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KYAR KYAUK LOH SHIN GYI KOE, SHIN G



The above  Burmese saying means a person is afraid of tiger and in 
desperation look up to the spirit for help, but it happen to be a bad
spirit 
and it was worse than the tiger.
The same thing happened to the Burmese minority refugees who were 
fleeing their homeland and took refuge in Thailand.  They were so afraid 
of the Burma Army who tortured, raped, enslaved and killed them and 
burned their village that in desperation they flee to Thailand to take 
refuge.  The Thai Army, instead of helping the refugees and protect them,

create every possible means of environments so that refugees can not 
stay and take refuge in Thai soil.  Thai Army know very well that due to 
extensive human right abuse by the Burma Army that it has become 
impossible to live decent life as human being in refugee home land.  
Let me review a few instances how the refugees who ran for their lives 
and end up in the camp only to be maltreated again by the Thai Army.  
When Burma Army mounted major operation against KNU forces in 
Southern Part of Burma, thousand of Karen villagers fled across  the
border to take refuge in Thailand.  Many of 
them were pushed back across the border, back to Burma.  Those who 
stayed on Thai soil were not allowed to build even makeshift shelter so 
that they can rest and sleep a little better.  Instead, refugees have to 
sleep and rest on the ground with plastic sheet over their head for 
roofing.  It was very hot in the daytime and cold at night.  The
condition 
is so unbearable that many refugees especially very young and very old
lost 
their lives.
When Hway Kaloke refugee camp was attacked and torched by the Burma 
Army the first time, there was no security force to guard the camp, so we

should not blame any body.  This time when Hway Kaloke was attacked 
and torched the second time, there was Thai Security Forces guarding 
the camp.  Where were they during the attack?  There was no resistance 
and the intruders sprayed their weapons at will, killing two people and 
injuring scores of them.  When the smoke was cleared Thai Security 
Forces took control of the camp and prevented NGO from entering the 
camp.  The NGO had to wait till the higher commander has inspected the 
camp.  
On another development up the North, the Shan refugees who ran for 
their lives met with hostile Thai Army.  Thai Army did not allow NGO to 
reach Shan refugees to even feed them.  
Besides being hostile to the refugees, Thai Army forced many of them 
back to Burma, and still threatened to force back many more.  
There is no question on the sole authority of the Thai Government and 
the Thai Army in their sovereign state.  They can do what ever 
appropriate for their sovereign state.  But considering how much the 
refugees have suffered extensively under the Burma regime, the Thai 
Army should have the humane heart and mercy on the fleeing human 
beings.  The Thai government do not have to spend money to feed the 
refugees, the NGO does.  The refugees do not pose security threat for the

Thai citizens, but the Burma Army and DKBA do.  The Burma Army 
and DKBA crossed the border countless times to attack refugees as well 
as the Thai citizens, and even Thai security forces.  There had been no 
forceful resistance or retaliation from the Thai Army for those attacks. 

The only enforcement from the Thai Army was forced repatriation of the 
helpless refugees.  To save their face, Thai Army forced refugees to sigh

the agreement that they are willing to go back home to Burma.
By judging the above mentioned incidents and instances, one only has to 
draw conclusion that, first, the Thai government and the Thai Army put 
priority on business ties with the Burma Military Regime than human 
lives and sufferings.  Secondly, the Thai Army does not have the combat 
experience, capacity and number to match the more seasoned but 
undisciplined fighting force of 400,000 Burma Army.  
Hence the fate of refugees in Thai soil seems to be totally dictated by
the 
Burma Military Regime.  And the Thai Army is doing everything to 
please its Burmese counterpart.  After the attack on Hway Kaloke refugee 
camp, Thai Army commander General Chetta Tharajaro said that the 
attack was the internal conflict among the ethnic Karen.  The attack in 
fact is the disrespect and intrusion of the Thai Sovereignty by the Burma

Military Regime.  The Burma Army still have the mentality of centuries 
old Burmese Monarch and still try to create mini-empire within the 
Union of Burma.  Time has changed, but Burma Military rulers have 
not.  
I think it is time for the Thai Government and Thai Army to review their 
relationship with the Burmese Regime and encourage the democratic 
process to materialize in Burma.  Only when democratic government 
prevail in Burma that the military personals of Burma Army will be 
reduced and divert their energies to rebuilding the country and the 
economy.  Only then the refugees will go home willingly and there will be

no more cross border attacks on Thai territory by the Burma Army.  
Due to the extensive human right abuse, many Western nations and 
major financial institutions have refused to extend helping hand to 
Burma which otherwise could help improve the country?s economy.  
Therefore, it has become very clear that Burmese Military Regime cannot 
improve the Burmese economy in the near future.  Furthermore a poor
country 
with a huge army can definitely pose a threat to its neighbor.  Ayudaya
was razed to 
the ground during Burmese Monarchy days and one can not say for sure 
that it will not happen again.  
In conclusion,  I earnestly appeal to the Thai Army not to make the 
refugees the scapegoat to please the Burma Military Regime but to really 
protect them when they are in desperate need of help.  I truly 
believe that your kindness in the past and in the future will reward you 
with love and respect not just from the refugees but also from the global

community.  

Best regards,
Saw Aung Khin

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