After 45 Pakistani Christians were rounded up and detained at the behest of the Royal Thai Government for overstaying tourist visas, despite having registered
with UNHCR for asylum, dozens of charities starting raising funds to help. Yet when British Pakistani Christian Association and Kiran Foundation
arrived at Ban Bang Pho Court to pay court fines for the beleaguered asylum seekers they found they were the only charities there to provide any assistance.
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As mothers and children wept and wailed at their wretched situation and men vacantly stared into space realizing there was nothing they could do to
protect their families form the trauma of a stay at Thailand’s now infamous Immigration Detention Centre, both charities got to work and started to
counsel and note names of detainees for payment of their court fines.
BPCA raised the largest fund to pay for court fines and paid for just over 50% of the detainees, and Kiran Foundation paid the rest. The payment of
the fines however is only small consolation, mothers and their children, elderly asylum seekers and those with a medical condition will all have to
spend Christmas and a period of longevity in the insalubrious Immigration Detention Centre of Thailand, that has already claimed 13 known lives – of
whom many victims had treatable conditions.
Thailand seems to be taking an extremely hardline approach to the treatment of asylum seekers, none more so evidence then in this crackdown which was
broadcast live by travelling TV crewman as a warning to other asylum seekers in an attempt to demoralize them and create panic. Moreover, the current
bail system for asylum seekers has been suspended for almost two years, a few victims from vulnerable groups such as mothers with children and those
with a health condition were being released on appeal, however for the last three months even this limited generosity has come to an end, placing many
lives at risk, with disease and infection a common hazard and lack of competent medical care a grave concern. BPCA currently has two bail applications
on hold and month after month the schedule of re-opening the bail is postponed. One of the apparent reasons for IDC bail postponements has been the
fact that several bailees have absconded and not fulfilled the terns of their bail. So far none of the absconders have been Pakistani Christians,
yet they seem to be the main targets of the Royal Thai Government.
We spoke with an Officer for the UNHCR, to ask what had been offered to help these victims. He, said:
“Regarding the raid over the weekend, we had negotiated with the police to release the children.. but the parents all insisted to keep them.”
Wilson Chowdhry, asked if attempts had been made to free mothers with children and Peter Trotter confirmed that every efforts had been made, he replied:
“Wilson, we start by trying for everyone … and work our way back. Of course it is near impossible when it starts with immigration.”
Many Pakistani Christians now feeling the heat of a crackdown in Thailand are blaming the UNHCR for their current predicament, but blame should
lay squarely with a Pakistani Government who has failed them. The UNHCR seems to be doing what it can do to assist our asylum seekers community
and meets regularly with the Royal Thai Government to have dialogue concerning the fate of asylum seekers there. However, they have limited authority
and resources to help. Asylum seekers are seeing an improved schedule for assessment of their applications with delays vastly reduced. However many
are failing due to poor preparation of their cases.
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association has contacted the Foreign Office in Thailand and is hopeful that he will meet
with them and a senior officer form the Thai Immigration Bureau, during which he will seek fairer treatment for asylum seekers in Thailand and will
offer assistance to help improve the current situation.
Mr Chowdhry, said:
“We are providing what little help we can to an obviously terrified Pakistani Christian asylum seeker community that are being aggressively targetted in Thailand . However the little assistance we can provided is making little impression on the morale of victims who are quite rightly terrified for their future.
“Pak-Christians in Thailand are finding themselves in an extremely difficult position where they are threatened with life long imprisonment in Thailand, a nation in which they mistakenly sought safe haven. However the alternative is potential death in their homeland of Pakistan where increasingly radicalized communities want them eradicated. The fear of death has led hundreds of Christians to endure lengthy stays in the brutal Immigration Detention Centres (IDC) of Bangkok. These further arrests means these IDCs are filled over capacity worsening an already bad situation where people are forced to sleep laying over one another, crouching, or in some cases standing up. The spread of disease and infection, coupled with poor medical care has led to numerous detainee deaths already.
“The Royal Thai Government has chosen to make life as difficult as possible for these persecuted victims, because they do not want them in their country. The indigenous churches have a similar culture forgetting God’s command to protect the oppressed. Thai churches will introduce asylum seekers to English speaking churches as they know ‘western’ churches will provide help – a sad malaise within the Thai church body.”
With no sign of any leniency from the Royal Thai Government the BPCA is extending the help provided to victims in Thailand. This will include paying court fines, providing bail fees for detainees if the Royal Thai Government initiates the process again, providing emergency grants for rent and living costs where necessary – especially new migrants, and continuing with our school for asylum children. If you would like to contribute to our work please (click here)
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Mothers and children being politely ushered into a Immigration Detention van after having had their court fines paid.