By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh– India and Bangladeshi officials are cooperating to repatriate illegal migrants, also known as “boatpeople,” that made unsuccessful attempts to migrate to Thailand by sea. In the past two years, Thai officials have detained more than 5,000 boatpeople.

Allegations of the Thai navy of sending the boatpeople out into the high seas in boats without engines and with little or no food have caught international attention. In response, the Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has said reports of abandonment at sea are “exaggerated” but promised an investigation team to probe the allegations.

Indian coastguards have rescued more than 300 boatpeople near Andaman Islands, and the Indonesian coastguard has rescued more than 200 more. Survivors say that over 500 migrants are still missing.

Some of the boatpeople are originally from Bangladesh. Many of the refugees are Rohingya Muslims originally from Arakan province in Burma. The Rohingya people face persecution and discrimination in Burma. Many of these illegal migrants seek work in Thailand and Malaysia.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yeakub Ali said the Bangladeshi government is taking measures to repatriate the Burmese nationals that have been rescued out at sea. However, Bangladesh is more reluctant to accept Rohingya refugees. About 200,000 Rohingyas live in refugee camps in Southern Bangladeshand many have acquired Bangladesh citizenship.

Meanwhile the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is demanding for the release of 126 Rohingya Muslims that are still in Thai custody. Earlier this week the Thai government denied UNHCR access to the detainees.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Bangladesh Accepts 57 Boat People – 22 January 2009

Economist – Thailand’s Burmese People Cast Adrift – 22 January 2009

IW – Thailand Mistreats Illegal Immigrants – 15 January 2009

Xinhua – Bangladesh to Bring Home Nationals Rescued in Indian Sea Coast – 30 December 2008–