A letter from Mae Ya Hta Refugee ca

[htuntaut@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

A letter from Mae Ya Hta Refugee camp

March 16 1998

While Huay Kaloke camp refugee people are facing the loss of their homes
because of the attack of the DKBA and SPDC, the people of Mae Ya Hta
refugee camp are facing a shortage of food and medicine.

The NGO groups, BBC and MHD, have agreed with the Thai authorities to cut
off our food supplies and medicines since the people refused to move on
February 12.

The Thai armed forces are blocking the road to Mae Ya Hta. They aren't
allowing any food or medicine through, even cakes for children or 1 kg of
tomatoes. Some unnamed donors tried to send some food by truck to Mae Ya
Hta but the trucks had to turn back to Maesariang because the Thai troops
blocked the road and threatened the drivers with guns. The last truck was
turned back on March 15. Three trucks have been turned back in this way. 

The Thai Army and the NGOs have only succeeded in forcing 100 houses to
move from Khlo Pa refugee camp. They have used the method of cutting  off
the supplies of Mae Ya Hta when they realized it was difficult to move the
people. They want to give extreme pressure to the people to force them to
move.

The people in Mae Ya Hta are facing hunger and a lack of medicine. They are
now suffering miserably, especially children and older people. The number
of people suffering disease is increasing day by day. 

The people of Mae Ya Hta are worrying very much because it seems that there
is no one to help them. 

Mae Ya Hta Information Committee