Monthly Report of Mon National Reli (r)

[brelief@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Monthly Report of Mon National Relief Committee (May, 1997)

Monthly Report of Mon National Relief Committee (May, 1997)

Lack of Time for Transportation of Supplies

After a rapid needs assessment survey was conducted by MNRC, BBC and MSF
before the end of 1996, it confirmed to provide main supplies to Mon
refugees who are remaining in the border area but on Burmese side, after
they were faced spontaneous repatriation. Since their native homes are not
safe enough to return because of human rights situation they have to stay in
border area. They also could not accept possible chance to reconstruct their
life and create self-reliance like in their native homes.

Starting before the end of 1996, the MNRC has arranged transporting supplies
to those refugees and at the same time, encouraged them to create
self-reliance of them. But the Tavoy camp's refugees could not receive
enough safety to plan for rice plantation in their area and aids agencies
agreed to provide them more supplies than other camps' refugees. The
transportation of supplies to these camps had been smooth up to the mid of
April, 1997.

Normally, from April up to the end of May, the MNRC has responsibility to
send all stock-piling supplies that refugees need for survival in duration
from May up to December. The donor organization, BBC, provided all supplies
in time and the Thailand's MOI permission also came to district office in
time according to time frame proposal summit of BBC. The MNRC has to arrange
the trucks, labourers and refugees for smooth transportation of those
supplies like every dry season.

While the MNRC tried to send all supplies before rainy season accordingly to
date and amount defined in MOI's serial permissions, the transportation
process was prohibited by the order that came from Ninth Army of Thai Army
in third week of April. Without mentioning any reason, all arranged
transportation was stopped when the time was the most possible for trucks to
travel to the camps. Except to Halockhani camp, the supply transportations
to other camps such as Tavoy and Bee Ree were stopped.

By mentioning the instructed order of Ninth Army, the MNRC and BBC
(Sangkhlaburi office) were informed by the Sangkhlaburi District Office that
all supplies to Bee Ree and Tavoy were not allowed to send into camps. Since
then, the transportation of supply was stopped for three weeks and we had to
store it in MNRC's rice warehouse of Sangkhlaburi. The MNRC faced that
problem unexpectedly and informed the situation to concerned organizations
to discuss with Ninth Army to follow and agree with MOI permission. But all
attempt was fail and the situation was very hopeless for the refugees to
receive rice and other foods.

Even though the MNRC and BBC accepted the MOI permission with humanitarian
consideration provided by Thai government, the opposite idea was occurred by
the army. The valuable time of dry season was become waste and MNRC was in
concern about the coming rainy season. It was very hard for all concerned
organizations to realize the role of MOI and local Thai Army.

For MNRC, it had no way to continue its transportation process and just
waited in hopeless situation. After three weeks prohibition of
transportation of supplies, the Army resumed allowance again in mid of May.
But that time was too late for MNRC to complete its transportation process.
The monsoon weather of rainy season was already started, the roads became
muddy and slippy, and it made trucks useless to travel. The local district
and border polices were helpful in attempting to send the left supples in
time. The processes of signing permission and checking supplies by district
authorities of Sangkhlaburi were quick enough.

In sending supplies, MNRC also used both ten wheels and four wheels trucks.
Four wheels trucks could take and carry supplies on the half way that were
left by ten trucks. However, the rain did not allow to send supplies
smoothly and could send it only on the half way and store for a while where
the trucks reached. Thus, it had to keep supplies in temporary stores along
the way in several places and were roofed with plastic sheets. When the rain
was hard much, the rice sacks also became wet. Sometimes the rain was
continuous and it had to stop transportation for some days and could resume
when the sun-shine came out.

Although it faced various kinds of difficulties, the MNRC has tried to
complete sending supplies and but weather did not give chance to do so.
Estimatedly it could send supplies especially rice to Bee Ree refugees which
may provide them enough up to the mid of Ocotober while the rice to Tavoy
was send to be enough up to November. But the supplies for Tavoy refugees
were stored in many different places on the way and refugees have to carry
their supplies in this difficult rainy season.

At the end of May, no trucks could move more longer because hard rain and
muddy and slippy roads and then the transportation of supplies was also
ceased. Even the transportation was have to stopped, the making and building
the rice stores on the half way was not ceased because it has to keep all
supplies well and protected it from the rain.
In the situation the Mon refugees are remained under the lack of protection,
it have ever faced such various kinds of difficulty and problem that aimed
to oppress them or used them as pawns in playing political or economic
games. Because of recent situation of delay in sending supplies before the
rainy season, the refugees may face food- shortage problem in near future
before the harvest season was come.

