BANGKOK: Thailand's navy denied yesterday a report that its personnel were involved in a lucrative smuggling and trafficking network that exploits minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution and dire living conditions in Myanmar.
The investigation, citing people smugglers and Rohingyas who made the journey, found that Thai naval security forces were involved in the smuggling of Rohingya Muslims. They have fled Myanmar in sharply growing numbers over the last year following outbreaks of religious violence at home.
The smuggling network, centred on the west coast of southern Thailand, transports thousands of Rohingya mainly into neighbouring Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country the Rohingya view as a haven from persecution.
"There is no truth to the allegations," Wipan Chamachote, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Navy, said. "We've found no indication of abuse by our staff in regards to Rohingya that enter the country, nor has there been any financial transaction for the purposes of human trafficking."
He added it was possible those interviewed mistakenly identified the navy, but said he was not implying that other Thai security forces were involved in the smuggling.
In addition to the Royal Thai Navy, the coastal seas are patrolled by the Thai Marine Police and by militias under the control of military commanders.
Yesterday, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ordered the Labour Ministry to crack down on those involved in human trafficking, but made no reference to the allegations made against the navy.
"What Reuters found should prompt Prime Minister Yingluck to order a serious investigation into these allegations," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
"But to date, they have resulted in low-level investigations that seemed more oriented to covering things up than getting to the bottom of the situation."
Reuters
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/20/thai-navy-denies-rohingya-smuggling-peninsula-on/
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