The Rohingya Crisis
Refugees Looking For Someone to Lend Them a Helping Hand
Many of the Rohingya people were wounded with burns and whiplashes from the oppressive Burmese government. Some people claim that the Thai police in charge of the Rohingya issue removed the Rohingya boats engine and then abandoned them, letting them drift for days until they reached the coast of Indonesia where they were discovered by Indonesian fisherman who said that there were nearly 170 refugees and most of them suffered from starvation and wounds inflicted by both Burmese military and Thai police. Suthep Thaugsuban, the Thai deputy prime minister, said on Wednesday that Rohingya arriving in Thailand by boat will be deported to Myanmar where “they come from”.
“Thailand has no intention of opening any refugee camp,” says Suthep, who is also in charge of Thailands national security. An estimated 800,000 Rohingya, a stateless Muslim ethnic community from Arakan state in Myanmar’s northwest, claim persecution by the military government and have fled to neighboring countries in the region. Last month, the Thai military admitted towing hundreds of Rohingya migrants far out to sea before abandoning them, but insisted they had food and water. The Thai government also denied reports that the engines were removed from the boats that were sent adrift.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 230,000 Rohingya now live a precarious, stateless existence in Bangladesh, having fled decades of abuse and harassment at the hands of Myanmar’s military rulers. The Rohingya people are still struggling for a place in this world that they can call their home.
by Alex Marshall (International School Bangkok)
Many of the Rohingya people were wounded with burns and whiplashes from the oppressive Burmese government. Some people claim that the Thai police in charge of the Rohingya issue removed the Rohingya boats engine and then abandoned them, letting them drift for days until they reached the coast of Indonesia where they were discovered by Indonesian fisherman who said that there were nearly 170 refugees and most of them suffered from starvation and wounds inflicted by both Burmese military and Thai police. Suthep Thaugsuban, the Thai deputy prime minister, said on Wednesday that Rohingya arriving in Thailand by boat will be deported to Myanmar where “they come from”.
“Thailand has no intention of opening any refugee camp,” says Suthep, who is also in charge of Thailands national security. An estimated 800,000 Rohingya, a stateless Muslim ethnic community from Arakan state in Myanmar’s northwest, claim persecution by the military government and have fled to neighboring countries in the region. Last month, the Thai military admitted towing hundreds of Rohingya migrants far out to sea before abandoning them, but insisted they had food and water. The Thai government also denied reports that the engines were removed from the boats that were sent adrift.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 230,000 Rohingya now live a precarious, stateless existence in Bangladesh, having fled decades of abuse and harassment at the hands of Myanmar’s military rulers. The Rohingya people are still struggling for a place in this world that they can call their home.
by Alex Marshall (International School Bangkok)
Tags: east_asia
Replies to This Article
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Permalink Reply by ISBangkok on -
Hey Alex, This was definitely a well written article which provides unheard news and issues to the public. Very insightful and knowledgeable article. I hope to see your articles in the future.
C-fam
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Permalink Reply by Ted Gilman on -
Well written article, keep it up, it was very cool
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