E-News blackout at the Safe Area (r)

[brelief@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

2128 Missouri Ave. 
Flint, MI 48506
USA 
Tel: (810) 341 - 6960
Fax: (810) 341- 6989 
e-mail:brelief@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

What follows is a translation of a letter recently received by one of our
members.  Should you be interested in this story, we'd be happy to supply you
with further details and contact information.

With metta,
Ken and Visakha Kawasaki



>Burmese Students Centre
Moo 7 Ban Maneeloi, Tambon Wang Manao
Pak Tho, Ratchburi 70140
Thailand.

>Dear Saya,

>I would like to request your help because we cannot deliver this information
from here.  Here, the authorities won't allow us to go out side and won't allow
us to use the Internet from Ratchaburi Town.  Yesterday, we heard from the
authorities that they went to Ratchaburi and told the owner of the Internet
Shop, "You are not to allow any Burmese students to use the Internet."  So I
guess we will not send information by the way of E-mail anymore.

>I hope that this information will useful for you;  please post it for us.  
 
>May the power of the Triple Gem help you and your family.

>(name withheld)

 - - - - - 
Press Release, 

Matters related to what could have been a massacre perpetrated by "Safe Area"
camp authorities

Date:    30 November 1999            
          
We, Burmese Students Association (BSA), would like to present the facts of a
series of episodes that could have developed into a massacre at the BSC
(Burmese Students Centre) which is located at Moo 7 Ban Maneeloi, Tanbom Wang
Manao, Amphur Pak Tho, Ratchaburi, south of Bangkok).  Around 08:00p.m. on
November 16, 1999.

In this regards, we have found that the responsible authorties of the centre,
the UNHCR, the Democratic Thai Government (DTG) headed by PM Chuan Leekpai,
have tended to cover up abuses of the students and that they believe themselves
able to carry out inhumane treatment of Burmese student refugees taking
sanctuary in Thailand with impunity.

We are afraid that, given their news-blackout policy, such inhumane treatment
might escalate and threaten the safety and even the lives of asylum seekers who
were involved in the Burmese pro-democracy movement and fled to Thailand to
escape persecution by the Burmese military. 

In this document, we want to reveal details of the events that were
misrepresented in the local news, the root causes of the problems and the
current security situation in the camp.  We would also like to urge the
concerned authorities to take relevant and proper action on these issues.

I.  The following are important facts of the meeting between UNHCR Regional
Representative Mr. Jahanshah Assadi and student representatives:

Date: 28 November 99
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 01:15p.m.

·        UNHCR did not make any request to the Royal Thai Government  to take
judicial action
for 18 September accident in which 5 UNHCR staffs were locked in their office.
 
·       UNHCR has continued financial assistance to those who have  Person Of
Concern
status. 

·       Students should not blame  UNHCR for upcoming strict regulations since
these are based on DTG's policy.  Students should obey and respect the Thai law
because Thailand did not yet sign on Geneva Convention for refugees. 

·       UNHCR requested student's full co-operation for UNHCR activities. 

·       If one day payment is insufficient, two days for the payment would be
arranged and students should control themselves as a positive gesture so that
similar event of 18/10/99 could not recur in the centre.


II.  "The start of armed Thai security guards wearing uniforms in the centre"

Date: 4 November 1999
Time: 09:00a.m. To 05:30p.m.

 To perform newly arranged activities, UNHCR staff for registration leaded by
Ms. Enna arrived at the camp on 09: 00 AM. Students representatives leaded by
Vice Chairman Shwe Hla representing Burmese Students Association asked Ms.
Enna,  in charge of registration, to carry out the registration duty in
accordance with  request of UNHCR Regional Representative in the meeting with
the BSA on 28/10/99.

During the meeting between Ms. Enna and the BSA, disagreements occurred on both
sides and the results of the meeting went nil. At 10: 30 AM after meeting
ended, the first armed group of 15 armed security guards in uniform arrived at
the centre.

