BKK Post, March 16, 1998. REFUGEES

[burma@xxxxxxxxxx]

March 16, 1998. REFUGEES

Five Karens injured in mortar attack
Pro-Rangoon forces target Mae La camp
Supamart Kasem 
Mae Sot, Tak

Five Karen refugees were wounded after eight mortar rounds fired by 
pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) guerrillas landed on 
Mae La camp in Tha Song Yang district yesterday afternoon.

The attack followed a DKBA raid on nearby Hua Kalok camp last Wednesday 
in which three refugees were killed and about 1,000 dwellings torched, 
leaving about 9,000 refugees homeless.

The source said the first two mortar shells landed on Zone A of Mae La 
camp on Mae Sot-Mae Sariang road shortly after noon, seriously wounding 
three refugees.

Later at 1.45 p.m. while panic-stricken refugees were preparing to leave 
the camp another eight rounds hit the camp, wounding two other refugees.

The wounded were later sent to Tha Song Yang hospital.

Mae La camp houses some 30,000 Karen refugees loyal to Karen National 
Union (KNU) General Bo Mya, the leader of Burma's last ethnic resistance 
movement.

A large number of DKBA troops were reported to have been deployed on the 
other side of the border opposite Ban Mae La and poised for attacks on 
Mae La camp since early last week.

At least 30 armed DKBA soldiers tried to cross the border on Tuesday 
night, causing many refugees to leave and spend the night outside the 
camp.

On Saturday, 15 managed to cross the border but fled back after being 
spotted by Thai border forces.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 Rangoon troops which were deployed along the 
border opposite Tha Song Yang and Mae Ramat districts reportedly clashed 
with soldiers of KNU's 7th Division. Casualties were not yet known.

Third Army Area commander Lt-Gen Thanom Watcharaput ordered 
reinforcements of troops and four 105 and 155 artillery pieces to the 
border on Saturday night on receiving the report of Burmese forces 
massing along the other side of the border. They were supported by local 
border patrol police units.

Earlier yesterday morning, army chief Gen Chettha Thanajaro and his 
entourage visited for a situation briefing at the Fourth Infantry 
Regiment Task Force headquarters in Mae Sot.

He later held a meeting with Lt-Gen Thanom, Fourth Infantry Division 
commander Maj-Gen Chalor Thongsala, Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force 
commander Col Chatchapat Yamngarmriab and local BPP leaders.

Reporters were barred from covering the meeting and Gen Chettha's 
activities.

The source said Gen Chettha was touring the border to get first hand 
information on the attack on Huay Kalok camp in preparing to testify to 
the House Military Affairs Committee this week.

The United Nations and other aid organisations have urged the Thai 
government to ensure the security of refugees living on Thai soil as 
tensions along the frontier mount.

Last week's attack was condemned by the US government, which accused 
Burma of waging a "campaign of terror" against Karen refugees in 
Thailand.

Burma has denied any involvement in the raid.

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