The Rakhine National Network has called on Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to reexamine the Koh Tao murders case to find the real culprits and seek greater cooperation between Thailand, Myanmar and Britain in the conduct of the case.
Rakhine National Network Chairman U Tin Tun Aung said they released a statement or open letter to the Thai authorities on October 11.
The network issued the statement following concern voiced by rights groups that the case against Myanmar suspects Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin, both 21, was not being handled correctly. Both suspects were born in Rakhine State.
They were arrested on Koh Tao on October 3 over the murders of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the island on 15th September.
In the statement, the network called on the Thai government to be transparent in their investigation and reconsider the case as they believed the two men were wrongly accused.
In a statement to the Myanmar government, they called for a mission to be sent led by a government minister.
“To uphold the dignity of our country, all citizens should support and cooperate in this case,” U Tin Tun Aung told Mizzima October 14.
U Khin Maung Yee, a National Democratic Force MP for Ahlone constituency, Yangon Region submitted a motion October 13 calling upon the speaker of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to send a message to the speaker of the Thai national assembly to observe the rights of the accused and offer legal protection in the case. The lower house approved the motion.
On the same day, the Amyothar Hluttaw also agreed with the need to send a message to the president of the Thai national assembly.
In Britain, junior foreign minister Mr Hugo Swire summoned the Thai charge d'affaires Mr Nadhavathna Krishnamra and "stressed that there was a real concern in the UK about how the investigation has been handled by the Thai authorities," according to a statement by the UK Foreign Office.
