BKKPOST:Jun13 Burmese students rapp

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/* Written 12:25 pm  Jun 13, 1994 by kamol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:soc.culture.th */
/* ---------- "BKKPOST:Jun13 Burmese students rapp" ---------- */

Burmese students incur wrath of villagers around camp

Ratchaburi -- MOST villagers living in the vicinity of the so- 
called "safe area" for dissident Burmese students in Ratchaburi's 
Pak Tho district are disgusted with the behaviour of the students, 
saying they are unruly, aggressive and arrogant, with a distinct 
bent for the bottle.

The villagers say they would rather see the Burmese Students 
Centre, as the designated safe area is officially called, 
relocated elsewhere so that peace can once again return to their 
community.

Relations between the villagers and the students worsened recently 
when four Burmese at the centre were injured in attacks by Thai 
villagers, with each side blaming the other for the escalating 
tension.

The incident sparked an outcry from the students who duly filed 
through their representatives complaints with the Interior 
Ministry, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 
and foreign embassies in Bangkok, and also used the media to 
highlight their plight.

The students say they have been targets of constant attack by 
villagers and since their so-called "safe area" was no longer 
secure they didn't want to continue living there.

There are a total of 183 Burmese housed at the Ratchaburi centre, 
also called Ban Maneeloy, according to the latest count.

The students told the media of the stress they were going through 
stemming from the constant fear of another attack by Thai 
villagers since the security guards at the entrance of the centre 
not only didn't help them but tended to side with the villagers.

"We want to live with the Thai villagers like brothers and 
sisters, but we do not know why the villagers do not like us and 
want to hurt us," one of them said.

But according to the villagers the Burmese are the trouble-makers, 
a fact confirmed by camp officials, who requested anonymity.

Samruay Kaenkood, the headman of Ban Maneeloy, was less critical, 
saying as far as he knew only 16 students had acted in an arrogant 
and irresponsible manner, causing trouble not only to their 
colleagues but also to the villagers.

Police have to be careful in dealing with them because the 
students being foreigners, any legal action against them may 
entail intervention from foreign missions in Bangkok, including 
the UNHCR.

The alleged rape of a seven-year-old schoolgirl of Wat Maneeloy 
School by a Burmese student is believed to have sparked the local 
anger and subsequent attacks on the Burmese.

Police have said they will take action but after consulting their 
superiors and after they have gathered more evidence.

Samruay said the villagers are very angry. The girl told her 
parents about the incident but her mother didn't want her to 
appear in court and was initially even reluctant to file a 
complaint with police.

Vithaya Noonpakdee, 40, the owner of a foodshop in front of the 
camp, said his shop was frequented by Burmese students.

"Whenever they drink, they go wild. At times they have smashed 
glasses and pottery or even spilled dishes served to them 
intentionally.

"I have myself slapped them on a few occasions despite the fact 
that they are my customers. It doesn't take much to get angry with 
them or hit them," he said.

Vithaya, however, said that there are some good Burmese students 
"but still most of them are rude."

A camp official put the number of troublemakers at twenty.

"They fight among themselves. If the authorities try to intervene 
they say it's a Burmese affair and Thais should not get involved," 
the official said, adding that they have little regard for Thai 
people or values and tend to do things that could only antagonize 
the villagers.

For example, while watching a championship bout on television 
between a Thai and a foreign boxer they would rather cheer the 
foreign boxer, he said.

When the Thai national anthem is played in the morning and evening 
they refuse to stand at attention, he added.

Lae Phongsabao, 38, a villager of Nong Taptao village near Ban 
Maneeloy, said many students from his village, including his two 
daughters aged 9 and 12, have to travel a kilometre through a 
narrow strip surrounded by thick trees and bushes to reach Wat 
Maneeloy School.

But after the news of rape broke out parents now feel insecure 
sending their children to school along the path so they decided to 
cut down the trees and bushes and widen the strip to deter further 
attacks on their children, Lae said.

The head teacher of Wat Maneeloy School, Phairat Buabangbai, said 
the villagers are angry with him for allowing Burmese students to 
teach in the school as volunteers.

"I admit a girl student was molested. But personally, I do not 
want this to become news. I don't want to embarrass the girl's 
family," he said.

The teacher said in part the anger of villagers may have stemmed 
from jealousy because the Burmese students are being looked after 
very well by the Government and the UNHCR while the villagers are 
not entitled to such privileges.

Mrs Srisuda Insorn, 39, another villager said she had often heard 
stories about Burmese students sneaking out of the camp for their 
famous drinking sessions.

So it was natural for the villagers to do something to protect 
their children, she said as she helped others cut down trees to 
widen the path to the school.

Mrs Khoon Kingpong, 53, said the previous group of Burmese at the 
centre were good people and they had been accepted for 
resettlement in third countries.

This batch, she added, don't qualify for the same treatment, since 
some of them were jailed on criminal charges before being sent 
here.

Mrs Boonthamruang Khamwan, 40, a teacher for 22 years said people 
have their reasons to be angry but not all Burmese are bad.

"But if they (Burmese students) want to live here then they better 
learn to behave," she added.