By THE IRRAWADDY
The United States Ambassador to Thailand has urged the Thai government to not forcibly repatriate Rohingya boat people to Burma without guarantees of their safety. The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic minority who live in Burma.
"Without improvements in their treatment in northern Rakhine (Arakan) State, and verifiable guarantees by authorities that they won’t be punished for departing, the United States strictly opposes the forced repatriation of the Rohingya into the hands of Burmese officials," said Ambassador Eric John in an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy.
The plight of refugees embarking in open boats from Burmese shores in the hopes of reaching southern Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia has garnered attention since Thailand's navy was accused last month of towing hundreds of Rohingya refugees back out to sea in poorly-equipped boats with scant food and water.
According to the Washington DC-based Refugees International, Rohingyas can not freely move from village to village, are often victims of rape and torture, are subjected to forced labor, land confiscation, extortion, and their men and women are banned from getting married.
According to Thailand's foreign ministry, Burma will allow Rohingya refugees back into the country if they can prove that they are Bengali, using the descriptive term the Burmese government calls Rohingya.
The agreement was reached in side talks between the Thai and Burmese foreign ministers during the 14th Asean Summit, held in Thailand over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Foreign Minister Rais Yatim also has called on Burma to assure its neighbors that Rohingyas will not be persecuted if they're returned home.
About 20,000 Rohingya migrants are now in Thailand.
Ambassador John said that the US was encouraged by the reports that Thailand and Indonesia discussed the issue of Rohingya refugees at the Asean summit, as well as plans to discuss a regional approach at the Bali Process forum to be held in Indonesia in April.
On other issues, the US ambassador also urged the Thai government to improve its customs regulations to create a better investment climate in the country.
"One of the biggest obstacles to foreign investment in Thailand, and not just for American businesses, is its archaic customs laws, which have been on the books for 80 years now. To remain competitive in the region, it is crucial that Thailand modernize its customs legislation."
Last month, John said the US has not revoked a visa for Thailand's fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinnawatra. Thaksin is living abroad after fleeing into exile twice following his ouster as prime minister in 2006. He was convicted of corruption in absentia and sentenced to two years in prison.
But the relationship between Thailand and the US remains "solid," Ambassador John told The Irrawaddy. "The core values at the bedrock of our longstanding friendship remain unfettered: Thais and Americans alike hold close the idea of democracy and political liberty."
The full interview with Ambassador John can be found on The Irrawaddy Web site on Friday.
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