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Malaysia investigates police over links to mass graves Malaysia detains police over links to 'migrant' graves
(about 7 hours later)
Malaysia is investigating 12 policemen suspected of involvement in human-trafficking camps found in the remote north of the country. Malaysia has detained 12 policemen suspected of human trafficking, two of whom are said to be connected to recently discovered jungle graves.
Four of them had been arrested during various police investigations since early last year, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the two officers were suspected of transporting migrants.
Authorities said 139 graves had been found on the border with Thailand. He also clarified that the 139 graves found on the border with Thailand were not mass graves.
The route is used by people-smugglers bringing migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh into Malaysia.The route is used by people-smugglers bringing migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh into Malaysia.
The migrants are mainly Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar - also known as Burma - or economic migrants from Bangladesh.The migrants are mainly Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar - also known as Burma - or economic migrants from Bangladesh.
The eight other policemen were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for alleged involvement in human trafficking, Mr Wan Junaidi said.
"We will have to see whether or not there are any links to the camps. Because the arrests were made in the north, we suspect there may be some connection," he told reporters outside parliament.
Torture and abuseTorture and abuse
On Tuesday, authorities started excavating the graves, found in jungle in northern Perlis state, to confirm how many bodies they held, and who they were. Mr Wan Junaidi told reporters on Thursday that of the 12 officers arrested, "two of them are suspects connected to the graves at Wang Kelian", in a reference to a northern village by the Thai border.
Authorities suspect the graves, found near abandoned human trafficking camps in the jungle, hold the remains of migrants.
They had earlier thought the graves each held multiple bodies, but Mr Wan Junaidi said it was "one person, one grave".
He added that the bodies appeared to have been "properly" buried and were wrapped with white shrouds, according to Islamic funeral tradition.
Authorities confirmed the existence of the graves earlier this week, and have begun exhumations.
They have also taken reporters to see the camps which showed signs of torture and abuse, such as suspected human "cages".
Reports in Malaysian media questioned whether officials on both sides of the border were complicit.
Thai police uncovered similar abandoned camps on the Thai side of the border earlier in May.Thai police uncovered similar abandoned camps on the Thai side of the border earlier in May.
Reports from news agencies taken to see the camps in Malaysia detailed evidence of torture and abuse. It triggered a crackdown on human trafficking that appears to have led traffickers to abandon their human cargo on boats in the waters off Thailand.
Reports in Malaysian media questioned whether officials on both sides of the border were complicit. On Tuesday, Malaysia said park rangers were under investigation for suspected involvement in human-trafficking.
The discovery of camps in Thailand triggered a crackdown on human-trafficking that appears to have led traffickers to abandon their human cargo on boats in the waters off Thailand.
The boats, crammed with hundreds of starving migrants, started coming ashore in Malaysia and Indonesia.The boats, crammed with hundreds of starving migrants, started coming ashore in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Facing international pressure, the two countries agreed to provide temporary shelter for the migrants on the condition that they will be repatriated by other countries within a year.Facing international pressure, the two countries agreed to provide temporary shelter for the migrants on the condition that they will be repatriated by other countries within a year.
Dalai Lama's plea
Meanwhile, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama called on Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi to do more more to support Rohingyas, in an interview with The Australian newspaper.
Ms Suu Kyi, seen as a democracy icon, has faced international criticism for refusing to speak on the Rohingyas, who are not recognised in Myanmar as citizens.
The issue is highly sensitive in Buddhist-majority Myanmar where Ms Suu Kyi's political party will contest elections later this year.
Asia's migrant crisisAsia's migrant crisis
Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?Why are so many Rohingya stranded at sea?
The Indonesian villagers saving migrantsThe Indonesian villagers saving migrants