's be realistic here. There is no way on earth that developed countries are going to open their doors to anything but a few, genuine refugees. If Gambia is willing to accept large numbers of Rohingya, then that is a very positive step forward.

Is there corruption, poverty, unjustness in Gambia? I am 100% sure of that. But it has to be a better future than what the Rohingya community is experiencing right now.

It is because I have worked in Myanmar that I believe 100% that the Myanmar government and especially the Buddhist, Burman majority will never accept the Rohingya into their communities. The answer lies outside Myanmar.

The Gambian dictator has offered to set up refugee camps for Rohingya, whilst asking for material assistance from other countries, not resettlement. Whilst something is better than nothing, Indonesia and Malaysia seem to have offered the same temporary 'solution' which appears to be more acceptable, less risk & transparent pathway for the Rohingya given the documented severe human rights abuses in Gambia.