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BP: Cheesman's statement irks a



April 3, 1998


                                     



                                 BORDER

              Cheesman's
              statement irks
              army chief

              Aid worker 'has really disappointed us'

              Wasana Nanuam

              The army chief was yesterday apparently unhappy with an
              Australian aid worker's statement that he had crossed the border
              into Burma voluntarily.

              Nick Cheesman, 28, and colleague Ms Ngamsuk
              Rattanasathien, 30, returned to Thailand safely on Wednesday. It
              was earlier believed they had been abducted by pro-Rangoon
              Democratic Karen Buddhist Army guerrillas last Friday.

              The DKBA insisted the two were invited into Burma to take
              pictures of one of its bases damaged in a counter-raid by its
              rivals from the Karen National Union.

              "I don't believe it was an invitation. He (Mr Cheesman) was
              forced at gunpoint to cross the border. His statement is
              unacceptable. In that situation he can't say he was invited.
              However, we are relieved he has been freed. And it shows we
              can talk with Burma and the DKBA," said Gen Chettha
              Thanajaro.

              "The army and the army chief are upset over Mr Cheesman's
              remark that we were too excited. Gen Chettha was really
              worried about him. He has really disappointed us," said an army
              source.

              The source said Gen Chettha had asked Burmese military
              officers to help negotiate with the DKBA for the pair's freedom,
              and had also sent Thai officers over to secure their release.

              "So if he insists he was invited, the army will file a charge of
              illegally leaving the country against Mr Cheesman," said the
              source.

              However, the army chief maintained no charges would be filed
              against Mr Cheesman.

              But Gen Chettha said he would be warned against such action
              because Thailand would be held responsible if something went
              wrong.

              "Although he has broken the law, we cannot punish him. But we
              have to make him realise he can never do that again. It is a bad
              example. What if the DKBA had not freed him?"

              Australian Ambassador to Thailand William Fisher yesterday
              thanked Gen Chettha for the army's effort in helping secure the
              release of Mr Cheesman.

              The Foreign Ministry also claimed credit for the release.

              "The army is a coordinator in the case. The army commander
              contacted Burma several times to seek his release. But we are
              always behind the scene," said Deputy Foreign Minister
              Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who inspected the border area on the
              day the pair returned to Thailand.




                                     




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Last Modified: Fri, Apr 3, 1998