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Malaysian police find 139 suspected migrant graves Malaysian police find 139 suspected migrant graves
(about 4 hours later)
A total of 139 suspected migrant grave sites have been found in 28 human-trafficking camps close to the Thai border in north Malaysia, say police. Malaysian police say 139 suspected migrant grave sites have been found in 28 people-trafficking camps along the Thai border.
National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said some of the graves, found since 11 May, may contain more than one body.National police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said some of the graves, found since 11 May, may contain more than one body.
They are close to where trafficking camps and dozens of shallow graves were found earlier across the Thai border. They are close to an area of Thailand where trafficking camps and dozens of shallow graves were found this month.
Thailand subsequently cracked down on the routes traffickers used to move migrants through its territory. Thailand subsequently cracked down on the routes used by traffickers to move migrants through its territory
The operation forced traffickers to move the migrants - who ultimately want to reach Malaysia - by sea instead. But thousands were left stranded at sea after the traffickers abandoned them and no country would take them in. The operation forced traffickers to move the migrants by sea instead. But thousands were left stranded after the traffickers abandoned them and no country would take them in.
The traffickers have been using the jungles of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia for years to smuggle people into Malaysia. Most of the migrants are Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar, rights groups say, but others are Bangladeshis seeking employment in Malaysia.
'Questions will be asked''Questions will be asked'
"[In] the operation which we have been conducting from 11 May to 23 May we discovered 139 of what we believe are graves," Mr Khalid told reporters on Monday."[In] the operation which we have been conducting from 11 May to 23 May we discovered 139 of what we believe are graves," Mr Khalid told reporters on Monday.
The grave sites are hundreds of metres from the graves discovered in Thailand, he said. The camps were found along a 50-km (30-mile) stretch of the Thai-Malaysian border and were only hundreds of metres from the graves discovered in Thailand, he said.
Mr Khalid was speaking at a press conference a day after the government first announced the discovery of Malaysian graves. He said the biggest of the camps could have held up to 300 people.Mr Khalid was speaking at a press conference a day after the government first announced the discovery of Malaysian graves. He said the biggest of the camps could have held up to 300 people.
"The first team of our officers has arrived in the area this morning to exhume the bodies," he said. Officials are now exhuming the bodies to determine whether they were victims of human trafficking.
Officials are trying to determine whether the graves are of victims of human trafficking. 'They are just bones'
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says since the Thai crackdown, they have found several people roaming in the Thai forests.
Jeffrey Labovitz, chief of mission in Thailand for the IOM, said they had screened people rescued from detention or shelters in Thailand and found some inflicted with beriberi - a diseases caused by a vitamin B1 deficiency.
"It's people who are skeletal, they have no fat on their body they're just bones. They can no longer support their weight," he told the BBC.
"They are no longer a commodity to smugglers they're an example to others that they have to pay."
Earlier, Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was "deeply concerned with graves found on Malaysian soil, purportedly connected to people-smuggling". Writing on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, he promised to "find those responsible".Earlier, Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was "deeply concerned with graves found on Malaysian soil, purportedly connected to people-smuggling". Writing on his Facebook and Twitter accounts, he promised to "find those responsible".
The graves are evidence of a human trafficking business where migrants are kept in jungle camps while ransom is demanded from family members. Many migrants are believed to have perished from disease or starvation. The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that as on the Thai side, the Malaysian camps are situated in an area with a strong military and police presence, and questions will be asked about why the authorities took no action before now - action that might have saved lives.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says as on the Thai side, the Malaysian camps are situated in an area with a strong military and police presence, and questions will be asked about why the authorities took no action before now - action that might have saved lives.
An investigation by our correspondent has found entire communities in Thailand helping the traffickers.An investigation by our correspondent has found entire communities in Thailand helping the traffickers.
Asia's migrant crisisAsia's migrant crisis
Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?
The perilous journey of a migrant boat that made itThe perilous journey of a migrant boat that made it
The Indonesian villagers saving migrantsThe Indonesian villagers saving migrants
The migrants are mainly Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar where they are not recognised as citizens, but also Bangladeshi economic migrants looking to reach Malaysia through Thailand. Since Thailand began its crackdown on smuggling routes, thousands of people have instead tried to reach Malaysia by sea, crowded onto fishing boats which are then abandoned by their traffickers.
The crackdown in Thailand appears to have caused traffickers to abandon the migrants at sea. Indonesian, Malaysian and Thailand had been turning away boats, despite worsening conditions on board and a lack of supplies.
Boats packed with starving migrants were at first being turned away by Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai navies. Last week, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to provide temporary shelter to the migrants, after coming under international pressure, but asked for them to be resettled by the international community within a year.
Last week, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to provide temporary shelter to the migrants, but asked for them to be resettled by the international community within a year.