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NCUB PRESS RELEASE NO [10]



Reply-To: "All Burma Students' Democratic Front" <lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

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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
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			PRESS RELEASE NO (10)
		Situation of Karen Refugee in KNU Brigade (6) area
								Date: March 3, 1997
Almost 10,000 refugees have managed to escape from fighting and SLORC's human rights abuses by fleeing to the Thai-Burma border. They  took refuge in Thailand following the SLORC offensive against Karen National Union Brigade (6) area, started on February
 7, 1997.

Last week, SLORC started disseminating several acknowledgment letters sealed with fake KNU official stamps in different refugee camps on the Thai side of  the border in order to persuade Karen refugees to come back to their native villages, areas now cont
rolled by SLORC troops.  These letters stated that all run-away villagers will be warmly and safely welcomed to their homes without any punitive action being taken. At the same time, SLORC is threatening refugees using DKBA forces, and  has sent ultimatum
s to burn down refugee camps if the refugees refuse to return.

In response to the false KNU letters, some refugees mistakenly went back to their native villages, where they discovered the SLORC presence which immediately put them to work. Some of these refugees later managed to sneak back to the refugees camps in Tha
iland. Those who returned to the refugee camps on the Thai side are villagers from Kyait Don, Mi Nar Ark, A-Zin, Chokale, Phar klaw Nie and Mal ka Thi Hta villages. 

According to these refugees, they were provided with three tins of rice per family. All adult men were forced to work digging trenches, constructing military barracks and buildings, and cutting bamboo for fencing the entire village. Some villagers have be
en arrested and detained at night after being accused as KNU supporters or sympathisers. A number of villagers have disappeared since they were taken by SLORC troops for questioning. 

Therefore, all refugees who return to their homes are now living under intensely threatening and unsafe conditions. SLORC is clearly unable and uninterested in guaranteeing their rights to a safe dwellings and a safe livelihood.  More returns are expected
 soon.

The NCUB demands the SLORC to: 
-stop human rights abuses against innocent villagers, including extra-judicial killing, arbitrary arrest, rape and forced porterage and labour, 
-cease using military aggression against KNU forces and the civilian population
-enter genuine tripartite dialogue for solving political problems through peaceful means and
-honour the 1990 election results.

The NCUB appeal to the international community including Thailand to help protect the safety of the refugees.



Information Committee
National Council of the Union of  Burma (NCUB)