Two Rohingyas that were being held in an overcrowded Thai immigration detention centre with about 300 people died recently. The men that had been packed into holding area so small they couldn’t move, died after being transferred to Hadjai Hospital from Sadao Immigration detention center (IDC).
“The two Rohingya - Mhamad Rafique, 18; son of Dill Mohamad, hailed from Myo Thugyi (Kanda Para ) village of Maungdaw Township, and Mohamad Salim, 18; son of Abdul Gani, hailed from Thakeh Byin (Sakkipara) of Sittwe (Akyab) were taken to the hospital after their condition became serious. They died the same day,” said Maung Kyaw Nu, President of Burmese Rohingya Association in Thailand (BRAT).
Already 5 people at the Sadao IDC have already died. An additional 5 detainees “need urgent medical treatment” according to findings by Dr Arfin of the Thai Muslim Medical Association, the BRAT president said. The majority of the detainees were arrested when they boat they were travelling in was intercepted in Thai waters.
“Dr. Arfin met with the Governor of Songkhla to request that the detainees are transfered to a better place as the conditions in a detention center were inhumane.”
Anantachai Thaipratan, a volunteer doctor, told the Puketwan online news that “they can’t move” or “get any exercise” and “losing the use of their limbs”. If the overcrowding continues there could “be more deaths'', said the doctor.
Many Rohingyas and local Muslims attended the funeral for Mhamad Rafique and Dill Mohamad at the Pakistani Jame Mosque of Hadjai last week.
