SMH-Thai relations with Burma on ro

[tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: SMH-Thai relations with Burma on rocks 

The Sydney Morning Herald- Nov 9, 1999.
Thai relations with Burma on rocks

BURMA By CRAIG SKEHAN, Herald Correspondent in Bangkok

Tensions between Thailand and Burma are intensifying as Thailand adopts a
greater willingness to tackle its neighbour's lack of democratic freedoms.

Tens of thousands of Burmese have gone into hiding in Thai border towns, and
some factories which relied on cheap Burmese labour have suspended
operations amid deportations by Thai authorities of illegal Burmese workers.

The repatriations follow Burma's closure of the border in protest against
Thailand's release of the Burmese activists who last month took hostages at
Rangoon's Bangkok embassy.

Locals say the Burmese population has largely disappeared from the streets
of the northern Thai town of Mae Sot.

''They are afraid,'' said one visitor to the town. ''Police and immigration
officials are rounding up anyone who looks Burmese. Even the Burmese curry
sellers, who used to be everywhere, are gone.''

Thai officials began ferrying Burmese to their homeland across the
''Friendship Bridge'' that crosses the Moei River on the northern border
last Wednesday. But Thai authorities say Burmese soldiers pointed automatic
weapons, stopping the repatriation attempt.

The group of several hundred illegal workers was then sent back at a point
on the border not patrolled by Burmese soldiers.

There have been other covert repatriations along the border, according to
residents, and Thailand has created holding centres for those awaiting
repatriation.

Human rights groups in Thailand have voiced concern that people who face
likely political persecution will be forcibly returned to Burma.

Burmese authorities say they require cross-checks on the identities of those
returning for security reasons, fearing that some of the deportees may be
democracy activists or ethnic insurgents.

The Burmese military regime has complained that pro-democracy groups use
Thailand as a base to campaign.

Anger grew last month when a Thai minister described the embassy
hostage-takers as Burmese student democracy activists rather than
terrorists.

Burmese sensitivities grew when Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid said
ahead of a weekend visit to Rangoon that he had felt personal ''sympathy''
for the democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr Wahid left Rangoon on Sunday to continue a whirlwind tour of Indonesia's
ASEAN neighbours. The new President had said last Thursday that he hoped to
meet Ms Suu Kyi, breaking an Association of South-East Asian Nations
tradition of shunning dissidents in member countries.

However, an Indonesian Embassy spokesman said shortly before Mr Wahid
departed that no such meeting was planned.

The Thai Government has said that as an ''advocate for democracy'' it will
try to help Burma's ''improvement in every way possible''. Such comments,
alluding to the military regime's refusal to restore democracy, were avoided
in the past.

However, observers say the heavy-handed response by Rangoon to the embassy
siege has strengthened Thailand's resolve not to bow to diplomatic pressure
from Burma.