Soon after that, they posted themselves 20 meter away around the Ministry Of
Interior Office.  At that point, BSA representatives led by General Secretary
Myat Thiha asked registration unit in charge Ms. Enna as follow: 

Why are armed security guards going around the camp?  Such action would invite
risks
and who has the responsibility to solve any upcoming problems.  She said that
she called in  security guards for her security, and there was no problem with
that and she is responsible for this condition.  At the BSA's request, the
armed guards retreated to inside the MOI office compound. 

III.  The first sound of gunfire in the centre

Date: 15 November 99
Time: 00:25 AM.

All residents of the camp heard the sound of three gunshots, close together. 
Shortly afterwards, the news that shop owner Pi Chai (nicknamed Jitti) had shot
a camp resident, Than Min Oo, spread throughout the camp.  In the road just
outside the camp, police taking security duty around the camp investigated the
gunfire and apprehended the gunman. Meanwhile a group of angry residents made
noisy protest against the shooting and demanded an immediate
arrest of the gunman.  Five minutes later, MOI authorities sent Than Min Oo who
had been wounded in his left thigh, to Pak Tho Hospital . Camp security officer
Mr. Chaiyapreuk Sawaengchareon and his group arrived at the spot and BSA
representatives briefly explained about the shooting.  The security officer
made an overture to the BSA to file the case at the police station.  Forty-five
minutes later, the police officer together with three witnesses went to the
police station to place charges against the gunman.

One hour later, the wounded student, Than Min Oo, was returned the camp. Some
TV stations and media arrived at the camp and interviewed Than Min Oo @ Nga Pue
and BSA
representative Aung Htun  and the Thai shop owner.

Testifimony of the first witness

While Than Min Oo was kicking  a duck, Pi Chai, the Thai shop owner, shouted
"hay-hay" from the inside of his shop. Than Min Oo ran away from site and Pi
Chai shot him from inside his shop and followed him until he arrived at the
broken barbed wire fence of the camp and then fired two more shots.  He asked
me when standing near the camp fence "Who is that runner?" and I resplied, "I
have nothing to do with that."   Meanwhile, two private cars, one police patrol
car with signal light and a pick-up car drove there and asked Pi Chai, "Who is
shooting? "Khai Yimn", Pi Chai answered, "Myself-myself" " "Phon Khup- Phon
Khup!"  The policemen both in plain clothes and in uniform got out of the cars
and confiscated the gun from Pi Chai's right armpit.

Testimony of the second witness 

I clearly heard the sound of three shots while asleep at the  room on the
ground floor.  I quickly got up and looked at the road where I saw a man
wearing only green short-pants who entered the camp through the broken camp
fence, and started looking for something in the bushes with a torch-light in
his hand  under the light of car front-light. When noisy voices from camp
residents prevailed, people from outside reminded him to get out of the camp
compound and then he quickly backed off.   When he got back to the road, I
realized he is "Pi Chai" and he put his hands together and paid respects (the
traditional Thai gesture of wai) to some 
uniformed policeman and two plain-clothes police who hold him under his arms
and take him to a table of his shop.  This is followed by noisy protests from
camp residents. 

Legal action by  the Thai police

Date: 15 November 99
Time: 02:30p.m.

Than Min Oo, with a gunshot injury, requested to MOI office to file charges
against the gunman at the police station.  Under the arrangement of security
officer Mr Chaiyapreuk , he went to Pak Tho police station where he was
arrested under a counter charge of alleged duck theft by the shop owner's
wife.  Further, he was charged with destroying the police station's desk. 


IV.  UNHCR monthly allowance to centre residents for November

Date: 15 November 1999
Time: 10:00a.m. To 04:00p.m.

UNHCR representatives headed by Programme Officer Ms. Kathi Heart with the aid
of security guards handed out monthly stipends for the students at the MOI
office in the centre.


