Subject: BurmaNet News February 28, 1997 Date: Sat, 01 Mar 1997 04:42:54 -0800 (PST) From: strider@igc.apc.org Reply-To: Conference "reg.burma" To: Recipients of burmanet-l ------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: February 28, 1997 Issue #652 SPECIAL ISSUE: RE - THAI ARMY FORCIBLY REPATRIATES KAREN REFUGEES UPDATES AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES HEADLINES: ========== BURMANET: UPDATE (3) SITUATION OF KAREN REFUGEES KNU: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN KAREN STATE, BURMA KNU: BORDER SITUATION UPDATE NCUB: PRESS RELEASE NO [7] NCUB PRELEASE NO [8] NCUB: PRESS RELEASE NO [9] BURMA ISSUES: FACT SHEET - FORCED REPATRIATION AP: THAILAND SENDS HUNDREDS MORE BURMESE REFUGEES BACK UNHCR: STATEMENT ON THE FORCIBLE REPATRIATION FROM UNHCR (THAILAND): PRESS RELEASE - RE: KAREN REFUGEES US STATE DEPT: TRANSCRIPT: STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, FEB. 27 US STATE DEPT: BRIEFING ON SLORC'S FIGHT AGAINST KARENS PRESS RELEASE: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONDEMN SLORC INTERNATIONAL JOINT STATEMENT: INTERNATIONAL BURMA ABC/BURMA OFFICE: PROTEST RALLY ON MARCH 2, 1997 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: FEAR FOR SAFETY/FEAR OF REFOULEMENT FBC (SEATTLE): SAMPLE LETTER TO THE THAI PRIME MINISTER ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BURMANET: UPDATE (3) SITUATION OF KAREN REFUGEES Along the Thai/Burmese Border in the Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Sangklaburi Areas February 28, 1997 After discussions between UNHCR and the 9th army in Kanchanaburi this morning, UNHCR wrote an official letter expressing grave concern about the refugee situation along the Thai/Burmese border and violations of international humanitarian asylum and refugee principles. (An UNHCR Press Release on the situation is attached at the end of this summary.) Today, General Chetta, the Supreme Commander of the Thai Army, issued an order that there should be no more relocations and repatriations to the Htaw Ma Pyo Hta area. (Htaw Ma Pyo Hta is inside Burma across from the Thai town of Suan Pung.) However, the order came to late to prevent the relocation and repatriation of at least two truck loads of refugees from Amla Kee this morning. Many of these refugees were exhausted, were without food, cooking pots or other possessions. Some had nothing. Some refugees were also ill; at least two individuals were in need of medical assistance but they were refused permission to stay in Thailand. Among those repatriated were at least three orphans, separated from their parents during the recent SLORC offensive in the area. The water supply in the Htaw Ma Pyo Hta area is limited and of poor quality. The location where the repatriated refugees had gathered is at least five kilometers inside Burma; from the point where they were dropped off by the Thai's during the relocation to the places where they have congregated entails a difficult eight kilometer walk. The repatriated refugees reported that they did not have a choice but to return to Burma. Some, who had never been to the area (and who had travelled for as long as two weeks), did not know where to go when they were forced back across the border. The Thai military pointed the way and indicated where they were to go. Htaw Ma Pyo Hta is neither a safe location for those repatriated today nor those repatriated previously from Bong Tee. SLORC forces are currently advancing towards the area from two directions--one 20 kilometers north close to the Thai border and the other 30 kilometers to the northwest. At their current rate, SLORC troops will reach the repatriated individuals in Htaw Ma Pyo Hta in two or three days. In the site at Pu Nam Rawn, SLORC troops are 15 minutes walk from the refugees, which places them in immediate danger. In addition, there are reports that perhaps as many as 100 DKBA are within four hours of the site at Pu Nam Rawn. DKBA's persistent pattern of attacks on refugee camps in the Mae Sot area further heightens the refugees' fears. The fear is so great that the refugees are staying up all night. Concerned villagers from the neighboring Thai community of Huay Nam Khao have shown compassion and understanding by providing food and water as well as clothing and other basic supplies to the dispossessed refugees in Pu Nam Rawn. In the Sangklaburi area, Karen refugees at Htee Lai Pah camp are under immediate threat by the Burmese army who are estimated to be only two or three kilometers away. An estimated 1,200 refugees are currently sheltering near a monastery inside Burma and provides little protection from SLORC's forces. Aid workers who were headed for the site turned back after being warned about the close proximity of the fighting. ******************************************************* KNU: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN KAREN STATE, BURMA February 27, 1997 From: So_Nou@sala.icn.net (So Nou) Rape and Violence Against Women On February 17,1997, SLORC's troops of Division 55 forced 13 women from K'Hser Doh township, Mergui-Tavoy district to serve as porters for them and took them to K'Neh Kaw, Maw P'tru and Leh Mu village. There, they raped these women and shot them dead. On the 17th of February,1997, the same SLORC's troops gang raped a 25 year old woman at her home in the presence of her parents. On the 18th of February, the same SLORC's troops gang raped a 50 year old woman who managed to escape from them and arrived K'neh Kaw village the next day. Forced Labour On February 12,1997, SLORC's Light Infantry Battalion 546 forced the villagers in Paan township, Thaton district, to fence the motor car road from Myaing K'Lay to K'Ma Maung. Adults as well as children from age 12 were forced to work there every day and they have to take their own meals with them. ************************************************************ KNU: BORDER SITUATION UPDATE February 27, 1997 From: