Relocation plan curtailed as refuge

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Relocation plan curtailed as refugees refuse to move

Feb. 13 1998
Bangkok Post

Cheewin Sattha 
Mae Hong Son

The first day of operation to move over 12,000 Karen refugees from the
Salween National Park to a refugee camp in Sop Moei district ended in
failure yesterday because of refugee resistance.

Security forces and concerned officials failed to transfer over 1,847
Karens from Ban Mae Yae Tha in Sop Ngae, some 88 kilometres from Mae
Sariang district town, to Mae Lama Luang camp in Sop Moei as part of the
operation to move the refugees from forest land to the camp to combat
illegal logging.

All refugees at Ban Mae Yae Tha reportedly gathered at a church in their
village and refused to move, claiming they feared frequent attacks by the
pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist Army on Mae Lama Luang camp.

No Khae, a Karen refugee, said she did not want to move to Ban Mae Lama
Luang for fear of possible danger from DKBA and Burmese troops although
Thai officials promised to ensure safety for the group.

Meanwhile, one of many foreign non-governmental organisations which
supported the operation reportedly offered to give enough rice for two
months to the families of refugees wanting to return to Burma.

Commander of the 7th Infantry Regiment's special task force Col Sanchai
Jaruwan said more than 30 refugees had agreed to return to their home
country and the remainder must be sent to Mae Lama Luang.

He said the refugee transfer operation is expected to last six days from
February 12 to February 17.

A soldier from the Salween Special Task Force, responsible for suppressing
illegal logging in the Salween National Park, said a border pass at Ban Sao
Hin in Mae Sariang district should be closed to prevent smuggling of logs
from Burma to Thailand.

The task force has seized more than 1,500 logs and arrested five people for
alleged involvement in illegal logging in the national park.

The task force recently found some 3,000 logs in the Salween River in Ban
Mae Sam Lab and Ban Mae Sop Ngae and many others in the Salween forest and
ordered the closure of Ban Mae Sam Lab pass in Sop Moei district to prevent
log smuggling.