Some refugees repatriated by Thailand

Friday, 05 February 2010 19:14 Sai Zuan Sai

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Ignoring appeals from several quarters, three families from Noe Boe refugee camp in Thar Saung Yan Township, Tak Province, Thailand were sent back to Burma by government authorities today, a Karen Refugee Committee official said.

Notwithstanding appeals and petitions by rights groups and social workers requesting the Thai government to grant more time to refugees as their homeland continues to be unsafe, Thai officials forcibly repatriated the refugees.

The repatriated today, included seven women and children. They were pushed back to Burma by the Thai Army, a Karen Refugee Committee official said.

Ironically, the husbands of the women are still in the camp.

Though plans suggested repatriation of 30 families of a total of 900 refugees sheltered in Noe Boe temporary refugee camp, only three families were sent back today.

When asked by the UNHCR, the refugees said they were going back to Burma voluntarily.

“UNHCR told them (the Thai authorities) not to send them back if they did not want to go back. But the Thai authorities insisted on sending them back forcibly,” a refugee from the camp said.

The villages the refugees come from, are in the areas controlled by ethnic Karen armed groups, the DKBA and KNLA. Besides, landmines are planted there. Both armed groups have made it clear through the media that they will not take any responsibility for landmine explosions.

At the moment there are no signs of continuation of repatriation from the camp, even as UNHCR and TBBC negotiate with Thai authorities on the contentious issue.