So_Nou@sala.icn.net (So Nou) Karen civilians who crossed into Thailand to seek refuge were forced back into Burma by local Thai authorities on February 25, 1997. These people were from KNU No.4 Brigade area where SLORC's troops are launching a major offensive against the KNU. A total number of 1138 refugees were forced back. 230 men from Bong Ti were forcibly sent back to Htee Kee On February 25,1997. Htee Kee which is KNU No.4 Brigade headquarters was under imminent attack by the SLORC"s troops and was clearly not a safe area. On the same day, 306 women and children from Phu Nam Laung were forcibly put on trucks and taken to Htaw Ma Pyo Hta (Burma), adjacent to the border near Suan Phung(Muang Takua Pit Thong). The next day, February 26, more women and children were forced back to Htaw Ma Pyo Hta and the number is 602. Here, there were already 434 women and children from the on going mass village relocation programme to the North west Mergui-Pychha area. Thus, the total number of women and children in Htaw Ma Pyo Hta is 1342. More women and children from Phu Nam Laung are likely to be forced back to Htaw Ma Pyo Hta but the date is yet unknown.. According to the report, there are still 2000 women and children in Phu Nam Laung. KNU Information Center ************************************************************** NCUB: PRESS RELEASE NO [7] February 26, 1997 From: "All Burma Students' Democratic Front" N A T I O N A L C O U N C I L OF T H E U N I O N O F B U R M A PRESS RELEASE NO [7] SLORC Troops Leave Trail of Burning Villages in Mergui-Tavoy District Date: February 26, 1995 SLORC has extended its latest offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU) to the Mergui-Tavoy District. The offensive has forced villagers to abandon their villages and flee for the Thai Burma border. Thousands have already taken refuge on the Thai side of the border to escape large-scale abuses by SLORC troops. There is report of shortages in food and shelter as the displaced villagers had to leave in a hurry and were unable to bring sufficient food with them. Several porters who escaped from the SLORC troops said many of the fleeing villagers captured by SLORC troops were forced to carry military supplies and made to walk in front of the troops as human minesweepers. Several people unable to carry supplies and who attempted to run away were executed by SLORC soldiers. Sources at the border said about 7,000 refugees have arrived at the Thai-Burma border as of today. Thai authorities permitted women and children to cross the border into Thailand but forced the men to stay in Burma. The women and children were reported to have been sent straight to a camp in Ratchaburi. Since the offensive against the KNU began in Mergui-Tavoy District on February 8, 1997, SLORC troops have burnt down Myitta, Kwe Waw Wah, Kalat Kee, Ka Nal Pose and other villages. On February 9, SLORC No. 25 Infantry Regiment set 16 houses on fire at Kalatkee village. They executed an innocent villager named Saw Paw Na. On February 12, the same regiment burnt down five houses and a Christian church in Ka Nel Pose village. The commander also ordered the execution of seven sick SLORC soldiers and 20 porters. On February 16, SLORC's No. 273 Infantry Regiment burnt down Ka Neh Hqae (Pyar Thar Chaung) village in Paw Kin river valley, Ban Chaung village in Paw Klao river valley and Phaung Daw village. The villages were accused of supporting the KNU. All farms belonging to the villages were torched and the farm animals were taken away. On February 17, Ka Witt Hta village was burnt down and many villagers were forced to serve as porters for the No. 17 and No. 101 SLORC Infantry Regiments. The whole village population has fled. On the same day, advancing SLORC troops also set fire to Ka Saw War and Ka Maw Htar villages. Htee Pho Lay and Lo Ray villages were burnt down on February 18. Some plantations were also destroyed by the troops. The Information Committee, NCUB *************************** NCUB PRELEASE NO [8] February 26, 1997 lurie@mozart.inet.co.th N A T I O N A L C O U N C I L O F T H E U N I O N O F B U R M A PRESS RELEASE NO [8] NCUB Concerned Over `Uncertainty' Of Thai-Burmese Border Talks Date February 26, 1997 The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB) is very much concerned about the uncertainty surrounding the talks between Burma and Thai Governments, which included the question of unilateral repatriation of refugees back to Burma. The NCUB opposes any forced repatriation under the present circumstances. The people who took refuge in Thailand did not flee from the fighting alone. They fled because they are subjected to rape, extra-judicial killings, village burning, involuntary disappearances, forced laboring and portering. In other words, the people cannot lead a normal life under the SLORC in Burma. The NCUB would like to call on the Thai Government and the international community 1) To persuade the SLORC to resolve political problems through political means and to enter into a tripartite dialogue with pro-democracy and ethnic forces. This is because history has proven that military means cannot resolve political problems. 