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Burma News: Aug 10




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Burma News: August 10, 1994

Bangkok Post
(Agence France Presse)
August 10, 1994

UNHCR Protests Expulsion

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has made an urgent appeal
to the Government to halt the planned expulsion today of 6,000 ethnic Burmese
Mon refugees.

"We are very worried about the safety of these refugees and have no
confidence in the Burmese Army" said Ruprecht von Arnim, the UNHCR
Representative in Thailand.

The Mons fled to Thailand on July 21 after Burma's 62d Light Infantry Brigade
carried out reprisal raids along the border near Three Pagodas Pass and
arrested 16 of their leaders near Halockhani refugee camp.

Four were later freed, with one claiming to have been tortured.  

Von Arnim said the UNHCR shares the opinions of the Mons--"the region is not
safe".  If the refugees are sent back now "we can only fear the worst" he
said.

He has already contacted the Foreign Ministry and National Security Council
which handles security affairs affecting Thailand's borders.

Kachadpai Burusphat, the NSC's number 2, told APT that "if there is fighting,
they cannot go back.  It is not our policy to push them back," citing
humanitarian concerns.

He said he could not confirm the deadline but said a security evaluation
would be taken based on reports from Thai authorities in the border region.

*************************************
Bangkok Post
August 10, 1994

BORDER POLICE TO SEAL OFF PATH LEADING TO MON CAMP

About 4000 Mon refugees staying at a temporary camp just inside Thailand will
be cut off from the outside world to day when the path leading to the camp is
sealed off by Border Patrol Police.

The Mons fled to Thailand last month after Burmese troops torched Halockhani
camp in Burma where they were staying.

Thai authorities, district officers, Border Patrol Police and troops from the
9th Infantry Division responsible for the area have asked the Mons repeatedly
to rerun to Burma.

But refugee leaders say it is not safe to go home as Burmese troops are still
operating in the area.

Several men taken by Burmese troops, reportedly as porters for the Army, have
not been released.

Thai authorities on Sunday gave the Mon leaders including medics and
volunteer workers until today to leave Thai territory.

Should the refugees refuse to leave, the only path leading to their camp will
be sealed off and no person or food shipment will be allowed to get through.

The authorities said food shipments would be allowed to resume and the
refugees would be allowed to re-enter Thai territory in cases of emergency if
they returned to Burma now before the deadline expires.  

A leader of the Mon National Relief Committee said yesterday the refugees
were afraid to return to Halockhani and would remain at their present camp.

A group of more than 600 Burmese said to be rounded up by immigration police
from places such as Bangkok, Nakon Phathom, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi was
brought to Sangkhla Buri yesterday and sent to the same temporary camp site.

The 600 men, women and children were told to follow the path to the camp
where ten Mon refugees are already taking shelter.  Their fate is not known.

Meanwhile, two Burmese battalions from Ye township are said to be heading for
the border area near Sangkhla Buri where the New Mon State Party headquarters
is located.

The 62d Battalion and the 343d Light Infantry Battalion are said to have left
Ye township a few days ago and are expected at the Thai border if they do not
meet with Mon or Karen resistance.



FUJITSU MAY BUILD BURMA PRINTER PLANT
AFP
Japanese computer giant Fujitsu Ltd. is considering plans to set up a
manufacturing venture in Burma to produce computer peripherals such as
printers, a spokesman said Tuesday.

The spokesman said a Fujitsu team had just returned from Burma where the
company is currently carrying out a feasibility study.

If it went ahead with he plan, Fujitsu would become the first Japanese
company to set up a manufacturing base in Burma.

"We're evaluating a number of sites in Southeast Asia--including Vietnam,
China and Myanmar as well--as places to extend our business which is doing
well in Thailand," the spokesman said.  "But nothing's been decided yet. 
We're looking all over the place.

Tokyo Maruichi Shoji Co. Ltd. a japanese trading company with about two dozen
affiliates in China and the former soviet Union is currently the only
Japanese company to operate a subsidiary in Burma.