Dated:13/3/15, Bangkok –Thailand:
Urgent message received from Rev Patrick Sarooj (sic):
Thai Immigration Police and the Army raided the rooms of asylum seekers living in Samrong district. It was like an operation against Criminals.
Asylum seekers were hidden inside their washrooms with their families kept calling around to other asylum seekers for prayers, calling UNHCR also for protection,As soon as the operation started, the Thai Immigration Police and the Army smashed the doors and entered in the rooms of asylum seekers and started arresting them. Minor kids, women, young and old everyone were treated in an inhuman way.Many people were arrested to Samrong Police station. Many were crying, begging and requesting, showing their asylum seekers certificates but none paid any regard.All arrested people were held in the car parking area and later on they were be seated on the floor inside the police station and Immigration police and other authorities were not ready to listen to any request.Minor Kids were crying for water and milk, women crying and men with sad and fearful faces begged everyone to release them.From only Samrong district today 44 Children aged 7 months to 12 years were arrested, 43 women, and 35 men. Within last 11 days more than 400 people including children were arrested by the immigration authorities some people sent to IDC and Jail many asylum seekers were detained in JAIL for 14 days and they treated in jail same like Criminals got head shave and chains in feet and they kept them mostly naked, they were saying we are not criminals. Now many people are hidden in rooms with families, now more than 12 people are living a small room, me also with my family, they have no food and milk for kids they can’t go out to buy food stuff due to Thai immigration continuously raids. We afraid that they might not do the same which the Sri Lankan authorities did with the Asylum Seekers last year by deporting dozens of Asylum Seekers back to Pakistan; all families are seeking and waiting for the help.List of attached of some arrested asylum seekers
Please pray for Pak-Christians seeking Asylum in Thailand.