BURMA/REFUGEES

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=11/19/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-222904

TITLE=THAI-BURMA REFUGEES (L ONLY)

BYLINE=GARY THOMAS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:   


INTRO:  UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS AND DIPLOMATIC 

OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING THE FORCED REPATRIATION BACK TO 

BURMA, OF SOME ONE-THOUSAND ETHNIC KAREN REFUGEES.  AS VOA 

CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM BANGKOK, THERE ARE 

ALLEGATIONS THAT THAI TROOPS KILLED SIX OF THE REFUGEES. 


TEXT:  WESTERN DIPLOMATIC SOURCES, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, SAY

SOME ONE-THOUSAND ETHNIC KAREN FROM BURMA WERE FORCIBLY EVICTED 

FROM THEIR BORDER SETTLEMENT SATURDAY, BY THAI SECURITY FORCES.  

SIX PEOPLE ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE OPERATION, 

FOUR OF THEM ALLEGEDLY EXECUTED BY THAI TROOPS. 


DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THE INCIDENT, WHICH 

REPORTEDLY TOOK PLACE IN TAK PROVINCE, AND THAT THERE WERE 

CASUALTIES.  HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT YET INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED 

WHETHER ANY OF THE REFUGEES WERE EXECUTED.  


A BANGKOK NEWSPAPER QUOTES THE COMMANDER OF THE FOURTH INFANTRY 

TASK  FORCE AS DENYING THAT ANY SUCH ATTACK TOOK PLACE.  THE 

OFFICER IS QUOTED  AS SAYING TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED BY THAI 

TROOPS WHEN THEY SNUCK OUT OF A REFUGEE CAMP AFTER CURFEW. 


 STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES  

TRAVELLED TO THE AREA WEDNESDAY FOR AN INVESTIGATION. 


ACCORDING TO DIPLOMATIC SOURCES, LOCAL THAI SECURITY FORCES 

SWOOPED IN EARLY IN THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 15TH TO DISLODGE THE 

KAREN FROM THEIR MAKESHIFT SETTLEMENT AT THAY PU LAW SU, A SITE 

NEAR THE BURMESE BORDER AND WEST OF THE THAI TOWN OF UMPHANG.  

THE TROOPS WERE TRYING TO MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER LOCATION. 


THE KAREN HAD BEEN SETTLED THERE FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO ESCAPE 

FORCED RELOCATION BY BURMESE TROOPS.  HOWEVER, THAILAND DOES NOT 

CONSIDER THEM REFUGEES, SINCE THEY WERE NOT FLEEING FROM 

FIGHTING. 


THE DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY THE THAI TROOPS OPENED UP WITH 

AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND GRENADE LAUNCHERS TO GET THE REFUGEES 

MOVING.  THEY SAY THE SOLDIERS STARTED BEATING THE REFUGEES AND 

BURNED THEIR SHELTERS.  REPORTS SAY ONE ADULT WAS KILLED AND THAT

A BABY, WHO WAS DROPPED BY HIS MOTHER IN THE PANIC, DIED. 


KAREN SOURCES ALLEGE FOUR OF THE REFUGEES WERE TIED UP AND BEATEN

BY THE THAI SOLDIERS AND THAT THREE WERE THEN SHOT.  THE FOURTH, 

THEY SAY, WAS TOLD TO LEAVE AND SHOT DEAD AS HE DID SO.  BUT THIS

PORTION OF THE INCIDENT HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED. 


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST OF THE KAREN IS NOT CLEAR.  OFFICIALS 

SAY THEY DO NOT YET KNOW IF THEY ARE STILL IN THAILAND OR IF THEY

WERE FORCED BACK INTO BURMA.  ONE WESTERN OFFICIAL EXPRESSED 

CONCERN THAT, AS HE PUT IT, THE TRAIL WILL BE COLD BY THE TIME 

INVESTIGATORS ARE ALLOWED INTO THE AREA TO PROBE THE MATTER. 


WESTERN DIPLOMATS, WHILE DECRYING THE REPORTED INCIDENT, SAY THEY

ARE CONVINCED THAT THE ORDER TO MOVE THE KAREN DID NOT COME FROM 

BANGKOK, BUT WAS GIVEN AT A LOWER LEVEL. 


SOME 100-THOUSAND ETHNIC KAREN HAVE TAKEN REFUGE IN THAILAND, 

MOST OF THEM  FLEEING THE BURMESE MILITARY'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE

KAREN NATIONAL UNION, WHICH HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR AUTONOMY FROM 

RANGOON SINCE 1948.  KAREN REFUGEE OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE BEEN 

WELL TREATED BY BOTH THAI MILITARY OFFICIALS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS.

(SIGNED) 


NEB/GPT/FC 


19-Nov-97 6:12 AM EST (1112 UTC)