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Dissident Burmese students, despite UNHCR's protection, handed over
to
junta's Military Intelligence On 28 February, five students were taken from Immigration Detention
Center
(IDC) and sent back to Mae Sot. They arrived in Mae Sot on the 29th. On March 1st they were handed over to the junta's military intelligence officers on the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge over the Moei River between Mae Sot and Myawaddy. Those handed over: 1. Tin Win NI-1984 Person of Concern
(POC)
2. Nay Aung NI-11735 Under consideration 3. Freddie @ Khin San NI-10994 Under consideration 4. Htun Htun NI-12336 Under consideration 5. Saw Tin Oo NI-9477 Under consideration Although some of these students are POC and the rest are
under
consideration by UNHCR, UNHCR did nothing whatsoever to prevent the forced deportation. UNHCR has an office in Mae Sot and a protection officer assigned there. The UNHCR's Protection Department Office in Mae Sot failed to offer the students any protection against the Thai authorities' action in handing them over to Burmese military intelligence. According to other sources of information, the students were taken under interrogation by MI-14. On 28th March, more students were sent to Mae Sot. In the afternoon
they
were on the Friendship Bridge as Thai authorities talked with Burmese military authorities. The fate of these students is still unknown. The second group included: 1. Aung Khaing NI-12232
2. Zaw Naing NI-11577 3. Htun Lin Htein NI-6235 POC 4. Ko Htun NI-9608 5. Than Zaw NI-8837 6. Maung Maung Teik NI-8113 7. Ko Lat NI-5937 According to reliable sources, UNHCR again failed to offer these
students
any protection whatsoever. Indeed, no UNHCR personnel were present. There are many more Burmese students in IDC who are very likely to
be
transferred under this latest Thai policy. BRC–USA could identify the following people as extremely vulnerable: 1. Htun Aung NI-10479
2. Thein Hlaing NI-8787 POC 3. Ko Lay NI-12335 4. Nyo Thaung NI-11418 5. Htay Lwin Soe NI-10358 6. Sein Htay NI-8633 7. Yin Than NI-10408 8. Nan Sway Paw Gay aka Ma Nge NI-8941 9. Paw Mu San NI-12321 10. Khin Maung Htun NI-12420 11. Aung Aung NI-5626 12. Nay Win Aung No NI Background
Several months ago, Thai authorities has started their crack-down
on
illegal Burmese in Thailand. In the past a couple of months, the arrests and deportation of illegal workers has been eased up. But the actions against dissident Burmese students has been escalated under the economic pressure from Burma's Junta. In the past twelve years many dissident Burmese who left Burma and
the
Thai-Burma Border sought refugee status for many different reasons. During the process of UNHCR's acceptance as refugees ( Person of Concern status), they had to stay either in Bangkok or nearby provinces where the cost of living is low. As they have experienced sporadic crack-downs by Thai authorities, they tried to survive either by hiding or moving from one place to another. Some of them took refuge in the Safe Area in Ratchburi before they were officially admitted to Burmese Students' Center (Safe Area). Their lives were miserable then but the present situation is far worst for them. Even a person is recognized by UNHCR as a refugee is not free from risk of being arrested by Thai authorities. The Thai Ministry of Interior always gives an excuse that Thailand has never signed the 1951 Refugee Convention. That is the way "Land of Smiles" has been treating refugees for years. After the Burmese Embassy was taken over by Vigorous Burmese Student
Army
(VBSW), illegal Burmese workers and dissident Burmese were hunted down by Thai authorities. The Safe Area was heavily guarded by Militia, Police and Army. Illegal residents in the Safe Area became vulnerable again. Those seeking refugee status were not safe in other places either. They all waiting in fear of arrest while hiding in different places. After the Ratchburi Hospital raid by God Army, the residents in the
safe
area were blamed for that plot. Many more students were arrested and the Thai crack-down worsened yet again. Many students have been arrested and deported to the border. In the meantime, Thai authorities changed their policy against
the
dissident Burmese. The new policy is made even worse because of the junta's sustained pressure against Thailand. To appease the Burmese, Thai authorities have begun handing Burmese dissident students directly over to the junta's military intelligence officers. Although some of these students are POC and the rest are
under
consideration of UNHCR, UNHCR did not do anything to prevent their forced deportation. UNHCR's Protection Department Office in Mae Sot did not offer any protection against the Thai authorities actions. This forcible repatriation of extremely vulnerable political refugees is
a
clear violation of International Law. It is also a shameful injustice. That this is being done by country governed by a democratically-elected, civilian government makes it a Thai tragedy. That it is happening without UNHCR intervention makes a mockery of the mandate of that international body, which has so often failed Burmese refugees for whom it shows little concern. |