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For immediate release on 7 May 2015 Press release Former member of the Satun PAO giving evidence in a human trafficking case filed against him by Songkhla public prosecutor with Rohingya migrant as injured party On 27 April and 6 May 2015, the Songkhla Provincial Court conducted hearings to examine witnesses in a case filed by Songkhla public prosecutor against Mr. Anat Hayeemasae, former member of the Satun Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) on human trafficking offence committed against Rohingya migrants. The offence involves an illegal exploitation against a person including extortion and holding a person for ransom as per the 2008 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and on depriving a person of liberty and kidnapping. The Rohingya migrant as injured party has asked to be an interpleader of the case. Two witnesses gave evidence during the hearings including; 1. Mr. Anat Hayeemasae, the defendant, in short said that during 2014, the Satun PAO organized an international kite festival and he as a member of the Satun PAO was asked to look after delegations from Malaysia since he can speak Malay. He was then introduced to Mr. Abideen, a local politician from Penang, Malaysia. Then, on 10 March 2014, Mr. Anat said he had received a phone call from Mr. Abideen who asked him to bring a migrant worker from Myanmar to the Hat Yai bus terminal claiming that the mother of the worker was seriously ill. Mr. Anat thus brought the Myanmar worker to the Tam Marang ferry pier in Muang District, Satun, and together they were having some food a convenient store prior to proceeding to the Hat Yai bus terminal where the uncle of the worker was there to pick him up. Upon arrival, Mr. Anat was arrested by police and later was pressed with the charges. 2. Mr. Amart Supranee, Director of the Bureau Education, Religion and Culture, Satun PAO, gave evidence that during the 2014 international kite festival, Mr. Anat was responsible for the job and he got to know Mr. Abideen, a local politician from Penang, Malaysia, by the introduction of Mr. Anat. Mr.
Abideen had been participating in the Satun’s international kite festival in the past three years. His intent to give evidence is to confirm the fact that the international kite festival was really taking place and Mr. Abideen did exist a person. After the hearing, the Songkhla Provincial Court scheduled the next defense witness examination to take place on 20 May 2015 at 13.30. The criminal action against Mr. Anat Hayeemasae stemmed from the incidence on 10 March 2014 during which officials from the Immigration Office 6 have raided and rescued Mr. M (pseudonym), a Rohingya migrant at the Hat Yai bus terminal, Hat Yai District, Songkhla. The authority was informed that an exchange between Mr. M and the sum of 60,000 baht was going to take place, as relatives of Mr. M was asked to bring forth the money for ransom. Thus, the officials made the arrest against Mr. Anat and held him as defendant in this case. The Songkhla public prosecutor had already had the injured party give evidence in an advance hearing since 30 July 2014 (for more detail of the witness examination, please see p.10 of http://issuu.com/hrdfoundation/docs/______________________________5) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For more detail, please contact Mr. Papop Siamhan, Case Manager, Anti-Labour Trafficking Project, Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF), phone 094-5485306, E-mail mthaim420@gmail.com