BANGKOK - Thailand awarded Myanmar's army
chief a royal decoration on Friday amid allegations of crimes by
Myanmar security forces against Rohingya Muslims that have
prompted international condemnation.
Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state
and crossed into Bangladesh since last August, when attacks on
security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that
the United Nations has said amounts to ethnic cleansing, with
reports of arson attacks, murder and rape.
Myanmar army commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung
Hlaing was granted the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the
Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant at a ceremony in
Bangkok, according to the general's official website.
The website also showed a picture of the commander-in-chief
shaking hands with his Thai counterpart, General Tarnchaiyan
Srisuwan.
Buddhist-majority Thailand often gives royal decorations to
army chiefs of other countries who are supportive of Thailand's
army, Thai army spokesman Lieutenant General Nothapol Boonngam
said.
"He received the honour because of our military relations.
We support each other's missions and exchange visits. Our armies
have many joint activities," Nothapol told Reuters, adding that
the Thai army had requested Hlaing's award since last year.
"This is a separate issue from human rights."
The Burma Human Rights Network said Thailand had crossed a
"red line" by granting the award to Hlaing because Thailand is
seen as a place of refuge by many Rohingya and other minority
groups fleeing persecution in Myanmar, also a Buddhist-majority
country.
"This kind of person doesn't deserve to win this great
award," Kway Win, the group's executive director, told Reuters.
Earlier this week, Thailand and the United States kicked off
the annual Cobra Gold military drills in Thailand - the largest
such exercises in the Asia-Pacific region.
Thailand invited Myanmar as observers to the disaster relief
and humanitarian assistance portions of Cobra Gold, prompting
criticism from rights groups who questioned why a military
accused of ethnic cleansing was being given access.
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok this week said Myanmar was not a
participant in any of the exercises.