V.  Date: 16 November 99
Time: 01:00p.m. To 04:00p.m.

Ms. Ennui and Ms. Kathi Heart restarted allowance pay for students those who
did not receive their stipend on 15 November payment because of Ms Usanee's
complicated money account in which BSA chairman Thant Zin Htun and Joint
General Secretary (1) Aung Htun gave the helping hand in solving for social
problems, status problems and other allowance problems.  Just before the end of
the office time, a security guard took his duty as doorkeeper for UNHCR staff.


VI.  Peaceful demonstration for unfair arrest by police and more gunfire

Date: 16 November 99
Time: 04:00p.m.

General Secretary of Overseas National Students Organization of Burma (ONSOB)
gave UNHCR officer a statement that there was going to be a protest staged in
the evening while taking monthly stipend at MOI office.

At 04:00p.m. ONSOB staged peaceful demonstration 

ONSOB staged a peaceful protest in front of MOI office. About 05:00p.m. they
moved to the camp signboard near the gate-door and continued the demonstration,
shortly after that, they chatted with the village head of Ban Maneeloi. Just at
that moment, a resident named Ah Ba was beaten by villagers while going out of
the camp for buying cigarettes. Those who beat to Ah Ba were ordinary Thai or
servants.

At that time, former camp commander, now security officer, Mr. Chanyapreuk was
in sight.  Soon after that, Min Lwin told demonstrators to stop the protest.
protesters retreated and shouted the slogan " We don't want 'Big pig' " (newest
security officer Mr Chanyapreuk) when they arrived in front of the MOI office.
Meanwhile, the sound of shootings (into the air) was heard at the centre, a
reliable source said.

Ten minutes after all demonstrators had returned to their living quarters, the
sound of continuous shooting was heard from the camp.   The news of Min Lwin's
injury in the head and of villagers' entering in to the camp quickly spread
throughout the camp. Some residents rushed to camp's gate.  The sound of
automatic machine guns was heard.  Some shooting went into the air and some
went towards the crowd and the crowd shouted, " "Someone got hit!".  Nwe Aung
was injured in his left leg by the bullet of M 16 assaulted rifle, according to
the X-ray chart from Ratchaburi Hospital.

First, Medic Min Maung and others from BSA's health department gave first aid
to the wounded Nwe Aung at M 2 C room.  MOI authorities were requested to send
him to the hospital.   MOI authorities allowed transportation to ferry the
wounded resident to MOI office. The BSA vice Chairman Shwe Hla tried to go with
Nwe Aung to the hospital but the authorities rejected that and permitted others
to go to the hospital instead.

Testimony of witnesses over the shooting and the Min Lwin case

Despite many differences in testimony by the residents including BSA
representatives, one thing is consensus that Nwe Aung was wounded in his left
leg by the bullets of two uniformed soldiers positioned in front of the MOI
office.

VII.  The outcome of the meeting between Ratchaburi Second governor and BSA
representatives
Date: 17 November 1999
Time: 10:00 to 11: 00 a.m.

Press Release

Burmese Students in Maneeloi Center held discussion with Thai authorities on
16th November 

Shootings inside the camp.

On 16th November 1999, clashes between Thai soldiers and Burmese students
occurred after a series of shouts and protests by about 10 or 15 students.
Students were calling for justice in the problem regarding the alleged theft of
ducks, committed by a student at a local shop opposite the camp. The situation
was turned to confusing stage that students heard several rounds of gunfire. 
One student was injured by a gunshot which came from the MOI office buildings
that operate administration of the camp. Eventually, student representatives
called for a serious dialogue to settle the matter peacefully. As a result,
student representatives and the Thai authorities led by Deputy Governor of
Ratchburi Province held a discussion on 17th November 1999. Followings are the
results of the discussion.
1.      Than Min Oo alias Nga Pyu, the student who was allegedly tried to steal
ducks and Pi Chai, local shop owner who followed the student and shot him
inside the camp, must be brought before justice.  Both have the right to enjoy
lawful procedures
 .
2.      The Ratchaburi Governor has made an order not to allow the students to
go out from the camp compound because local Thai people will probably engage in
unwanted clashes following the incident yesterday.

