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Navy ending Rohingya mission today

A two-week mission by the navy to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya refugees is due to end today (June 10), officials confirmed.

militarynatural-resourcesimmigration
By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 10 June 2015 03:46 PM


Helicopters lift off from the deck of the HTMS Angthong, which wraps up its two-week humanitarian mission in the Andaman Sea today. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Helicopters lift off from the deck of the HTMS Angthong, which wraps up its two-week humanitarian mission in the Andaman Sea today. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

The amphibious assault vessel HTMS Angthong, currently serving as a command and control ship in the Andaman sea, will end her mission unless given new orders, navy spokesman Benjamaporn Wongnakornsawang said.

The Angthong was deployed two weeks ago to help Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who were trying to make their way by boat to Indonesia and Malaysia, often with Thailand as a transit point.

The plight of Rohingya migrants had been the focus of international attention at the time, with several thousand adrift at sea in crammed boats with limited supplies.

Over 5,600 Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants have landed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand since the crisis began over a month ago, according to Chris Lewa of the Arakan project, which campaigns on behalf of the Rohingya.

Malaysia and Indonesia agreed last month to give the refugees temporary asylum.

The Rohingya say they suffer discrimination in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. Tens of thousands have fled since an outbreak of ethnic violence 2012.

Read original story here.