EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THAILAND

EU to increase humanitarian assistance to Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants in detention centers to € 325 000

Bangkok, 18 August 2014 - The European Union is committing a further € 125 000 to provide humanitarian assistance to Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, currently being held in immigration detention centers (men) and social welfare facilities (women and children) in Thailand.

This brings the total EU assistance to these detainees to € 325 000 since June 2013.

The project will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and aims to provide basic household items, supplementary nutrition and health care to those detained in 2014. This humanitarian action will be monitored by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO), which maintains a regional office in Bangkok.

Background:

Following inter-communal violence in Rakhine State in Myanmar/Burma since June 2012, thousands of Rohingya have been fleeing on boats, many hoping to reach Malaysia and other destinations.

In January 2013, some 2 000 Rohingya men, women and children were detained in Thailand. In 2014, a further 1 000 Bangladeshi and Rohingya people ended up in the same detention situation.

Since the violence erupted in Rakhine State in June 2012, ECHO has committed € 22 million to provide basic humanitarian aid to victims of inter-communal violence and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Rakhine State.

ECHO has also been providing key life-saving humanitarian assistance to undocumented Rohingya and vulnerable host populations in Bangladesh since 2007 for a total of € 26 million.

For more information: Mr Mathias Eick (tel. 089 811 5481 or 02 255 1035/6) or Mr. Pedro-Luis Rojo Gracia, ECHO’s Head of Regional Support Office for East, Southeast Asia and Pacific Region, (tel. 08 9811 5612 or 02 255 1035/6)

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