Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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January 28, 2009

Burmese Boat People Arrive in Thailand Bearing Scars of Abuse, Expect Deportation
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Despite prohibition on deporting those who would face torture,
authorities indicate group of Rohingya will be sent back to Burma 
Picture taken late 2008 shows of a group of refugees on the Thai island
of Koh Sai Baed guarded by the Thai army More boat people from Burma
have arrived in Thailand with stories of abuse, this time allegedly
commited by the Burmese military. Despite a prohibition on deporting
those who would face torture, Thai authorities have indicated the group
of Rohingya, a Muslim minority, will be sent back to Burma. Thai police
say 78 boat people are in custody after washing ashore Tuesday in
southern Thailand. 

Refugees say they were beaten by Burmese navy, then released The
Rohingya minorities told police and Thai media they traveled from Burma
but were stopped by the Burmese navy, beaten, and then later released.
Burmese authorites have not commented. Thai media showed images of men
with severe scars and lacerations on their backs being treated by Thai
nurses.

Thai foreign ministry does not believe persecution claim Despite the
evidence of abuse, the Thai foreign ministry issued a statement saying
there were no "reasonable grounds" to believe the Rohingya were fleeing
Burma for fear of being persecuted - an indication that they would be
sent back to Burma. Kitty Mc Kinsey is Asia spokeswoman for the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees."I would just point out that,
under the convention against torture, which Thailand has signed,
Thailand is prohibited from forcibly returning anyone to a country where
they would face torture," she said. When asked whether the boat people
would likely be tortured if returned to Burma, Mc Kinsey said Burma's
human rights record was well-known.

Thailand denies mistreating Rohingya Earlier this month the Thai
military was accused of abusing Rohingya and towing their boats out to
sea where hundreds were left for dead. The Thai government denied the
mistreatment, but later said it would investigate. The U.N. refugee
agency had sought access to 126 Rohingya in Thai military custody but
the request was ignored. The military then deported the Rohingya, with
some reports saying they were towed back out to sea. Mc Kinsey says one
welcome sign is the police and courts are handling the 78 boat people
now in custody rather than the military."If Thailand truly feels that
they are illegal immigrants then they should be handled through the
immigration channels and they should certainly not be pushed back to sea
by the military," she said. The Rohingya have been fleeing Burma by the
hundreds for years, many of them headed for Malaysia to find work but
ending up in Thailand. Bangkok says about 20,000 are in Thailand
illegally, creating security problems and taking jobs from Thais.


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