01/02/2013
Since Christmas, 683 Rohingya refugees from Burma were discovered in Thailand and Malaysia
Discrimination of the Muslim minority is a threat to Burma’s democratization process:
A total number of 683 Rohingya refugees from Burma were discovered in Thailand and Malaysia since Christmas. "The continued exodus of members of this minority clearly shows that Muslims in Burma are still becoming victims of human rights violations," criticized the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) in Göttingen on Wednesday. The human rights organization demands more international pressure on Burma to put an end to the discrimination of the Rohingya. "If the democratization-process in Burma is not to be put at risk, the Rohingya-issue must be resolved in 2013," said the STP’s expert on questions regarding Asia, Ulrich Delius in Göttingen on Wednesday.
On New Years Day, a ten-foot-long boat with 74 Rohingya refugees landed near the holiday beaches in Pukhet, Thailand. The 40 men, 20 children and 14 women were on their way to Malaysia and had lost course. The asylum seekers were arrested. They are threatened by being deported to Burma. On New Years Eve, 482 Rohingya refugees had been arrested on Teluk Burau beach in Malaysia. One of the refugees died during the evacuation of the boat. Another 127 Rohingya refugees were arrested on Christmas Eve at border checkpoints in southern Thailand, after they had tried to escape to Malaysia by surface. According to official information, 2,817 Rohingya were discovered in Thailand during October and November of 2012.
"The continued exodus of Rohingya people is problem for Burma’s neighboring countries," said Delius. "That's why they are working together with the Muslim countries in the United Nations to try and find a permanent solution for the Rohingya issue. On Christmas Eve, the General Assembly of the United Nations settled on a resolution demanding that Burma must respect the human rights of the Rohingya and try to clarify their citizenship. Until today, Burma refuses to accept members of the Muslim minority as citizens.
"The mass exodus will continue as long as Burma denies the Rohingya’s citizenship and as long as they must fear for their lives", warned Delius. "Also, the situation in the refugee camps in Burma must be improved urgently. 115,000 Rohingya and also a number of Buddhist Rakhine are currently accommodated in camps. "Many camps are lacking even the basic necessities. There are almost no schools for the children at all. The Rohingya are discriminated even as refugees: Unlike the Rakhine, they are mostly not even allowed to leave the camps. Tens of thousands of Rohingya and Rakhine had sought shelter in the camps after serious confrontations between Buddhists and Muslims in June and October of 2012.
