Indonesian authorities say a second boatload of Rohingya migrants found off the western island of Sumatra have told them they were cast adrift in an engineless boat after being beaten by the Thai military.
The group, numbering almost 200, were found by fisherman in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Navy officials quoted survivors as saying they had been beaten by Thai authorities, before being towed out to sea and set adrift.At least 20 of the group died while they drifted for three
weeks.
Tedi Sutardi, an Indonesian navy officer, on Tuesday said there was no food and water on board the boat and all the survivors were in very poor health.
"They were drifting for about 21 days," he told AFP. "Most of them are in critical condition and are receiving treatment at a local state hospital in East Aceh district.
He said the survivors were still being interviewed by Indonesian authorities, but communication was difficult.
Last month Indonesian fishermen found another group of about 170 Rohingya drifting off Sumatra. Many of them had severe injuries they said were the result of beatings from the Thai military.
Myanmar's military rulers effectively deny citizenship rights to the Rohingya, a Muslim minority who live in the west of the country.
Human rights groups say the Rohingya face systematic discrimination and abuse by Myanmar authorities, leadi
ng hundreds to try to flee the country by boat every year.
The latest group of Rohingya found off Sumatra on Tuesday said they had left their homes in Myanmar's western Arakan state after being forced to convert to Buddhism.
Source: Al Jazeera
The group, numbering almost 200, were found by fisherman in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Navy officials quoted survivors as saying they had been beaten by Thai authorities, before being towed out to sea and set adrift.At least 20 of the group died while they drifted for three
weeks.Tedi Sutardi, an Indonesian navy officer, on Tuesday said there was no food and water on board the boat and all the survivors were in very poor health.
"They were drifting for about 21 days," he told AFP. "Most of them are in critical condition and are receiving treatment at a local state hospital in East Aceh district.
He said the survivors were still being interviewed by Indonesian authorities, but communication was difficult.
Last month Indonesian fishermen found another group of about 170 Rohingya drifting off Sumatra. Many of them had severe injuries they said were the result of beatings from the Thai military.
Myanmar's military rulers effectively deny citizenship rights to the Rohingya, a Muslim minority who live in the west of the country.
Human rights groups say the Rohingya face systematic discrimination and abuse by Myanmar authorities, leadi
ng hundreds to try to flee the country by boat every year.The latest group of Rohingya found off Sumatra on Tuesday said they had left their homes in Myanmar's western Arakan state after being forced to convert to Buddhism.
Source: Al Jazeera
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