Rights group urges Thailand to reconsider refugee relocation ( AFP ) July 25, 2002


options

Rights group urges Thailand to reconsider refugee relocation

BANGKOK, July 25 (AFP) -

Human rights and development watchdog Forum-Asia on Thursday urged Thailand to reconsider plans to relocate a Karenni refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border.

"Forum-Asia is deeply concerned by the critical situation faced by the Karennis of Camp No. 3," the group said in a statement."Forum-Asia urges the Thai authorities to reconsider their decision to relocate the camp, and instead, to increase Thai support and protection for refugee populations, who are in dire need of it."

The group estimates that some 20,000 Karenni refugees currently live in three camps along the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Hong Son province, some 924 kilometres (574 miles) from the capital.There are around 4,500 refugees in the camp which is to be relocated.

On July 12, Thai authorities informed Karenni leaders that their camp, which has been in its current location since 1995, would be relocated to become part of Camp No. 2 from September 26, the group said.But Camp No. 2 has in the past been the target of attacks by the Myanmar military leading to deaths and injuries of refugees, it said.

"A new relocation to Camp No. 2, or to any other area, threatens to destroy years of efforts and to put the health and lives of thousands of Karenni people at considerable risk," the statement said.The group also said camp leaders had been warned by the Thai authorities not to speak out nor to seek outside help to fight against the relocation.

"It is noteworthy that an increasingly hostile attitude on the part of the Thai authorities, vis-a-vis Karenni refugees, has been noticeable since earlier this year when the rape of two Camp No. 2 Karenni women by Thai soldiers was publicly exposed," it said.

On July 15, Thailand's National Security Council (NSC) barred foreign journalists from visiting all refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, saying the region was "under martial law"."From now on, foreign journalists will be banned from visiting camps or controlled areas as they are likely to report only on negative aspects of official work or on inaccurate and unconfirmed reports," NSC chief Khachadpai Buruspatana said.

As of May 2000, over 122,000 ethnic Karen, Karenni and Mon refugees, who had fled Yangon's military government, lived in at least 17 camps in the border provinces of Tak and Mae Hong Son.

Burmatoday do not take any responsibility for news content. Copyrights of news articles remain with the respective news agencies or reporter[s].