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BKK Post, March 18, 1998. REFUGEES
- Subject: BKK Post, March 18, 1998. REFUGEES
- From: burma@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 12:38:00
March 18, 1998. REFUGEES
Karen camps face threat of attack
Supamart Kasem
Mae Sot, Tak
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) plans to attack Karen refugee
camps on the northern border after seven of its troops were killed in a
Thai army shelling on its camp on Sunday, according to intelligence
sources.
The army fired 33 artillery rounds into a DKBA jungle camp inside Burma
on Sunday after DKBA guerrillas lobbed 10 mortar rounds at the Mae Hla
refugee camp in Mae Sot, wounding one Karen refugee.
The sources said this was the first time in three years Thailand had
used heavy weapons to retaliate against violations of its sovereignty by
forces in Burma at the Tak border.
The last time Thailand did so was in February 1995, when Burma fired
more than 1,000 shells across the border during its attack on the
Kawmoora Camp of the Karen National Union opposite Mae Sot.
Bilateral relations turned sour after both sides exchanged fire.
Col Chatchatpat Yaem-ngarmriab, chairman of the Local Thai-Burmese
Border Committee (TBC), warned Burma in his aide memoir that Thailand
would maintain its right to fight back against future intrusions.
In his memoir, Lt-Col Saing Phone of Myawaddy accused Thailand of having
violated Burma's sovereignty by firing 33 shells into its territory.
Thailand had earlier sent a protest note to Burma after pro-Rangoon DKBA
guerrillas crossed the border to attack the Huay Kalok refugee camp in
Mae Sot on March 11.
Two pregnant women and a boy were killed and more than 30 wounded in
that attack.
The army said it had already deployed troops to deal with fresh attacks
by the DKBA.
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