2) To provide a safe haven to the refugees and prevent them from being forced back into the hands of the SLORC which is bent on destroying these people who are considered as supporters of the KNU. The NCUB also calls on the entire people of Burma to redouble their political defiance activities to topple the brutal SLORC junta and restore democracy and human rights in Burma. On its part, the NCUB pledges that it will continue the struggle against the SLORC until democracy and human rights are restored in Burma . The Information Committee, NCUB ***************************** NCUB: PRESS RELEASE NO [9] February 27, 1997 From: lurie@mozart.inet.co.th N A T I O N A L C O U N C I L O F T H E U N I O N O F B U R M A Press Release No [9] SITUATION IN KNU BRIGADE [4] AREA FOLLOWING SLORC'S OFFENSIVE Date: February 27, 1997 Mid-day, February 27 -- Troops from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) continue to defend Htee Kee village, near the KNLA Brigade 4 Headquarters. They have so far prevented SLORC troops from entering the village. Since last night, there have been exchanges of heavy weapons fire between the two sides around Htee Kee village. At 5:00 p.m. yesterday, SLORC troops arrived at Alal Store village, midway between Htee Kee and Htee Htar villages. The SLORC soldiers then shelled Htee Kee village before advancing toward it. Last night, SLORC troops tried to enter Htee Kee by relying on their superiority in numbers and in firing power. Several rounds of 81-mm mortar and M-79 grenade launchers were fired in the attack. Meanwhile, sources in Brigade 4 area say there has been a sudden increase in the number of refugees coming out of Burma into Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi Provinces of Thailand. Refugee count in Brigade 4 area was 7,000 on February 26 but the number increased to 23,000 today. Sources say more refugees are expected to cross the border in the coming days. Yesterday, over 900 women and children from Bong Htee were separated from the men and sent to Amphoe Suan Phang of Ratchaburi province by Thai authorities. The refugees were later sent back to Htaw Ma Phyo and Htaw Ma Maung villages on the Burma side opposite Ta Ko Luang village, Amphoe Suan Phang of Ratchaburi Province. A total of 230 men who tried to enter Thai territory were pushed back to Phu Nam Luang village. At last report, there were no more refugees left in Bong Htee. Thai authorities are expected to evacuate refugees from Phu Nam Luang village to Htaw Ma Pyo and Htaw Ma Maung villages on the Burma side soon. Today, over 3,000 refugees are stranded in Ban Phu Nam Laung. Ban Phu Nam Luang is a Thai village abandoned by the villagers when the fighting became fierce. The National Council of the Union of Burma has expressed deep concern about the condition of the refugees as they are now in a high risk area, caught between SLORC and Thai troops. The NCUB has appealed to the international community and the Royal Thai Government to help set up a secure environment for the refugees in accordance with international laws and internationally-accepted humanitarian standards. Information Committee, NCUB ******************************************** BURMA ISSUES: FACT SHEET - FORCED REPATRIATION February 26, 1997 From: Burma Issues FACT SHEET: FORCED REPATRIATION OF KAREN CIVILIANS INTO AREA OF ONGOING MILITARY OFFENSIVE 27 February 1997 (for immediate distribution; prepared by Burma Issues) Area of Concern: Mergui/Tavoy district (the Fourth Brigade of the Karen National Union) of the Tenasserim Division (southern Burma) and Kanchanaburi Province (western Thailand). Background: On 7 February approximately 1,000 Burmese army soldiers with 8 bulldozers, 20 mules, 300 prisoners and 300 villagers as porters began an offensive in the KNU's 4th Brigade area. On 12 February they advanced south through the Tenasserim River valley and arrived at Htee Hpo Lay; by 14 February they reached Kwee Waw Wah, and by 21 February they reached a point close to Law Aw. A second column of Burmese army soldiers advanced south along the Paw Klo River and occupied Katonni and Tha Nay Kler villages by 20 February. As of 26 February, the Burmese army has taken Amoe village (17 km north of Htee Hta, the 4th Brigade's headquarters) and Amalah village (10 km south of Htee Hta). These villages are a 4 to 6 hour walk away from Htee Hta. Several thousand civilians evacuated their homes and headed to the Thai-Burma border. On the morning of 25 February 1,000 - 1,500 refugees crossed the border at Ban Pu Nam Rawn, Amphur Muang, Kanchanaburi. They joined an a group of approximately 1,500 refugees who had previously fled to the mines of Ban Pu Nam Rawn. An additional 1,000 Karen villagers have taken refuge in Ban Bong Tee, Amphur Sai Yoke, Kanchanaburi. Selective Entry Policy: In an effort to prevent armed combatants from entering Thailand, the Thai army's 9th Division in Kanchanaburi separated men aged 15 years and older from the women and younger children. The men and boys were forced to return to Burma and told to continue fighting. Men aged 15 years and older who have come to Thailand more recently have been denied entry and urged to defend their homes. Obvious non-combatants including male children, sick and elderly men and a priest have been included in those refused entry to Thailand. Restriction of Humanitarian Aid and International Presence: As new arrivals came to Hti Hta Baw and Tho Kah camps in Kanchanaburi, the Thai army denied access to relief and medical workers. These two camps lie just north and south of the Thai section of the proposed Total-Unocal gas pipeline route. On the morning of 25 February, the Thai army also refused to allow US embassy officials to pass through the Pu Nam Rawn checkpoint. The embassy officials planned to visit refugees and assess the situation. Forced Repatriation into an Active Military Zone: On 26 February, about 3,000 women and children from Ban Bong Ti Pass in Sai Yok district and Ban Pu Nam Rawn in Muang district were loaded aboard trucks belonging to a Thai logging company and forcibly relocated to Suan Phung district, Ratchaburi. From Suan Phung they were forcibly repatriated to Paw Ma Pwu village which is a 4 hour walk away from active military fighting and heavy shelling. The 9th Division has also given more than 2,000 Karen refugees at Hti Hti Baw camp in Sangkhlaburi province two days to decide whether to be shipped to Ratchaburi or go directly back to Burma. In addition to entering the vicinity of armed conflict, the women and children who have been forcibly repatriated do not have cooking supplies, medicines, shelter, supplies to build shelter, etc. Thai authorities have prevented foreigners from assessing the