Bangkok Post News (7/9/98)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

<bigger>Pressure mounts for Karens to be relocated

</bigger>

<italic>Move is for own safety, say villagers

</italic>

Local villagers in Maung district are to step up pressure for  relocation
of 10,000 Karen refugees for their own safety, their leaders said.

Some 100 villagers of Ban Nai Soi plan to submit to the provncial
governor within this week a petition seeking relocation of  Karen
refugees at a camp near their village.

The move follows a series of attacks on the refugee camp by bandits and
Burmese soldiers during the past year in which five refugees were
killed.

The villagers also claimed that some Karen refugees had moved into the
village and posed a threat.

However, gobernor Samrueng Punyopakorn dismissed as unlikely the
relocation of refugees from the village.

Mr. Samrueng said there is no other suitable place to accommodate these
refugees and no action can be taken without consulting the matter with
national security authorities.

For the time being authorities will tighten up security for the villagers
and take action against the refugees who failed to observe the
regulations, he said.

The governor also said authorities from the Third Army area would provide
necessary combat training for the villagers for self-defence. Some of
those in Khun Yuam and Pang Ma Pa districts have already been trained.

He added that villagers in all border districts are expected to receive
training by the end of next year although the Thai-Burmese border is 483
kilometres long.

The refugee camp near Ban Nai Soi in one of the three in the provice. It
houses 11,000 Shan  and Karenni refugees. The province pays an annual
rent of 5,baht to lane owners.


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