Prime Minister Thaksin told us he would be paying more attention to human rights in his second term. So why are the Burmese refugees of concern to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees being rounded up?
There are just 3,000 of them living in an urban area of 10 million people.
It is better to have them try to earn a living before being resettled in a third country than have them languishing in border camps. These people have been designated as persons of concern by the UN because there is real cause to fear for their safety if they are returned to Burma or hunted down by Burmese agents.
Most of these people will be accepted by third countries for resettlement. They are mostly young and educated. We should do a favour for the future of Burma. Thailand in the past has been known for its tolerance and humanitarian generosity.
And why is the Foreign Ministry taking such a high profile on this issue? It should be left to the Interior Ministry to explain any constraints the Thai government may feel it has on this matter.
Please do not try to build a reputation on the backs of the suffering of others. In doing so, the reputation of the whole country will be tarnished in the eyes of the world.