situation, providing the necessary supplies and monitoring safety concerns. Urgent humanitarian intervention is needed. Possible Violations of International Human Rights Standards: Thailand has signed and adopted the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Thai army's 9th Division and National Security Council's sanctioning of the separation of children between the ages of 15 and 18 from their families and forced repatriation of women and children into an active war situation may violate the following: articles 6 (survival and development), 9 (separation from parents), 22 (protection of refugee children), 38 (protection of civilians from armed conflicts) and 39 (rehabilitative care) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; article 14 (right to asylum) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and articles 3 (equal rights for men and women) and 4 (requirement to inform other States and the UN when public emergencies require the derogation of rights) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. ****************************************************** AP: THAILAND SENDS HUNDREDS MORE BURMESE REFUGEES BACK ACROSS BORDER BY FORCE February 28, 1997 by Robert Horn BAN TAKO BON, Thailand (AP) -- For decades, Thailand sheltered refugees from the fighting in neighboring Burma. Now, the Thai army is sending men, women and children back across the border, where the Burmese army is battling ethnic Karen rebels. After Thai and Burmese army commanders held talks this week, Thailand said it did not want to become a base for fleeing guerrillas and no longer would accept fighting-age men as refugees. Women, children and the elderly, however, have been among the 5,000 Karen refugees Thailand sent back this week. Thailand claims to have guarantees for their safety from Burma. Thailand long has used Burma's rebel groups as a buffer against the military government in Rangoon. But the potential for greater economic development has warmed relations between the two countries, and the Karen believe Thailand now wants to profit from a more stable border. A $1.2 billion natural gas pipeline is being built through Karen territory to sell gas to Thailand. Thai companies also are bidding to develop a seaport at Tavoy, Burma. Highways through Karen territory linking the port to Thailand are planned. Thailand has granted refuge to 15,000 people since Feb. 11, when they fled a Burmese offensive aimed at wiping out the Karen National Union, a guerrilla army that has fought for autonomy for ethnic Karens since 1949. Victory would give Burma control of its border with Thailand for the first time. The newcomers joined about 90,000 Karens who had lived in refugee camps on the border for years. On Friday, Thai military guards refused to allow reporters into Ban Tako Bon, one of several refugee camps in the Thai provinces of Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi. An army officer, who refused to be identified, said about 1,000 people were inside and that half, including women and children, were being sent back. On Wednesday, 900 refugees were taken from here to Hta Ma Pyo Hta, a Karen village in Burma just 15 miles from advancing Burmese forces. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees urged Thailand to abandon plans to send back 2,300 refugees from a makeshift camp at Pu Nam Rawn and said it opposes the forced return of refugees, "especially so when the movement is to a location considered dangerous.'' In Washington, State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns called on Thailand "to cease the forcible return of Karen refugees immediately, and to recommence provision of asylum until conditions inside Burma permit their safe and voluntary return.'' Amnesty International and other human rights groups made similar appeals. A Thai Army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Pongthep Thetpratheep, said Friday that no women, children, or disabled people had been sent back, an account contradicted by U.S. officials, including Burns, and media reports, including Thai TV footage. "I would like to assure our brothers and sisters along the border, along with you journalists, that we are following the policies according to human rights and will confidently defend the Thai people,'' he said. Burma has an estimated 100,000 troops trying to crush about 2,500 fighters of the Karen National Union and allied groups. The rebels have been forced to abandon several camps, putting Burma's military government in nearly full control of the 1,500-mile border for the first time. The Thai army has told the refugees at Pu Nam Rawn that they will be moved to another area farther south starting Monday. But visitors there Friday said residents wanted to move immediately, and that the camp's vulnerable population appeared to be growing rapidly. Camp residents also expressed concern over the fate of about 330 boys forced back across the border by Thai authorities earlier this week. There was no word on their whereabouts. Refugees and aid workers say the Burmese army is burning villages, looting, raping and executing people along the way. The estimated 25,000 people living in the area, aware they can expect no shelter in Thailand, are fleeing deep into Burma's jungle. *************************************************** AP: EXCERPTS FROM AP REPORTS: FEB 26-27, 1997 PU NAM RAWN, Thailand (AP) Feb 27 -- Burmese soldiers crossed into Thailand on Thursday, trying to raid a makeshift refugee camp housing thousands of ethnic Karens, but Thai troops halted the operation. About 2,300 refugees had taken shelter at an abandoned tin mine at Pu Nam Rawn, an hour's drive west of Kanchanaburi, 70 miles west of Bangkok. The Burmese troops ran into a group of Thai self-defense volunteers and opened fire before retreating. Regular Thai troops later took positions to protect the refugee camp. