on the Situation of Burmese Refugees in Thailand

6th February 2009

Arakan Rohingya National Organisation welcomes the European Parliament resolution of 5th February 2009 on the situation of Burmese refugees in Thailand. We also fully support the Media Release from Mr. Glenys Kinnock MEP, who led the European Parliament call for Thailand not to send Rohingya refugees back to Burma to face repression and torture.

In a Parliamentary resolution voted on 5th February, EU MPs also urged Thailand to ensure the refugees were treated according to humanitarian standards. They call on the Thai government to investigate a thorough and impartial enquiry into allegations of mistreatment of the Rohingya by the Thai military and to give the UN High Commissioner for Refugees immediate access to determine their needs. In addition the MPs condemned the Burmese regime for their continuous persecution of the ethnic group. They demanded the junta to restore the Burmese citizenship of the Rohingya, lift the restrictions on their right to education, right to get married, freedom of movement and to cease human rights violations across the country.