Model who criticized Myanmar’s military fears repatriation

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This article was published 23/09/2022 (1479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BANGKOK (AP) — A model from Myanmar who denounced her country’s military rulers last year from the stage of a beauty pageant in Thailand said Friday she fears she may be forced back home.

Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay, told The Associated Press by phone that she has been stuck at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport since being denied reentry to Thailand when she arrived Wednesday night from a short trip to Vietnam. She has been living in Thailand but needed to exit and reenter in order to extend her stay.

She said she was seeking the assistance of the United Nations refugee agency to avoid being sent back to Myanmar, where she feared harsh punishment from the military government she has criticized.

People denied entry to Thailand are usually deported to their last point of departure, but the U.N. agency advised her she would be arrested in Vietnam and then repatriated to Myanmar.

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat confirmed in a text message that Thaw Nandar Aung was denied entry into Thailand “due to an issue with her travel document.”

“The relevant authorities did not make an arrest and have no plans to send her anywhere at this stage,” he said.

Myanmar’s military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has cracked down heavily on widespread opposition to its rule. It used lethal force to quash demonstrations and has arrested critics, including actors and other celebrities, under various laws with potential penalties ranging from three years’ imprisonment to death. In July, authorities executed four activists who were accused of involvement with terrorist activities.

Thaw Nandar Aung said that on arrival in Bangkok, Thai immigration authorities entered her name in their online database and then asked her if she had reported her passport missing in Vietnam, to which she replied “no.” She said they then showed her a screen they said indicated there was an Interpol Red Notice out for her, which means the police force of a country had asked for her to be detained.

It could not be immediately confirmed whether Interpol has posted such a notice. However, Myanmar’s military government has unilaterally revoked many of its leading opponents’ passports in an effort to restrict their activities.

Thaw Nandar Aung used her platform as the Myanmar contestant at last year’s Miss Grand International beauty pageant in the Thai capital, Bangkok, to speak about the killings of pro-democracy protesters in her homeland.

“Every citizen of the world wants the prosperity of their country and the peaceful environment,” she said. “In doing so, the leaders involved should not use their power and selfishness.”

“Today in my country, Myanmar, while I am going to be on this stage, there are so many people dying, more than 100 people died today. I am deeply be sorry for all the people who have lost their lives,” she said, pausing frequently to fight back tears.

She added: “I want to say for here that, please help Myanmar. We need your urgent international help right now.”

Her support for her country’s pro-democracy movement continued online after the pageant.

On Thursday night, Thai police told her that Myanmar police had come to see her, but she declined to meet them, Thaw Nandar Aung said, adding that she expected to meet with representatives from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees office on Friday.

“Everyone now is trying to protect me, like UNHCR,” she said ahead of her meeting. “I think they will find a solution for me, today. Let’s see.”

Calls to her later Friday went unanswered. The U.N. usually seeks discretion in its efforts to help people find asylum.