Repatriation put on hold for now… sort of
Posted on February 5, 2010
Filed Under Burma news, Karen news | Leave a Comment
Refugees in temporary housing in Thailand source: The Nation
Thailand appears to be scaling down its plans to send thousands of Karen refugees back to Burma into an area where they face possible forced labour and severe injury from unexploded landmines.
According to the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), Thai authorities had planned to repatriate thirty households, starting early this morning. However, only three families were returned today.
Furthermore, they note, “Thai authorities have not indicated any willingness to allow the other 3,000 refugees to remain in Thailand beyond the immediate future. Until a durable solution is found for hosting these refugees, it is highly likely that Thai authorities will again attempt to forcibly repatriate them.”
Thailand’s plans to repatriate the refugees have received strong international condemnation, with pressure groups calling for the refugees to be allowed to stay. And, yesterday 27 US lawmakers wrote to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva asking him to stop the planned deportation.
The refugees crossed into Thailand in June to escape fighting between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and a joint force of Burmese Army and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). The government offensive led to the fall of the KNLA’s 7th Brigade headquarters, and the area is now under DKBA control.
The DKBA has been pushing Thailand to force the refugees back to their homes now that the fighting in the area has subsided.
However, KHRG reports, “Very few refugees interviewed by KHRG have said they fled only because they feared becoming ‘collateral damage,’ incidental casualties to active conflict between armed groups exchanging fire.”
“Rather, refugees have said that they fled to avoid human rights abuses related to an ongoing conflict, including conscription of soldiers and the use of forced labour to build military camps, forced porters to carry military supplies, and human minesweepers.”
Also, the area is littered by landmines that were planted by troops on both sides of the conflict. In recent weeks, there have been a couple of cases of refugees being injured by landmines where they crossed into Burma to tend to livestock they had left behind.
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