More than 3 million Rohingya live in many countries around the world, having fled their hometown of Yakai State in Myanmar 35 years ago. The president of the Rohingya Association in Thailand, Siyeed Alam, revealed that the Rohingya in Thailand are living in difficult conditions, due to the lack of any nationality proof that enables them to live in Thailand, to access medical services, education or work. Alam appealed to the Thai government to allow about 4,000 Rohingya people to live legally, and not to ask for identification papers, because they consider them outlaws, and it is difficult for them to travel there.
Siyeed Alam – President of Rohingya Association of Thailand said- “I’ve lived in Thailand for 35 years. It’s tough with no legal papers. There’re around 3 to 4 thousand Rohingya people living in Thailand, but the government insists on having us prove our nationality and Myanmar keeps on denying. This is troublesome. We can’t get our proof so things get more difficult. Kids cannot go to school. Adults cannot find jobs. Without people, you will be arrested just for going out. Some of us sell Roti, some do daily work. We can only hide.”
“It’s bad. Awfully bad. Our Rohingya people, especially in Thailand, are ignored because we live here illegally. Now, we cannot earn money. All daily workers are facing difficulties – school fees, rental fees, everything. We, Rohingya, have been having a hard time ever since COVID-19 spread.”
“We are pleading with the Thailand government for no proof. Can’t it be like in the past, the employer can just register their foreign workers? Please don’t request a proof. As Myanmar denied us, 4 to 5 thousand people became outlaws – hiding, hard to travel, hard to go to school, hard to work. We are asking for your kindness towards our Rohingya people. No need to grant us Thai nationality. Just allow us to live legally so we can work, we can feed ourselves, we can see each other. No need to make us Thai citizens. You don’t have to.”
Source- A24 News