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Feb 26 -- Thai army officials said today they are turning back any ethnic Karen men among the thousands of refugees fleeing a Burmese military offensive near the border. Karen rebels charged that the Thais were working with the Burmese to wipe them out. Fewer than 2,500 Karen guerrillas are struggling to survive the offensive by 100,000 Burmese troops. Today, the Burmese occupied Htee Kee, a Karen military command base about nine miles from the Thai border. A victory over the Karen would give Burma control of its border with Thailand for the first time in its history. Rebels said Thai soldiers already had been turning back Karen men, whether they had weapons or not, separating them from their wives and children. ``They are sending them back so they will be wiped out,'' said one border-based aid worker who witnessed several incidents and spoke on condition of anonymity. ``The Thais are definitely working with the Burmese.'' A high-ranking Thai army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the order to turn back male refugees had come from Chetta. ``Because of our concern for human rights we will accept women, children and the disabled, but not men. They could cause problems like sneaking out at night to fight the Burmese,'' the officer said. ``Their plan is to wipe out all the Karen so they can get our natural resources,'' said Saw Kenneth, commander of theKaren National Union's 10th Battalion. Both the Thais and the Burmese stand to gain economically from an end to the Karen insurgency. Burmese troops and a splinter group of Karen have repeatedly crossed the Thai border to attack refugee camps, prompting Thais to criticize their own military for failing to protect the country's sovereignty. Thai army commanders have said there would be no border problems if they were allowed to send the refugees back to Burma. -------------------------------------------------------------- BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Feb 27 -- The Thai army is forcing thousands of desperate refugees back into Burma's war zones, violating Thailand's tradition of offering safe haven to those fleeing persecution, the United States said today. ``We are deeply concerned by the reports, which we have confirmed, and we are in touch with the appropriate authorities to convey this concern,'' said a U.S. Embassy spokesman who spoke on condition of anonymity. The U.S. Embassy spokesman said that sending the refugees back ``runs counter to Thailand's traditional policy of providing safe haven to those fleeing persecution.'' Two U.S. Embassy officials who tried to drive from the Thai town of Kanchanaburi, opposite the offensive's southern front, to inspect reports of refugee movements were turned back Tuesday by Thai police, the spokesman said. The United States has been one of the most vocal critics of Burma's military regime overall, particularly the restraints the junta places on pro-democracy demonstrators. A dozen prominent international human rights groups jointly demanded that Thailand allow in Burmese refugees. Sending back ``any noncombatants, be they men, women or children, is a violation of customary international law and must cease immediately,'' the groups said. The National Council of the Union of Burma, a political umbrella of insurgent and opposition groups, said Burmese troops were forcing villagers they captured to act as porters and human minesweepers. Those who tried to run away were executed, said the group, which urged Thailand to provide sanctuary for the refugees. Nongovernmental organizations reported that about 40 KNU fighters had been killed in the region over about the last week and that a total of 200 in the Burmese army were either killed or wounded. ****************************************************** UNHCR: STATEMENT ON THE FORCIBLE REPATRIATION FROM THAILAND OFKAREN REFUGEES February 28, 1997 Geneva At a press briefing on 28/2/97 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said: "UNHCR is very alarmed about the situation of the Karen refugees at the Thai border with Myanmar. We have raised our concern to Thai officials and we are seeking clarification. On Thursday, UNHCR staff went on a mission to Kanchinaburi and Ratchaburi provinces, where they received confirmation that about 1,000 Karen refugees seeking to enter Thailand from Hti Lai Par in Myanmar were prevented from doing so. "The staff was told that all Karen males over the age of 15 were also prevented from entering Thailand. It was also confirmed that about 900 Karen who had sought refuge in Thailand on 22 February were refouled on 25 February. Local Thai authorities informed UNHCR that the area to which the refugees were returned, Tha Ma Pyo, is considered safe. "We are troubled by this in view of the Myanmar army offensive and the apparent move by Thai authorities to continue transporting approximately 3,000 Karen, who fled into Kanchinaburi province during the recent fighting, to Tha Ma Pyo. "UNHCR is concerned about the safety of some 2,000 Karen refugees who are at Pu Nam Ron in Thailand, which is three km from the Myanmar army outpost." (posted by the Burma Peace Foundation 28/2/97) ************************************************* UNHCR (THAILAND): PRESS RELEASE - RE: KAREN REFUGEES February 28, 1997 UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES Branch Office for Thailand UNHCR has today requested the Royal Thai Government for clarification of disturbing reports from our staff just returned from the Thai-Myanmar border as well as NGOs and other sources. The reports concern both the prevention of Karen males above the age of 15 from entering Thailand and the forcible movement of women and children from Kanchanaburi to Ratchaburi province where it was confirmed that they were sent across the border into areas either not far away from fighting or in the general vicinity of outposts of the Myanmar army. According to the reports, approximately 900 Karen who had sought refuge in Thailand