BANGKOK (AlertNet) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling on Thailand to reveal the whereabouts of 92 ethnic Rohingyas from western Myanmar who arrived ashore on Thursday, Phuket Wan reported.
Rights groups say the Rohingyas, a Muslim minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, face some of the worst discrimination in the world, suffering abuses and deprived of free movement, education and employment under the country's military junta. They are also denied Myanmar citizenship.
The Rohingyas were last seen being trucked to an unknown destination after wading ashore near the port of Kuraburi, north of the resort island of Phuket, on Thursday. Locals were told they were headed for an army base, the report added.
“We are concerned by these reports and we would like the Government to clearly explain where these people are and what they plan to do with them,” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of HRW told Phuket Wan.
He said the absence of information from the Thai government was cause for “very serious concern.”
The plight of the Rohingyas came to light two years ago when Thailand's military was accused of towing 992 Rohingyas to sea before abandoning them to their fate with little food or water in boats without engines.
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