Little Solace for Rohingya as Sanctuary Denied

Thailand, other nations reaffirm 'illegal' status

The plight of the Rohingya people has worsened after Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand confirmed their status as illegal immigrants and refused them sanctuary.

Aye Aye Mu, Burmese charge d'affaires to Thailand, said in Ranong province yesterday Burma did not recognise Rohingya people as citizens and allowed them to stay on its soil only for humanitarian reasons.

She said the Rohingya were illegal immigrants who were brought to Burma during the colonial era. Since the independence of Burma, it had been difficult for them to live there because of their different language and culture.

Consequently, Rohingya people decide to seek a better life in other countries. There are about 200,000 Rohingya people in Burma, she said.

Sayed Golam Zahid, Bangladeshi charge d'affaires to Thailand, also said in Ranong that Rohingya people were not citizens of Bangladesh.

He said their migration to Bangladesh started in 1978. He said it was believed there are about 300,000 Rohingya living in Bangladesh.

The charges d'affaires as well as diplomats from Indonesia and India went with Foreign Ministry officials to visit the Rohingya in Ranong yesterday.

In Bangkok, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said there were attempts to pressure Thailand to accept the Rohingya as refugees. But he said Thailand did not cause the problems of the Rohingya and thus should not be responsible for them. Doing so could lead to serious conflicts with Thai people.

The government would treat the Rohingya strictly as illegal immigrants. They would be deported through legal and internationally accepted processes, he said.

Mr Abhisit dismissed negative reports about Thailand's treatment of the Rohingya. He said the reports were based on the accounts of Rohingya people in Indonesia, India and elsewhere and that people should be open to all sources of information.

He said Thailand was eager to work out solutions for the Rohingya with all parties. If Thailand had any intention of violating the rights of the Rohingya, it would not have called for cooperation from other nations.

Noor Islam, a Rohingya man who holds a licence to work in Thailand, told a House special committee on southern situations yesterday Thailand should not be held responsible for the hardship of Rohingya migrants.

Rohingya people had to escape from longstanding torture and slavery by Burmese soldiers and Thai people always rescued Rohingya people, he said.

Muhammad Norsam, a Rohingya human rights activist, told another House committee on law, justice and human rights yesterday the Rohingya were tortured in Arakan state of Burma and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees should help the people.

He said the Rohingya wanted to migrate to Malaysia, Indonesia and other Muslim countries, not to Thailand. There are about 20,000 Rohingya migrants in Thailand.

About 850 have been rescued in Indian and Indonesian waters in recent weeks, all telling the same stories. Rights groups fear scores may have perished.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban denied the latest allegations saying the boat people had been treated "under international humanitarian principles".

Source - The Bangkok Post