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Burma-Karen : Karen refugees escape



Subject: Burma-Karen : Karen refugees escape Burma


Burma-Karen : Karen refugees escape Burma

                            BANGKOK, March 28 (AFP) - A stream of ethnic
Karen refugees
                            fled Burma into Thailand Friday when advancing
forces of the
                            junta were reported to be only one hour's march
away, witnesses
                            said.

                            The refugees escaped the Karen village of Meh
Pya Kee inside
                            Burma early Friday and crossed into Suan Phung
district of
                            Thailand's Ratchaburi province, where they were
sheltering about
                            eight kilometres (five miles) from the frontier.

                            A 76-year old man who had left his home at Amoe
in territory
                            formerly held by the rebel Karen National Union,
said he had been
                            walking for three weeks to escape the Burmese
government
                            offensive, a witness said.

                            Witnesses estimated there were 2,000 refugees,
mostly women,
                            children and elderly.

                            The Thai military said that according to latest
reports, between
                            2,000 and 3,000 Karen refugees had gathered at
the border but
                            had not yet crossed into Thailand.

                            Forces of the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC)
                            were only one hour away when the villagers left
Meh Pya Kee at
                            9:00 a.m., the elderly Karen man reported.

                            Some of the refugees were reported to be
suffering from malaria
                            and diarrhoea. Many of the children were
coughing, witnesses
                            said.