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Source: Reuters/CNN -
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Myanmar's junta stepped into the deepening Rohingya crisis, denying any of the Muslim boat people washing up in Thailand, India and Indonesia were from its soil, but promising to take unspecified "measures".
"The Rohinja is not included in over 100 national races of the Union of Myanmar," it said in all state-controlled papers, its first reaction since reports surfaced two weeks ago of the Thai army towing migrants out to sea and leaving them to die.
Rohinja is an alternative spelling for the Muslim minority from Rakhine state in the former Burma's northwest.
"Moreover, a statement released yesterday by Thailand did not mention that those who made attempt to illegally enter Thailand from the sea were from Myanmar," the announcement added.
"Nevertheless, the departments concerned of the Government of Myanmar will take necessary measures in connection with the above matter," it continued, without elaboration.
Narinjara News, a Dhaka-based Rakhine news agency, reported this week that a Myanmar artillery battalion had been redeployed in December from the former capital, Yangon, to Buthidaung, a town in the midst of Rohingya villages.
More than 500 Rohingya are feared to have drowned since early December after being towed out to sea by the Thai military and abandoned in rickety boats without functioning engines.
The army has admitted cutting them loose, but said they had food and water and denied the engines were sabotaged.
Thailand is trying to depict them as illegal economic migrants, and paraded a group of 78 intercepted on Monday on domestic television, showing off wounds the migrants said were inflicted by Myanmar naval officials.
Deportation fears
Survivors of some of the Thai "push-backs" have corroborated the reports of Myanmar abuse, with one man who washed up on Indonesia's Aceh province in early January telling Al Jazeera television he faced certain death if sent back to Myanmar.
In a bid to avert international outrage, Thailand allowed UN refugee workers on Thursday to see 12 children among the 78, who are in police custody in the southern province of Ranong awaiting almost certain deportation.
However, deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpajkdi said the UN visit to the 12 had "no implications for their legal status".
UN Spokeswoman Kitty McKinsey said she could not discuss the children's testimony without approval from the Thai government.
According to the UNHCR, 230,000 Rohingya now live a precarious stateless existence in Bangladesh, having fled their ancestral homes in Rakhine state in northwest Myanmar. Those who have not fled are restricted from travel inside the country.
In 2004, rights group Amnesty International said there were between 700,000 and 1.5 million Muslims in Rakine state, most of them Rohingya. Besides Bangladesh, there are large numbers in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
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