on 22 February 1997 were involuntarily repatriated on 25 February to a place in Myanmar called Tha Ma Pyo. UNHCR opposes refoulement, that is, forced return to the country of origin and especially so when the movement is to a location considered dangerous. UNHCR has also expressed its concern to Thai authorities over another group of Karen numbering, according to local Thai military officials, about 2,000 or more sheltering in Phu Nam Non, Kanchanaburi where security is reportedly poor. UNHCR has heard that there are plans to send these people across the border as well. We ask that the Thai authorities desist from such a move. UNHCR is very much disturbed by this information and continues to be concerned for the lives of those who were refouled. This Office finds it is difficult to understand these denials of asylum and acts of refoulement given the longstanding tradition of hospitality and asylum granting of the Thai people and the Royal Thai Government's adherence to international and humanitarian asylum and refugee principles. In addition, the Thai Government had recently announced that it would relocate the border population farther inside Thailand to ensure the safety of the Karen camps. We are awaiting clarification from key senior officials on this matter. ********************************************** US STATE DEPT: TRANSCRIPT: STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, FEB. 27 February 27, 1997 State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns briefed. THAI/KAREN -- Burns read a statement expressing U.S. concern about the Royal Thai Army forcibly repatriating some 900 Karen women and children from areas in Ratchaburi Province across the border into Burma. "We are equally disturbed by reports that the Thai Army forcibly repatriated civilian Karen males, including boys as young as ten years old, into Burma near the Karen military headquarters and denied asylum to several hundred others at the same area," Burns said. The United States regrets this action, which, he said, runs contrary to Thailand's previous generous policy of providing asylum to those fleeing oppression in Burma. Burns said the United States calls upon the Thai Government not to abandon its historical commitment to humanitarian treatment of victims of conflict in Burma. Burns said. ******************************************************** US STATE DEPT: BRIEFING ON SLORC'S FIGHT AGAINST KARENS February 26, 1997 Q: Do you have anything on Thai troops trucking Burmese women and children back across the Burmese border? BURNS: I do not. I know that there's been a lot of fighting along the border -- Thai-Burma border -- for the last several weeks, the Karen and others are involved. The United States has been quite critical of the actions of the Burmese military in that fighting. They've victimized innocent civilians in that fighting. ***************************************************** PRESS RELEASE: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONDEMN SLORC OFFENSIVE AGAINST KAREN REFUGEES February 26, 1997 The undersigned organizations are gravely concerned over the attacks on Karen refugees by the Burmese military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). On January 29, refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border housing a population that included women, children and elderly, were burnt to the ground forcing more than 10,000 people to flee further into Thailand. Nearly a month later, these refugees remain unprotected and without adequate shelter. A major offensive against the headquarters of the Karen National Union (KNU) beginning in early February has resulted in the exodus of an additional 15,000 refugees in the Umphang area. As SLORC has continued to mobilize against all remaining KNU positions, over 3,000 refugees have attempted to enter Thailand over the past three days near Kanchanaburi. Eyewitnesses have reported that since February 24, the Thai army Ninth Division has refused entry to all males among the refugees, sending them back into a war zone, and since then, nearly 2,000 women and children have been taken by truck further south. It is feared that they will be forcibly returned to Burma. As organizations committed to protecting and assisting refugees and the displaced: * We condemn the actions of the SLORC and call on them to immediately cease violations of international humanitarian law, especially attacks on defenseless civilians. * We welcome the decision of the Royal Thai Government to grant temporary asylum to most of those fleeing the military offensive and urge that this be extended to ALL refugees, including those in the Kanchanaburi area. The refoulement of any non-combatants, be they men, women or children is a violation of customary international law and must cease immediately. * We ask that priority be given to ensuring the security of the refugees displaced by the January attacks on Wangka, Don Pa Kiang and Maela camps. This population should immediately be moved to an area where they can be housed and protected. * We commend the fact that the Royal Thai Government has identified a possible relocation site for the 15,000 refugees in the Umphang area and will allow international aid agencies to provide sanitation and shelter at the site. We urge that all refugees in the area be moved to the site as soon as possible. * We call for an on-going presence by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the camps along the Thai-Burma border. Signed, Amnesty International/USA Asia-Pacific Center for Justice and Peace Fédération Internationale des Liques des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH) France-Libertés-Fondation Danielle Mitterrand Human Rights Watch/Asia Institute for Asian Democracy International Rescue Committee Non-Violence International Open Society Institute Refugees International Unitarian Universalist Service Committee U.S. Committee for Refugees ***************************************************** INTERNATIONAL JOINT STATEMENT: INTERNATIONAL BURMA SUPPORT GROUPS CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 1997 From: bagp@gn.apc.org Yvette Mahon Burma Action Group Collins Studios Collins Yard Islington Green London N1 2XU Tel: 44 171 359 7679 Fax: 44 171 354 3987 Karen refugees fleeing fighting in the Minthamee area, Tenasserim Division in Burma, are not being guaranteed refuge on Thai soil. Acting upon orders by the Commander of the 9th division of the Thai army, Karen civilians fleeing conflict and human rights abuses committed by the SLORC ( State Law and Order Restoration Council ) in the Karen National Union's 4th Brigade area, have been forcibly repatriated back into Burma. Upon arrival on Thai soil, male refugees, most of whom are not soldiers and some of whom are under the age of ten, have been immediately repatriated into the conflict area. Women and children have been allowed into Thailand but have since been rounded up by Thai authorities and are being sent back to Burma through a "safe corridor". Many dispute the security of this "safe corridor". Refugees are clearly being repatriated into an active war situation in order to prevent a 'refugee situation' in this area of the Thai -Burma border. With SLORC's continued offensive and the recent fall of the KNU's 4th Brigade stronghold, thousands of civilians will continue to seek refuge in Thailand. Yet it is now unknown whether they will be allowed to cross the border, considering this latest action by the Thai authorities. Karen civilians who are prevented from seeking refuge in Thailand or who are forcibly returned to Burma are at considerable risk of being taken as porters and human mine sweepers by SLORC troops. There are numerous incidents of rape and ill-treatment of women. Villagers are arbitrarily executed if they are thought to be linked with the KNU. We an international coalition of groups and organisations working for democracy and human rights in Burma, deplore the forced repatriation of Karen civilians by the Thai authorities which is in direct violation of international law. We call on the United Nations and our respective governments to immediately communicate to the Thai government, their insistence that all refugees be protected, including male civilians, and that no Karen civilians be forcibly repatriated into Burma. We call upon the Clinton Administration, the Canadian government and the European Union to impose economic sanctions on Burma as a matter of urgency. We also call upon the European Union to withdraw immediately, without further procrastination, preferential market access for Burmese industrial and agricultural goods into the European market. The Canadian government should further consider the immediate suspension of Burmese garment imports into the country. We urge all those concerned for the welfare of the refugees to hold demonstrations in front of Thai embassies and consulates, calling for the Thai government to protect the refugees. Signed by: Canadian Friends of Burma Burma Action Group UK Burma Action Ireland Association Suisse-Birmanie Society for Threatened Peoples, Germany Fractures/Reseaujeunes Solidaires, France Burma Centrum Netherlands Norwegian Burma Council Anti-Slavery International Karen Youth Organisation-Canada Seattle Campaign for a Free Burma L.A Campaign for a Free Burma Burma Forum, USA Bay Area Burma Roundtable, USA Burma UN Service Office, USA Asia Pacific Centre for Justice and Peace Burmese Relief Center-Japan Buddhist Peace Fellowship, USA Free Burma Coalition, USA * Burma Office, Sydney and the Australia Burma Council have also endorsed this statement, but it went out before their names had been added. ************************************************* ABC/BURMA OFFICE: PROTEST RALLY ON MARCH 2, 1997 February 27, 1997 From: azappia@spirit.com.au (Amanda Zappia) The ABC/Burma Office will hold a rally outside SLORC Embassy on Sunday 2nd March 1997. It will then move on to the SLORC Embassy. Protesters will deliver letters at both places demanding that the Thais stop repatriation and the SLORC stop the civil war. The Minister Foreign Affairs has been asked to raise the issue with Thai Foreign Minister in a meeting this morning and all Members and Senators of Australian Parliament have been asked to condemn both Thais and SLORC. There will be a motion in parliament/Senate today (27th Feb). All Australian based NGOs have been contacted and asked to react as have Australian unions and prominent supporters of the movement. Media releases are going out at this time from the Burma Office and the ABC will issue further releases leading up to the rally. ****************************************************** AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: FEAR FOR SAFETY/FEAR OF REFOULEMENT February 26, 1997 (Note: abridged: background info same as presented in reports above) EXTRA 26/97 Fear for safety / Fear of refoulement 26 February 1997 MYANMAR / THAILAND Thousands of refugees from Myanmar Amnesty International is gravely concerned for the safety of thousands of refugees fleeing a Burmese army offensive against the insurgent Karen National Union (KNU). Ethnic Karen from villages in the area of the offensive who may not be allowed to seek refuge in neighbouring Thailand or are returned to Myanmar are at risk of ill-treatment, being taken as porters, or possible unlawful killing by the Burmese army. (section cut) On 25 February about 230 men at Ban Bong Tee were sent back over the border into the area they had fled. The remaining around 600 women and children were put onto trucks and taken to Amphur Suan Pung, located further south in Ratchaburi Province, opposite the "safe corridor" area, from where it is believed they may be forcibly repatriated to Paw Ma Pwu village. Thousands of Karen refugees currently remain at Ban Pu Nam Rawn, and it is feared that the men will also be repatriated into an insecure area and the women and children sent to Amphur Suan Pung for repatriation to Paw Ma Pwu village. Hundreds of Karen refugees in two camps in Sangklaburi province, north of Kanchanaburi have also reportedly been told by local Thai authorities to either return to Myanmar or agree to be taken to Amphur Suan Pung, presumably prior to repatriation to the "safe corridor". Over the last eight years, Amnesty International has well- documented evidence of a pattern of forced portering, torture, ill-treatment and unlawful killings of unarmed civilians during counter-insurgency operations by the Burmese army against ethnic minority opposition groups, including the KNU. