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Bkk Post -Group of 10,000 Karen wan

Subject: Bkk Post -Group of 10,000 Karen wants to go home

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Bangkok post -Jan 04, 2000
THAI-BURMESE RELATIONS


Group of 10,000 Karen wants to go home
UN refugee agency urged to help



More than 10,000 Karen in Mae Hong Son are seeking help from the United =
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to repatriate them with support =
from the National Security Council.

NSC secretary-general Kachadpai Burusphat said more than 10,000 Karen =
refugees at shelters in Ban Mae Kong Kha and Ban Tha Sala in Mae Sariang =
district, had asked UNHCR staff who visited the shelters two months ago, =
to push for their repatriation to Burma. But the UNHCR representatives =
had told them to wait.

The refugees claimed they should be allowed to return home as they were =
not members of the anti-Rangoon Karen National Union (KNU), he said.

"Now, the chief of the camp in Ban Mae Kong Kha is gathering the =
signatures of Karen war refugees who want to go home. The list will be =
submitted to the UNHCR for consideration.

"Most of these Karen fled fighting from areas opposite Ban Sop Moei and =
some from areas opposite Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi. We want =
to urge the UNHCR to take action swiftly as requested by these people," =
Mr Kachadpai said.

He also said authorities concerned have been put on alert for possible =
spillover of fighting between Burmese troops and rebels and an influx of =
refugees along the northern border, as the annual dry-season offensive =
by Burmese troops approaches.

The NSC chief said both local administration officials and military =
officers have been instructed to provide protection to Thais and, if =
necessary, use drastic measures to push back foreign troops.

Mr Khachadpai said narcotics trafficking and possible incursions by =
foreign troops in the upper north have eased, following deployment of =
the Pha Muang Task Force in Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak, which is =
being supervised by the Naresuan Task Force. He also said the Third =
Army's psychological warfare operation against narcotics in the border =
areas was progressing well.

Mr Khachadpai said the narcotics suppression campaign would be even more =
effective once the new structural organisation of the Internal Security =
Operations Command (Isoc) is completed.


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<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>Bangkok post -Jan=20
04, 2000</B></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT color=3D#900000 =
face=3DARIAL,HELVETICA><B>THAI-BURMESE=20
RELATIONS</B></FONT></DIV><BR><!-- HEADLINE -->
<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D4>Group of 10,000 Karen wants to go =
home</FONT></H1>
<H1><!--KICKER--><FONT size=3D3><I>UN refugee agency urged to=20
help</I><BR><BR></H1></FONT>
<P><FONT color=3D#000000>
<P><FONT size=3D+2><B>M</B></FONT>ore than 10,000 Karen in Mae Hong Son =
are=20
seeking help from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to=20
repatriate them with support from the National Security Council.</P>
<P>NSC secretary-general Kachadpai Burusphat said more than 10,000 Karen =

refugees at shelters in Ban Mae Kong Kha and Ban Tha Sala in Mae Sariang =

district, had asked UNHCR staff who visited the shelters two months ago, =
to push=20
for their repatriation to Burma. But the UNHCR representatives had told =
them to=20
wait.</P>
<P>The refugees claimed they should be allowed to return home as they =
were not=20
members of the anti-Rangoon Karen National Union (KNU), he said.</P>
<P>"Now, the chief of the camp in Ban Mae Kong Kha is gathering the =
signatures=20
of Karen war refugees who want to go home. The list will be submitted to =
the=20
UNHCR for consideration.</P>
<P>"Most of these Karen fled fighting from areas opposite Ban Sop Moei =
and some=20
from areas opposite Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi. We want to =
urge the=20
UNHCR to take action swiftly as requested by these people," Mr Kachadpai =

said.</P>
<P>He also said authorities concerned have been put on alert for =
possible=20
spillover of fighting between Burmese troops and rebels and an influx of =

refugees along the northern border, as the annual dry-season offensive =
by=20
Burmese troops approaches.</P>
<P>The NSC chief said both local administration officials and military =
officers=20
have been instructed to provide protection to Thais and, if necessary, =
use=20
drastic measures to push back foreign troops.</P>
<P>Mr Khachadpai said narcotics trafficking and possible incursions by =
foreign=20
troops in the upper north have eased, following deployment of the Pha =
Muang Task=20
Force in Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and Tak, which is being supervised by =
the=20
Naresuan Task Force. He also said the Third Army's psychological warfare =

operation against narcotics in the border areas was progressing =
well.</P>
<P>Mr Khachadpai said the narcotics suppression campaign would be even =
more=20
effective once the new structural organisation of the Internal Security=20
Operations Command (Isoc) is =
completed.</P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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