ROHINGYA BOAT PEOPLE: THAI GOVERNMENT MEETS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 000233


DEPT FOR PRM/ENA, PRM/A, EAP/MLS, G/TIP
GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2024
TAGS: PREF PHUM KTIP SMIG TH BM
SUBJECT: ROHINGYA BOAT PEOPLE: THAI GOVERNMENT MEETS
UNHCR, ACCESS MULLED

REF: BANGKOK 165


Classified By: DCM James F. Entwistle, Reasons 1.4 (B+D)


1. (C/NF) Summary: On January 29th, UNHCR Regional
Representative Raymond Hall met with FM Kasit in a meeting
Hall described to us as "positive overall." The encounter,
heavily covered by local media, was the first direct meeting
by UNHCR with Thai officials on the Rohingyas issue. After
hearing UNHCR concerns regarding the reported abuse of
Rohiyngas boat people by Thai security forces, FM Kasit
responded by promising a "full investigation" and emphasizing
the regional dimension of any comprehensive solution to the
Rohingyas migrant issue. Our own discussions with local
military commanders and villagers suggests that the pushback
policy initiative may have been taken by the local ISOC Army
Colonel in command and carried out by adhoc civilian groups
comprised of local island fishing villagers and unidentified
deep sea fishing trawlers. UNHCR has not yet gained access
to the latest batch of Rohingyas detained in Ranong, pending
a decision by the RTG interagency process.


2. (C) Comment: It was not clear to Hall from FM Kasit's
description if this proposed regional consultation, clearly
in the early mulling-over stages, would be under the ASEAN
banner or any other existing regional grouping. Kasit
suggested that UNHCR might co-chair a "regional consultation"
that would include India, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, and
Thailand. UNHCR will engage Kasit on the Rohingyas boat
people issue again February 2 in Geneva, where Kasit will
meet with High Commissioner Antonio Guterres. End Summary
and Comment.

Thai FM and UNHCR regional rep meet
--------------


3. (C/NF) In his January 29 meeting with UNHCR Regional rep
Raymond Hall, FM Kasit promised a "full investigation" into
the alleged mistreatment of Rohingya but did not provide a
detailed explanation of what occurred during the reported
push-outs to sea, pending the investigation, Hall told us
afterwards. Kasit indicated MFA support for UNHCR's immediate
request to meet with 78 Rohingyas boat people brought to the
southern port of Ranong on January 28th, but suggested the
Royal Thai Army had reservations, and some time might be
required to reach a formal RTG position. An interagency
committee met on the afternoon of January 29 to discuss the
issue, with results not known as of COB.

UNHCR's preferred way forward
--------------


4. (C/NF) UNHCR's Hall suggested to FM Kasit that a
multi-lateral regional approach to the Burmese regime would
be needed to stabilize UNHCR's "political space" to operate
in Northern Rakhine State, the origin of the Rohingyas boat
people. UNHCR's 16-year presence there, recently weakened by
Burmese authorities, is needed to ensure Hall's preferred
solution to the issue: voluntary return of Rohingyas to Burma
under conditions of safety. In UNHCR's view, such a return
would have to occur under two basic conditions: a Burmese
commitment to no punishment for the Rohingyas' departure, and
commitment to the right for returnees to be reinstated in
local family lists, a necessary step for legal presence.
Without a continued (and unfettered) UNHCR monitoring
presence in Northern Rakhine State, Hall believed a voluntary
return would be impossible, as the Rohingyas would not trust
Burmese government guarantees on the two fundamental
conditions.

UNHCR seeking access in Ranong to latest batch
-------------- -


5. (C/NF) UNHCR's deputy regional representative arrived in
Ranong on January 28 seeking access to the latest detainees;
local immigration police told him to wait for the Bangkok
decision. Access to the group would be an important
precedent for a continued UNHCR role in future boat arrivals,
which are expected until the advent of the monsoon in
May/June. UNHCR told us that they do not propose to conduct
comprehensive refugee status determinations of arriving
Rohingyas, but limited interviews to determine nationality
and protection needs. The adults in the latest group of
arrivals (66 total) have been sentenced to five days
imprisonment and deportation to Burma on February 3rd. They
are currently in a Ranong jail, while 12 minors who also
arrived via boat are detained in the Ranong immigration
detention center. Several people who received medical
treatment for exposure have been released from the hospital.

Actors in the Rohingya landings/pushbacks
--------------


6. (SBU) The Rohingya issue has received widespread
publicity in recent weeks; media reports have referenced a
range of Thai security forces as allegedly involved in the
Rohingya maritime pushback. RefCoord visited the Ranong area
and engaged both military commanders and local villagers
(reftel). The discussion with villagers who admitted
participating in Rohingya-related activities suggests two
loosely defined civilian groupings of unpaid volunteers were
involved in the mistreatment of the Ronhingya.

-- The first group was identified as a Villager Security Unit
(in Thai: Chut Raksaa Kwamplodpai Muu Baan). This group of
unpaid volunteers numbered approximately thirty people on Koh
Payam. These volunteer units are found primarily in remote
areas of Thailand where there is limited police or military
presence. These volunteers are organized under the Ministry
of Interior and are supervised by the local district chief.
Their primary responsibility is to guard villages and other
facilities.

-- Many members of the Village Security Unit in Ranong were
also members of Thai Volunteers for Protection of the Nation
(in Thai: Thai Assyai Ponggan Chaat). These are also unpaid
volunteers; there were 111 members in the Ranong area. The
local Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) reportedly
provided five weapons and three days of semi-annual training
to these volunteers.


7. (SBU) Both the Village Security Unit and the Thai
Volunteers for Protection of the Nation were involved in the
response to the Rohingyas landings in and around Ranong,
based on their own admissions. The leaders of the groups
told RefCoord that reimbursement for their expenses involved
in dealing with the Rohingyas (providing food and water while
detained on the beach, repairing boats) had become a
sensitive issue; they complained that ISOC only partially
defrayed expenses.

JOHN