Repatriation condemned

Published: 5/02/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post Newspaper section: News

Human rights groups want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call a halt to a military plan to repatriate 161 Karen refugees from Tak to Burma.

They claim the refugees will be in danger if they are returned to their homeland.

The military insists the refugees want to return home themselves.

More than 40 local and international human rights groups sent an open letter to Mr Abhisit yesterday asking him to stop the repatriation of Karen refugees from their shelters in Ban Nong Bua and Ban Mae Usutha in tambon Mae Usu of Tha Song Yang district.

The repatriation effort starts today and will run until Feb 15.

The groups say the refugees will be at risk in their homeland opposite Tak because the area contains landmines.

They have also asked the military to allow outside organisations to witness future repatriation efforts.

The activists will rally in front of Government House and in Tha Song Yang today to oppose the repatriation.

Blooming Night Zan of the Karen Women Organisation said landmines planted by soldiers during past battles had killed and injured five refugees who returned to Burma to look after their cattle.

A 13-year-old boy lost a leg last August and a pregnant woman lost a foot on Jan 18, she said.

Surapong Kongchantuk, of the Lawyers' Council of Thailand, said the 3rd Army chief was conducting the repatriation effort without consulting the National Security Council and was tarnishing the country's image.

He predicted the refugees would return to Thailand as victims of human traffickers.