Bangkok: The Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) on Thursday urged Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who is on an official visit to Thailand, to recognise the Muslim minority Rohingyas as Myanmarese nationals.
CRSP members read out a statement addressed to Suu Kyi at the Thai Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok under police vigilance as journalists were prevented from posing questions.
“I was about to cancel my appearance here. Lots of obstacles were put up, but finally we could hold the conference, even though reporters were not allowed to ask questions,” Puttanee Kangkun, the spokesperson for the non-profit Fortify Rights, who attended the event, told EFE news.
The statement also called upon Suu Kyi, who formally occupies the post of foreign minister and state adviser, to revoke the 1982 citizenship law, which struck off Muslim minority group Rohingyas from the list of ethnic minorities.
Suu Kyi arrived in Thailand on Thursday on a three-day visit, during which she will address the issue of immigrants and refugees from her country.
On Friday, Suu Kyi will meet with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, a former military officer who grabbed power in a 2014 coup.
However, the condition of the Rohingyas refugees in Thailand is not expected to feature in the discussions.
To escape discrimination and in search of better opportunities, many Rohingyas undertake dangerous sea voyages, aided by human traffickers, towards Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.