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters in English or your own language: 1. APPEALS TO THAI AUTHORITIES: - noting that the Royal Thai Government is bound by the internationally-recognized principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits states from returning refugees against their will to countries where they risk serious human rights violations; - expressing concern at reports that the so-called "safe corridor" cannot be considered safe given the movements of the Burmese army; - urging the Thai authorities to halt the forcible return of Karen refugees and to grant them All necessary protection; - noting that the Thai authorities have already provided safety and protection to tens of thousands of Burmese refugees fleeing conflict and human rights violations. 1. General Chaowalit Yongchaiyut, Prime Minister Office of the Prime Minister Government House, Nakhorn Pathom Road, Bangkok 10300, Thailand Telegrams: Prime Minister, Bangkok, Thailand Faxes: + 66 2 280 1443; 282 5131; 281 2536 Salutation: Dear Prime Minister 2. Sanoh Thienthong. Minister of Interior Ministry of Interior, Asdang Road Bangkok, Thailand Telegrams: Interior Minister, Bangkok, Thailand Faxes: + 66 2 223 8851 Salutation: Dear Minister 2. APPEALS TO MYANMAR AUTHORITIES: - urging the Myanmar authorities to take immediate steps to ensure that the Burmese army does not engage in deliberate and unlawful killings, torture, ill-treatment, or arbitrary arrests of any civilians, including members of ethnic minorities. 1. General Than Shwe Chairman, State Law and Order Restoration Council Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar Telegrams: General Than Shwe, Yangon, Myanmar Telexes: 21316 Salutation: Dear General 2. Lt General Maung Aye Vice Chairman, State Law and Order Restoration Council Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Ministry of Defence Signal Pagoda Road, Yangon, Union of Myanmar Telegrams: General Maung Aye, Yangon, Myanmar Telexes: 21316 Salutation: Dear General COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Myanmar/Thailand accredited to your country. PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY ******************* FBC (SEATTLE): SAMPLE LETTER TO THE THAI PRIME MINISTER February 27, 1997 From: dohrs@u.washington.edu General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Prime Minister of Thailand fax: (66) 2- 282-8631 Dear General Chavalit, A crisis now exists along the Thai/Burmese border, and I would like to strongly urge the Thai government to continue its policy of: 1) accepting displaced persons from Burma and 2) allowing humanitarian assistance to flow to those seeking refuge in Thailand. The Burmese military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) is persecuting thousands of ethnic Karen, Karenni, Mon, and Shan. SLORC's military offensives (in Karen and Karenni States and the Tenasserim Division), mass forced relocations (in Shan and Karenni States and theTenasserim Division), forced portering (in all regions) and forced labor (in all regions) have made it impossible for civilians to continue to live in Burma and pushed them to seek safety and shelter in Thailand. The Thai government has a long record of supporting refugees, displaced persons and humanitarian efforts. Recent events have placed greater burens on Thailand along its border with Burma than ever before. SLORC's policies have resulted in record numbers fleeing to Thailand, and SLORC, through its support for the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), has now even attacked refugees on Thai soil; such actions violate not only Thai sovereignty, but numerous international norms against attacks on civilians and refugees. It has also come to my attention that the Thai Army has established a policy of repatriating refugees crossing into Kanchanaburi Province. Men have already been pushed back across the border and women and children, now separated from their husbands and fathers, are being repatriated farther south. Given SLORC's current offensive against the KNU and their actions toward any people even remotely suspected of any form of association with the KNU, the safety of these civilians is in grave danger. In light of these events, I would like to encourage the Thai government: 1. to continue to allow all those seeking refuge and asylum to cross into Thailand from Burma; 2. to quickly implement its stated policy to relocate refugee camps further inside Thailand to more secure areas, so the camps will be safe from cross-border attacks by SLORC and its supporters; and 3. to continue to allow humanitarian aid to flow uninterrupted to these refugees and displaced persons. Recent accounts of some Thai authorities denying access to Thailand or for people fleeing Burma are worrisome. These accounts raise considerable concern in the world community about the health and safety of those who are attempting to flee to Thailand to escape political persecution and other human rights abuses. I hope that the reports of denied access to Thailand are isolated incidences, and I encourage the Thai government to continue its past policy of supporting those in need of humanitarian assistance and shelter from persecution. Sincerely, *******************************************************