February 16, 2010
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| Karen refugees during a Church celebration in Thailand (file photo) |
BANGKOK (UCAN) — The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is monitoring the situation at the Myanmar border in Thailand’s Tak province where the repatriation of Karen refugees has been on hold following criticism.
“The Irrawaddy” news website reported on Feb. 15 that the International Campaign to Ban Landmines has expressed concern about Karen refugees returning to areas where landmines may be planted. The report said plans to repatriate some 3,000 refugees from Tha Song Yang camp by Feb. 15 have been suspended due to criticisms by human rights groups and other international bodies.
Aden Raj, who heads JRS Thailand, confirmed that plans to repatriate the Karen refugees have been put on hold indefinitely after two meetings between the Thai military and the Tak provincial government — on Jan. 14 and Jan. 26.
Speaking to UCA News on Feb. 16, Raj said the Thai military started talking about repatriating the Karen from Tak after it send back ethnic-Hmong Laotian asylum-seekers last Dec. 28 from a camp in Phetchabun province, despite protests from various international bodies and governments.
Raj added that the possibility of landmines along the border inside Myanmar was one reason for the decision not to repatriate Karen refugees from Tak.
According to unofficial minutes of the Jan. 26 meeting in Tak, some refugees want to return to Myanmar but are afraid to do so due to the possibility of landmines and forced labor, as well as lack of access to food, water, sanitation, health services, education and livelihood activities.
Apart from the Thai military and Tak provincial government officials, parties that attended both meetings were Karen National Union, Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army, Thailand Burma Border Consortium, Solidarities, International Rescue Committee and refugee camp leaders.
Raj explained that JRS is not directly involved with the refugees but is coordinating with other NGOs in its ministry to them. He said JRS is active mainly with migrants rather than refugees, but is nevertheless monitoring the situation of the refugees.
TH08853.1589 February 16, 2010 29 EM-lines (323 words)
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