BKK POST,February 8, 1998. BORDER

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

February 8, 1998. BORDER

              Burma still
              continuing dam
              work

              Thai protests over dredging ignored

              Supamart Kasem 
              Tak

              Burma has again ignored Thailand's protests by dredging sand
              from the Moei River to claim sovereignty over it, says a local
              Thai official.

              Myawaddy authorities renewed construction work on a concrete
              dam under the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge on February 2
              after they had halted building for several months.

              A large dredging boat has been sent to take sand from the river
              to fill an area between the north of the bridge and the river bank,
              so that land will connect to Burmese territory, claimed the
              official.

              Burma's alleged encroachment prompted Local Thai-Burmese
              Border Committee (TBC) chairman, Col Chatchapat
              Yamngarmriab, to submit an aide-memoire to his Burmese
              counterpart urging Myawaddy to stop encroaching on the river.

              However, there has been no response from Burma, said sources.
              The boat was still seen dredging sand.

              A stand-off between the two countries erupted when Myawaddy
              planted poles and built the dam under the bridge and encroached
              on the Moei River to divert its flow in 1996. It agreed to
              temporarily halt construction after Thai authorities protested.

                About 500 illegal Burmese migrants have been arrested and
              handed over to immigration police in Tak for repatriation, police
              said yesterday.

              All were booked at the immigration check-point in Mae Sot and
              will be sent back home without charge. 

              Pol Lt-Col Sorapol Payungveeranoi, deputy commander of the
              provincial immigration police, said charges would not be pressed
              because these illegal workers were reportedly heading home, in
              line with the government's policy of repatriating at least 300,000
              illegal workers within six months.

              Border officials said yesterday that there were about 1,000
              Burmese going back home via the Thai-Burmese Friendship
              Bridge, which links Mae Sot and Myawaddy. 

              Governor Phongpayom Wasaphooti will hold a meeting on
              February 12 in preparation for the expected stream of illegal
              Burmese workers returning home via the province.

                Pro-democracy activists in Burma have renewed a campaign
              to promote human rights and democracy.

              The Burma Lawyers' Council led by Hkun Okker said "human
              rights legal training" has been provided to Karen and minority
              ethnic groups along the Thai-Burmese border.

              Mr Okker, who is also president of the Pa-o People's Liberation
              Organisation, said in Mae Hong Son that the participants are
              educated in criminal law, human rights law, environmental law,
              political science and constitutional law.

              They have studied constitutional laws of Burma and various
              countries including Thailand to point out differences and flaws.

              He said about 35 people, most of them leaders of ethnic groups,
              participated in the training last month.

              About 40 Burmese nationals also held a meeting here last month
              in a move to establish an organisation called the Burmese
              Women Union.

              The aim of the organisation, founded by Burmese women living
              in foreign countries, is to call on the Burmese government to stop
              the oppression of women and undemocratic practices against
              minority groups.