3.      Students and Thai soldiers have the right to press charges against the
persons involve if they wish so.

4.      Thai authorities has no intention to boost the size of security that
the present armed guards are for the protection for the students from possible
danger from the side of locals.

5.      The security of the centre provided by Thai government is in the line
with the international human rights norms.

6.      The barbed wire is to separate old and new comers.  It is government
policy.  Free crossing from and to old place and newly building place in the
centre anytime is guaranteed.  There is no security at the barbed wire fence. 
The newly building place is not a closed camp.  The Burmese Students Centre is
only one.

7.      Student representatives said the situation has returned to normal.  But
MOI officials did not presume that to be the case.

8.      The student representatives have agreed to cooperate with MOI officials
if there is any problem in the centre.  Another meeting between MOI officials
and student representatives is approved.

9.      Anyone who tries to disturb the duty of security guards will be
punished.  According to the village headman, villagers are still angry and it
is difficult to control them.

10.     MOI officials said the newcomer should take dry food for another week
because the plan for cooked food is not complete. 

11.     The student representatives will try to solve the future problem
first.  If a settlement can be reached, the MOI officials will take legal
action according to Thai law.  MOI officials know the majority of the residents
would like to live peacefully and under the Thai law.

News and Information Department 
    Burmese Students Association 
         Burmese Students Centre


(Note:  In the meeting the governor repeatedly warmed that any kind of
challenges or confrontations will lead to the perpetrators facing serious
troubles. Student  representatives repeatedly argued that shooting should not
be allowed inside the Burmese Students Centre)

Date: 23 November 1999
Time: 02:00 to 04:00p.m.

To take action for newcomers' demands, the representatives assigned by the BSA
made a meeting with camp MOI authorities.

In the meeting MOI authorities warned student representatives not to carry out
any activities that disturb the agreement between MOI and UNHCR over next 50
newcomers who are going to enter the camp on 24 November 1999.

Date: 24 November 1999

50 newcomers entered the camp who have agreed to new policy of UNHCR 

VIII.  Discussion between Kattrine Huck and BSA representatives.

Date: 25 November 1999

Thant Zin Htun: Has UNHCR  any requests for armed security guards at the
centre?
Kattrine Huck:  It is Thai government's policy.  UNHCR everywhere in the world
carries out its activities according to regional laws. Burmese students should
respect the laws.  At the time being, you should be careful, your activities
can make the losing for yourself or all Burmese refugees in Thailand.
Aung Htun:      What matter it has, we are dissatisfied in 16 November lawless
and arbitrary shooting.  UNHCR should intervene for refugees in this issue.

"Conclusion" 
                       Students who tried to speak out the truth for the safety
of the lives of the residents are facing intimidation by Thai authorities and
end up in detention.  UNHCR, tasked with protecting and assisting  refugee who
fled their homeland due to their political belief being suppressed has ended up
giving additional trouble to those refugees.  The problem originates from
UNCHR's own workers' weak-points.  These workers have marred the UNHCR image
and betrayed its main principles.  So we students would like to ask the
international community which respects human-rights to look into our situation,
to be aware of our vulnerability and to act to prevent such human-rights
violations as soon as possible.

Central Leading Committee
Burmese Students Association

 - - - - - - - 

Burmese Students Centre
Moo 7 Ban Maneeloi, Tambon Wang Manao
Pak Tho, Ratchburi 70140
Thailand.

Dear Saya,

I would like to request your help because we cannot deliver this information
from here.  Here, the authorities won't allow us to go out side and won't allow
us to use the Internet from Ratchaburi Town.  Yesterday, we heard from the
authorities that they went to Ratchaburi and told the owner of the Internet
Shop, "You are not to allow any Burmese students to use the Internet."  So I
guess we will not send information by the way of E-mail anymore.

I hope that this information will useful for you;  please post it for us.  
 
May the power of the Triple Gem help you and your family.

(name withheld)


http://home.earthlink.net/~brelief/index.htm