Mass Rohingya grave uncovered in Malaysia
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Bodies of almost 100 migrants found in area close to border, where camps were 'years old.'
MALAYSIAN authorities yesterday confirmed the “shocking” find of a mass Rohingya grave inside its territory near the border with Thailand, as nations stepped up efforts to stamp out human trafficking.
Meanwhile, Myanmar will help Thai authorities arrest a key member of a major cross-border Rohingya trafficking ring still at large in its territory after a tip-off by the captain and crew of a vessel rescued by its navy.
Malaysia’s The Star newspaper reported from Kajang that the country’s Home Ministry had admitted a mass grave had been unearthed near 17 detention camps in Padang Besar.
The camps had been there for a long time – “Maybe even five years. I am shocked,” Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
The grave and camps in Wang Kelian and several small villages near the border town of Padang Besar were discovered |by VAT69 and General Operations |Force (GOF) officers last week.
The camps were abandoned when officers got there.
“The inspector-general of police and his deputy are there now for the identification and verification process,” Ahmad Zahid said.
“One grave maybe has three, four bodies. But we don’t know how many there are. We are probably going to find more bodies.”
He said the public would be updated as soon as fresh information was available.
Ahmad Zahid added that the discovery left little doubt that Malaysians were involved.
“Malaysia as a government is not involved – but Malaysians, yes. I recognise that as a fact. But you know, in Mexico and the United States, they have more intelligence and state-of-the-art border security but there is still human trafficking happening there,” he told reporters at the Kajang Prison during the ministry’s Family Day celebration.
Earlier, it was reported that the mass grave was believed to contain the bodies of nearly 100 Rohingya migrants.
According to sources, police commando and forensic teams from Bukit Aman arrived at the scene on Friday evening.
Several police forensic four-wheel drive vehicles were seen driving back from the border town of Padang Besar.
Meanwhile, Thai officials alleged the suspected smuggling mastermind still at large was Nuttapat Saengthong, or “Ko Mik”, the younger brother of Suwan Saengthong, or “Ko Nui”.
Suwan earlier turned himself in to police in Ranong.
‘Mastermind’ in hiding
Thai sources in Ranong, which borders with Myanmar, said Nuttapat held dual Thai-Myanmar citizenship and was currently hiding in Myanmar with his wife.
He is believed to still run the ring trafficking Rohingya out of Thailand.
On May 21, Myanmar’s navy rescued a group of 208 Bangladeshi and Rohingya people abroad a modified fishing vessel in its waters. The captain and crew said Nuttapat was the owner and ringleader.
As a result, Myanmar authorities ordered his arrest and are working with Thai authorities to crack down on human trafficking rings involved in smuggling Rohingya across territorial waters.
At this stage, Thai officials have identified 10 people allegedly involved in the smuggling ring allegedly led by Nuttapat.
They have reportedly uncovered evidence showing a money trail in which properties and other assets were transferred and cross-owned by various family members who are unusually rich. Assets worth over Bt100 million have been confiscated by anti-money laundering authorities.
Previously, Thai authorities alerted Myanmar officials about only two suspects wanted under arrest warrants. Those suspects, Suwan and Piyawat Pongthai, turned themselves in to Thai police.
Along with Nuttapat, another six suspects are believed to have slipped into Myanmar and are in hiding.
Pol General Ake Angsananont, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Police, said the authorities were confident they could now stamp out Rohingya smuggling activities nationwide after issuing arrest warrants for 77 suspects, with 46 in police custody and the rest still at large.
He said the suspects faced the serious charge of cross-border human trafficking, in addition to other charges, as officers were “closing loopholes” in places where villagers had been asked to help officials eradicate human trafficking, especially Songkhla, Satun and Ranong provinces.