Unsafe Campsites of Mon Refugees

According to the ceasefire agreement that reached between NMSP and SLORC,
Halockhani campsite is situating in area for permanent troop location zone
of NMSP. When the NMSP delegation talked for ceasefire with SLORC, several
rounds of talk were hold in Southeast Military Division of Moulmein, capital
of Mon State. The ceasefire agreement was also reached in there. But the
agreement was remained unfair and the commanders from that military command
ignored the agreement and launched an intrusion to Halockhani refugee
campsite in May.

On May 10, about 100 troops of LIB No. 106 led by Major San Lwin arrived
into Halockhani by crossing some part of Thai territory and tried to take
base in campsite. The troops were sent from Three Pagoda Pass and the
Southeast Military
Division ordered to go into the camp. Along together with them, about 40
porters were also arrested to carry ammunition and other supplies of the troops.

Soon after they reached to campsite, they created check-points and collected
tax from everyone who crossed into the camp and passed border point. As the
campsite was situated on the border line, many traders and Thai citizens are
also travelling and crossing the border and they could get chance to collect
tax for those travellers.

According to Burmese troops, they came to campsite to check the border line
with Thai authorities and on May 11, the Thai military officials also came
and met with Burmese troops. They discussed about the border area and did
not reach any agreement in defining border line. Although they completed
discussion, the Burmese troops continued taking base for more days and
refused to leave from Halockhani. Their second reason was to launch military
offensives to KNU troops and they had to take base in Halockhani as a
strategic position.

Because of the intrusion, many organization concerned for the safety of
refugees and the refugees were also blocked by the troops inside camp and
they were in fear of maltreatment. When the troops were in the camp, they
also tried to collect thatches and bamboo to build the bases and asked some
foods from the villagers. Soon after taking base of Burmese troops, the NMSP
leaders sent message to SLORC commanders in Moulmein to withdraw their
troops and strongly complained to SLORC's broken promise. Then, on May 15,
the Burmese troops moved out from Halockhani after they accepted from higher
commanders of Moulmein.

The refugees in Tavoy area also feel unsafe as the area have been remained
as temporary troop location zone of NMSP. The Burmese troops take base close
to campsite and could reach to the camp within 3 hours. Because of unsafe
situation of the campsite, many familes of refugees also moved into Bee Ree
camp and some also fled into Thailand illegally. According to NMSP-SLORC
ceasefire agreement, the troops must have to leave area and if no more Mon
troops there, the situation for refugees became very unsafe.

Similarly, about 900 Mon refugees of the most southern camp, Prachuab, fled
into Thai territory on April 27, after the houses in camps were burnt down
by Burmese Army. On that day, the Burmese Army occupied Chaung Chi area and
drove out several hundred refugees to Thai territory and some displaced
inside Burmese territory. When they reached in Thai soil, they were allowed
only for temporary refuge and Thai authorities including Ninth Army, tried
to force them to return back to Sangkhlaburi district area and to resettle
in Halockhani camp or others. The refugees refused to return to Sangkhlaburi
and at the same time, they were also barred to return to their homes in
Chaung Chi.

Those refugees have been cared by border police for more than one month. On
May 25, when the Burmese Army turned back its offensives to Chaung Chi area
with many thousands troops to pressure armed force Mon Army Mergui District
(MAMD), all campsites were re- occupied by Burmese troops and the refugees
felt they were hopeless and no place to take refuge. As a result, the MAMD
troops also surrendered to Burmese Army and the Burmese troops are still
takin base in Chung Chi area. Starting by the end of May, MAMD, Thai and
Burmese authorities have discussed and planned to push those refugees to
Chaung Chi area back and will refuse to allow those refugees to take refuge
in Thai territory. Soon or after they may be forced to return back to unsafe
campsite where the Burmese Army is still taking base.

Among several campsite of Mon refugees, only Bee Ree camp is remained more
stable than others. While the campsites are in unstable situation with new
troop settlements of Burmese Army, the refugees lose chance reconstruct
their life and community reconstruction programs are also become uncertain.
On behalf of Mon refugees, the MNRC would like to request international
community to review on the situation of Mon refugees and give a helping hand
for the safety of them.

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