Published on 28 Apr 2014 | Rohingya: The Desperate plight of the Rohingya people forced out of Burma.
Thousands of Rohingya have been forced to flee violence, driven by an extreme Buddhist ideology in Burma. On route to Malaysia, many fall prey to unscrupulous human smugglers, and face slave labour in Thailand.
"Sixty Bath? He not have money...", fears Durman, whose Rohingya relative is being kept captive in the jungle, on one of Thailand's paradise islands. The sixty thousand Baht, or two thousand dollar bail, is an impossible obstacle to freedom. The road to democracy in Burma has been beset by explosive ethnic conflicts. In 2012, Buddhist fundamentalist's torched houses belonging to Rohingyas. Now many flee in unseaworthy boats to Malaysia, a Muslim country quietly accepting them. Mohammad, who escaped one of the prison camps, describes the "torture" which he was subjected to for months. The human trade is allegedly conducted with the assistance of the police and military. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Police Major General admits he's heard reports of officials getting involved: "I have seriously investigated this issue. But I still do not have any evidence yet". Chutima, a journalist investigating the extent of human trafficking, and the involvement of Thai police and military, is heartbroken. "It's worse and worse, day by day. Nobody cares". Produce by : Folke Ryden
