The shadow of a Thai soldier next to a corpse in Yala province. Some 300 unmarked graves found two months ago in Thailand's restive south appear to hold bodies of slain migrant workers from neighboring Cambodia and Myanmar, Thai authorities said(AFP/File/Muhammad Sabri)BANGKOK (AFP) - Some 300 unmarked graves found two months ago in Thailand's restive south appear to hold bodies of slain migrant workers from neighboring Cambodia and Myanmar, Thai authorities said.
Most of the bodies were found in late March in Pattani, one of three insurgency-hit provinces in southern Thailand. They were buried in unmarked graves at cemeteries for the region's ethnic Chinese community, the Central Institute of Forensic Science said.
About 30 bodies were found in Narathiwat province, and a few others in Yala.
"Police believe they were illegal immigrant workers from Cambodia and Myanmar, and 80 percent of them were killed," the center's deputy head Pornthip Rojanasunand told AFP.
"We still don't yet know whether they were victims of the southern unrest."
But Pornthip said the finding has raised new concerns about human rights abuses in the region where 1,200 people have died in two years of unrest.
"Normally unidentified bodies must be well cared for, but Thailand lacks a system to treat them properly," she said.
The Thailand government has yet to approve funding to begin the process of identifying the bodies.
"Hopefully we can start to exhume the bodies and start to identify them. The process would take several months to complete," Pornthip said.
Most victims of the unrest in the Muslim-majority provinces along the southern border have been civilians.
The region was an independent sultanate until Thailand annexed it a century ago. Separatist violence has simmered ever since, with the latest insurgency erupting in January 2004.
Most of the bodies were found in late March in Pattani, one of three insurgency-hit provinces in southern Thailand. They were buried in unmarked graves at cemeteries for the region's ethnic Chinese community, the Central Institute of Forensic Science said.
About 30 bodies were found in Narathiwat province, and a few others in Yala.
"Police believe they were illegal immigrant workers from Cambodia and Myanmar, and 80 percent of them were killed," the center's deputy head Pornthip Rojanasunand told AFP.
"We still don't yet know whether they were victims of the southern unrest."
But Pornthip said the finding has raised new concerns about human rights abuses in the region where 1,200 people have died in two years of unrest.
"Normally unidentified bodies must be well cared for, but Thailand lacks a system to treat them properly," she said.
The Thailand government has yet to approve funding to begin the process of identifying the bodies.
"Hopefully we can start to exhume the bodies and start to identify them. The process would take several months to complete," Pornthip said.
Most victims of the unrest in the Muslim-majority provinces along the southern border have been civilians.
The region was an independent sultanate until Thailand annexed it a century ago. Separatist violence has simmered ever since, with the latest insurgency erupting in January 2004.
6 comments:
This article reminds me of the Thai killing of Cambodians staying in Khao-I-Dang refugee camp. The Thai soldiers killed the Cambodian victims in broad daylight while the people watched. The way the Thai soldiers killed the Cambodians was that they stepped with their soldier boots on the throats of the Cambodian victims until the victims died. Then they buried the bodies in the shallow graves where the Cambdodian victims were killed. Those bodies of the Cambodian victims in those graves at Khao-I-Dang former refugee camp need to be dug up and given proper burial ceremony so that their souls can rest in peace.
Cambodians should have a day of hatred against Ah Siem always. They occupy our ancestral land and still act barbariously as the day our ancestors carved them savage people on the great Angkor Wat gallery.
No to be negative on Cambodian neighbor. It is hard to find a perfect notion. But being a refugee, I never can forgive Thai government nor the King. Its economy grows from tourisms who enjoy drug, prostitutes, thieves, killing Khmer innocient. This nation is a garbage society. I have no respect to its kingdom...
I do hate tHAiS THEESE PEOPE ARE THE MOST ARROGANT PEOPLE ON earth I HAVE MET, ESP, TO ITS NEIGHBORS.
they seem have no moralility, civilization. They say that Cambodias or Burma are doing every thing with blood. But i see that these people they see everything with blodsheding, hatred, iggnorance,imorality in their hearts and minds.
But they are so sweet to the western and the western are so easily stupidly cheated by those arrogant thais. They never know the real bitter hearts, poisionous, and arrogant minds of the thais.
They will pay back soon...beleive me.
The Thai is nothing than an enemy of the Cambodian people! The Thai will be sourrounded by all enemy in all directions! To the south of Thailand is the Muslim! To the North is the Burmese! and to the East is Cambodian! The time will come when every Thai will have no room to manuever and no room to breath beacause the Thai enemy is everywhere! It is time to dismantle the Thai piece by piece! It is time to export all the bad and the ugliness back to the Thai!
Make sure are poeple know that crossing a boder or someone else's country is just like we are breaking into someone else's home.
We don't have any right. Nop,not at all. becareful out there!
Thai polices mean business! That is their jobs to defend their country.
Teach our own polices to do the same. Don't get mad get even!
but, please ..what are those police's stations are for? Take those strangers to the station, ask question. what country are they from? and why are they here?
Those thai police had no right to
step on anybody's troat until they are we death. Those aren't smart polices!
Give our governemt a call. We'll take our poeple back and our government,please take it easy on our poor and innocent poeple. Their family may be dying of having nothing to eat!. or..call the red cross and will deal with it. We are all human. Please remember that.
KI,you're the greatest!!!
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