Thai rights groups and a political party have expressed concern over the return of arrested Myanmar People’s Defence Force (PDF) members to Myanmar and their alleged torture and killing, according to 10 April press releases.
According to latest news, the three PDF members have been killed by the Myanmar armed forces and may have been tortured in the process.
The People’s Empowerment Foundation, a Thai NGO, is one of a number of Thai NGOs who were alerted to the arrest of the three Myanmar PDF members by Thai immigration on a road out of Mae Sot on 1 April.
Thiha, 38, Htet Nay Win, 31, and Saw Phyo Lay, 26, had been trying to go to a medical clinic in Mae Sot to receive treatment, but got lost and took a wrong turn.
They were reportedly deported to Myanmar into the custody of the Border Guard Force (BGF) on 4 April, even though the Thai NGOs had expressed concern beforehand to meet them and discuss their case.
The People’s Empowerment Foundation, in a statement issued on 10 April, stressed that Thailand’s National Security Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Thai security officers should have understood the rights concerns and dangers of repatriation, given Myanmar is in a state of conflict.
Two of the men were allegedly shot trying to escape, and the three men were brought to a Myanmar army base. As the foundation says, it is assumed that the three detainees have died, and it is assumed they were probably tortured.
A Thai political party, the Commoners Party, have added their voice of concern in a press release on 10 April, claiming the Thai authorities broke the Geneva Convention by handing the men back to the Myanmar junta authorities, and may have broken Thai law aimed at preventing the torture of people.
Since March this year, the Thai authorities have been raiding places where Burmese people stay in Mae Sot. They seem to be looking for specific, identified people as they have photos of people they are looking for.
There have been reports that Thai police and immigration officers also arrested several members of Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in Mae Sot and handed them over to the Myanmar military in March.
Myanmar migrant workers organisations have warned migrants, particularly those in Mae Sot, to be careful and to take security precautions.
