THAILAND: Rohingya teenagers “in good condition” (IRIN NEWS)
BANGKOK, 29 January 2009 (IRIN) – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) was granted full access late on 29 January to 12 teenage Rohingya boys who washed ashore in Thailand earlier this week.
“This is a step forward,” Kitty McKinsey, a spokeswoman for UNHCR, told IRIN regarding the meetings, which were held at the Ranong immigration centre in the presence of Thai immigration officials.
“We wanted to know who they were, where they were from, and what their protection needs were,” she said.
The boys, ranging in age from 14 to 17, were in good condition and spirits and felt comfortable in freely answering questions, she said.
Part of a larger group of 78 Rohingya boat people, they were intercepted off the coast by the Thai Royal Navy on 27 January after fleeing their native Myanmar.
UNHCR is working closely with Thai authorities to gain access to the remaining 66 Rohingya men being detained for illegally entering Thailand and now facing deportation.
“In principle, we have an agreement to get access to them as well and we are working out the details on this,” the UNHCR official said.
“We will be holding discussions with the Thai government before deciding what to do next,” McKinsey said, adding: “We are getting good cooperation from the Thai authorities.”
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