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UNHCR official visits Burma border



Subject: UNHCR official visits Burma border crossing near Mae Hong Son 

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UNHCR official visits Burma border crossing near Mae Hong Son=20

On November 10, 1999 at 9.30, Mr. Steefane of UNHCR visited Na Mon at =
the
Burma border north of Mae Hong Son, where Thai officials had pushed back
illegal Burmese migrants, in order to investigate reports that the =
migrants
had then been forced to work for the Burma Army at Ho Murng.

The UN official said it was difficult to solve such problems because the
Burmese government were not cooperating with the UNHCR. UNHCR currently =
has
an office in Rangoon, and have requested permission to visit the areas =
of
forced relocation inside Burma, but had been told to wait by the Burmese
government. Only the ICRC have set up an office in Loikaw, in Kayah =
State
to try and solve the problems there.=20

The UN official was investigating reports that some of the Shan migrants
who had been pushed back into Burma were being used for forced labour by
the Burmese military. However, he said that since there was no UNHCR =
office
on the other side of the border, it was difficult to deal with the
problems, which would carry on for a long time because of the Burmese
government.=20

The UN official said they had been able to work satisfactorily assisting
refugees on the Burma-Bangladesh border, but had not been able to do so =
on
the Thai-Burma border because of the ongoing fighting between the Burma
Army and the various ethnic groups.

So far, about 189 adults, and about the same number of children, =
totalling
about 400 people, have been deported by the Thai authorities in Mae Hong
Son. At a meeting held at the provincial hall on November 8, 1999, the
Governor had ordered officials from around the province to report to him
immediately when there were any arrests of migrants.=20

However, many of the migrants are simply returning straight back to
Thailand out of fear of being captured by the Burma Army on the other =
side.
The fact that many of the migrants had been arresed on the roads and in
their worksites means that many families have been split up.=20

Many of the migrants in the Mae Hong Son area are now seeking refuge in =
the
forests outside villages because they are so afraid of arrest.

Local farmers who had been relying on migrant labourers for their rice
harvest are now suffering from the labour shortage.=20

  =20




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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>UNHCR official visits Burma border =
crossing near=20
Mae Hong Son <BR><BR>On November 10, 1999 at 9.30, Mr. Steefane of UNHCR =
visited=20
Na Mon at the<BR>Burma border north of Mae Hong Son, where Thai =
officials had=20
pushed back<BR>illegal Burmese migrants, in order to investigate reports =
that=20
the migrants<BR>had then been forced to work for the Burma Army at Ho=20
Murng.<BR><BR>The UN official said it was difficult to solve such =
problems=20
because the<BR>Burmese government were not cooperating with the UNHCR. =
UNHCR=20
currently has<BR>an office in Rangoon, and have requested permission to =
visit=20
the areas of<BR>forced relocation inside Burma, but had been told to =
wait by the=20
Burmese<BR>government. Only the ICRC have set up an office in Loikaw, in =
Kayah=20
State<BR>to try and solve the problems there. <BR><BR>The UN official =
was=20
investigating reports that some of the Shan migrants<BR>who had been =
pushed back=20
into Burma were being used for forced labour by<BR>the Burmese military. =

However, he said that since there was no UNHCR office<BR>on the other =
side of=20
the border, it was difficult to deal with the<BR>problems, which would =
carry on=20
for a long time because of the Burmese<BR>government. <BR><BR>The UN =
official=20
said they had been able to work satisfactorily assisting<BR>refugees on =
the=20
Burma-Bangladesh border, but had not been able to do so on<BR>the =
Thai-Burma=20
border because of the ongoing fighting between the Burma<BR>Army and the =
various=20
ethnic groups.<BR><BR>So far, about 189 adults, and about the same =
number of=20
children, totalling<BR>about 400 people, have been deported by the Thai=20
authorities in Mae Hong<BR>Son. At a meeting held at the provincial hall =
on=20
November 8, 1999, the<BR>Governor had ordered officials from around the =
province=20
to report to him<BR>immediately when there were any arrests of migrants. =

<BR><BR>However, many of the migrants are simply returning straight back =

to<BR>Thailand out of fear of being captured by the Burma Army on the =
other=20
side.<BR>The fact that many of the migrants had been arresed on the =
roads and=20
in<BR>their worksites means that many families have been split up. =
<BR><BR>Many=20
of the migrants in the Mae Hong Son area are now seeking refuge in=20
the<BR>forests outside villages because they are so afraid of=20
arrest.<BR><BR>Local farmers who had been relying on migrant labourers =
for their=20
rice<BR>harvest are now suffering from the labour=20
shortage.&nbsp;<BR><BR>&nbsp;&nbsp; =
<BR><BR><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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