ARAKAN ROHINGYA NATIONAL ORGANISATION
ARAKAN, BURMA
Press Release
(26 January 2011)
Our attention has been drawn to the case of the 158 distressed Rohingya boat people, who have been arrested by Thai police, on 22 and 24 January 2011, after arriving on the shore of southern Thailand with boat engine troubles.
Due to continued persecution and crimes against humanity perpetrated against them by the Burmese military regime the outflows of Rohingyas from their homeland of Arakan into Bangladesh and other countries is a regular phenomenon over the decades. Also during recent years the world has had witnessed how the persecuted Rohingyas become desperate to make their ways, for safe shelter and protection, to Southeast Asian countries in particular, risking their lives through turbulent seas and oceans in rickety boats. Many of them were drowned or perished and eventually ended up in jails in some countries.
Due to sub-human condition with no life and property security, the 158 boat people have left their ancestral homeland in search of shelters and protection, and as such they deserve full sympathy, help and protection from the people and Government of Thailand. They should not be sent back to Burma under military or dictatorship rule. Push back to Burma or push out to the sea is not a solution. We, however, appreciate that the Thai authorities are providing them basic humanitarian assistance with food and water.
Meanwhile, the Rohingya problem, including their recurrent boat people crisis, which has regional and international perspectives, warrants immediate international and regional solution, where the KEY ROLE of the ASEAN is crucial.
We call upon the Government of Thailand not to push back the boat people and treat them humanely on humanitarian grounds. We also urge upon the international community, UN, OIC, EU, ASEAN, USA, UK, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and concerned governments to find out a permanent solution of the Rohingya problem.
For details, please contact:
Nurul Islam: +44-7947854652
AFK Jilani: +880-1674811079
Email: info@rohingya.org
Website: www.rohingya.org