THE NATION: Camp terrorised by Kare

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Politics 

      Camp terrorised by Karen
      rebels

      TAK -- An armed group of Karen ethnic
      rebels reportedly backed by Burmese
      troops yesterday launched an early morning
      attack on a refugee camp in northern
      Thailand, torching over 1,000 dwellings,
      killing two and leaving over 50 injured,
      border security officials said. 

      The incident, along with a previous
      cross-border attack by armed Burmese
      groups, prompted the Foreign Ministry to
      submitted a protest letter to Burma. 

      In the latest attack, about 50 fighters of the
      Burma-based Democratic Karen Buddhist
      Army (DKBA) under the command of Maj
      Col Maung Che Doo and Maj Col Too Ma
      Sae crossed the Moei River into Mae Sot
      district's Baan Huay Kalok and attacked the
      refugee camp there with M-79 machine
      guns and 60-mm mortars and RPG rockets
      at 1.15 am yesterday. 

      The attack, believed to be backed by
      Burmese troops at Kaw Moola base,
      prompted a reprisal from a border patrol
      police unit before the invaders retreated
      across the river. A woman and child were
      killed in the crossfire. The blaze destroyed
      or damaged about 1,500 houses and left
      over 50 injured. 

      About 9,000 refugees fled in panic to
      nearby temples to take temporary shelter. It
      took three hours before authorities could
      bring the blaze under control. 

      Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman
      Thinakorn Kanasuta said the ministry
      yesterday submitted a letter to Burma to
      protest two cross-border attacks by armed
      Burmese groups, including the latest one. 

      The ministry also demanded the release of
      three Thai villagers who were taken
      hostage during an intrusion by about 20
      armed troops on Feb 28 in which a Thai
      was killed and two others injured, Thinakorn
      said. 

      The letter was handed over to Khin Muang
      Oo, minister counsellor of the Burmese
      Embassy in Bangkok, by East Asian Affairs
      Department Deputy Director General
      Arbhorn Manasvanich. 

      In the letter, the ministry demanded that
      Burma investigate the incidents and take
      action to prevent a recurrence. It also
      demanded compensation for the families of
      the victims. 

      Referring to the February incident, the letter
      said about 20 mortar shells had landed at
      Ban Tha Ta Fang, in Mae Hong Son's Mae
      Sariang district. 

      The Nation, agencies