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DEPORTATIONS: IMAGES ASIA COMPILATI



[I am sending this again as a Text document 
in case some people cannot read the formatted version -- DA]


A REPORT ON THE DETENTION AND DEPORTATION 
OF BURMESE MIGRANT WORKERS IN THAILAND


SUMMARY
At the beginning of November, the Thai government began deporting unregistered
migrant workers in Thailand, the majority of whom are from Burma.  Over the
past week, in major towns and along the Thai-Burma border from Ranong to Mae
Sai, deportees have been rounded up and forcibly repatriated.  The
repatriations have been carried out with little regard for safety and
protection, or for international humanitarian norms.  

The current situation has arisen from the prolonged and unresolved problem of
unregistered migrant workers in Thailand.  Following the economic downturn in
the Thai economy in 1997, the present Thai government has sought through a
range of means to reduce and restrict the number of migrant workers. 
Registrations and repatriations have been attempted, often simultaneously.  The
latest deadline for repatriations was due at the beginning of this month. 
However, since the beginning of October, all major border crossings have been
closed by the SPDC, in retaliation for the Thai handling of the siege at the
Burmese Embassy on 1 October 1999.  Deportees have been refused entry into
Burma, occasionally at gunpoint.

Repatriated migrants usually have no option other than to return to Thailand,
where they are often deported again.  As a result of these revolving door
detentions and deportations, migrants are being placed at great risk.  At the
time of writing, the situation is changing rapidly and appears to be
intensifying.  Conditions vary drastically from place to place.  The greatest
number of deportations has been in the Mae Sot area, violent incidents which
include rapes, shootings, and drownings have also been reported.

Common features of all areas are: a pervasive climate of fear; indiscriminate
arrests, regardless of migrants? status; deportation of particularly vulnerable
groups, including women and young children; and collective expulsions.   Many
have been forced to cross the border and face danger and uncertainty in the
forests as well as towns.  On both sides of the border, people are in hiding
without food, shelter, protection, access to medical services or other
facilities.

The vast majority of deportees are migrant workers with neither legal
protection nor organizational support from sending or receiving governments,
NGOs or INGOs.  However, UNHCR registered refugees and political activists have
also been detained and in some cases forced across the border. 

The following accounts have been compiled from various sources and represent a
partial and incomplete picture of the situation so far.  Restricted access to
survivors? first-hand accounts makes confirmation difficult.  


MAE SOT
The round up and deportations of migrant workers started on the 3.11.99 when
major factories were searched.  On 4.11.99 the arrests were concentrated in the
market at Mae Sot and on major road intersections.  Since then authorities have
been conducting house to house searches.  A combined force of 2,000, including
policemen, soldiers, immigration and labour officials are reported to be
arresting and deporting migrants using large trucks that can accommodate up to
300 people. On 3.11.99 Thai authorities were prevented from carrying out
deportations across the river at Ban Rim Moei when Burma Army soldiers
reportedly threatened to shoot approximately 200 migrant workers whom Thai
authorities were attempting to deport.  In spite of this, repatriations have
continued, and migrants have been deported to other areas along the river.

Large numbers of migrants have been forced onto a territorially disputed islet
in the Moei River.  Because of the late rains the river still runs deep with a
dangerously fast current.  So far the bodies of eight people who drowned in the
river during attempts to swim back to Thailand have been found.  Many migrants,
including a large number of women who are not strong enough to wade back to the
Thai side are in a very vulnerable situation, without food, shelter and
protection.

Others who have either managed to return to Thailand, or have not been deported
are hiding in fields and forests around Mae Sot.  They lack adequate food,
shelter and protection.  An emergency relief committee, who has been quietly
distributing aid, has heard that some have been subjected to violent reprisals,
including muggings, rapes, and beatings by officials and members of the local
community.

Reports that the authorities will establish immigration camps where migrant
workers will be interned pending the opening of the border are still
unverified. 

Specific Incidents:
6.11.99 
Three young women from SR Knitting Factory drowned after being deported across
the river at Mae Taw Talae. 

7.11.99 
About 600 people were deported to an island in the Moei River between Ban Mae
Ku on the Thai side and Ingyin Myaing on the Burmese side.  During this
deportation a number of incidents were reported:

1. An opposition group member who was deported with this group witnessed the
gang rape of a woman by five Border Patrol Police on the riverbank. Another two
women were also reportedly raped at the same time.

2. Two women and a child drowned when they attempted to cross the river. 

3. About 400 people were able to cross back to the Thai side the same evening,
leaving behind an unknown number who were forced to spend the night on the
islet.  According to the Bangkok Post, 15 women were forced onto the Burmese
side of the river and raped by Burmese Army soldiers during the night.  This
report has not been verified independently.  

4. Two men, one of whom was identified as a 23-year-old Karen called Wai Wai,
died after attempting to swim back across the Moei River the next morning. 

10.11.99 
400 migrants were arrested in the Mae Pa area and are expected to be deported
on the 11.11.99.


BANGKOK 
3.11.99 
9 people were arrested and sent to Mae Sot, despite the fact that they had
UNHCR status.  Some have already reportedly made their way back to Bangkok.

4.11.99 
A further 11 people with UNHCR refugee status were arrested and taken to
Bangkok IDC.  A total of 29 people with UNHCR refugee status are now reported
to be in Bangkok IDC.  

5.11.99
An NGO in Bangkok reported that 450 people were arrested and are now also
believed to be at the Bangkok IDC.


CHIANG MAI
2.11.99 
Authorities arrested both Thai citizens and Tai Yai migrants at Wat Pa Pao. 
The two groups were later released. 


MAE SAI
One Thai NGO in Mae Sai reported that there were increased arrests throughout
the town, particularly at construction sites.  Some houses where migrants are
known to be living have also been searched.  Those arrested have been
repatriated across the border.  Some of those repatriated are reported to have
returned to Mae Sai.


FANG
Since 8.11.99 migrant workers have been arrested and deported to the Thai side
of the border at Norg Euk, west of Fang and at another smaller border
crossing.  People who were staying in field huts are afraid to sleep there and
are now sleeping in the forest where they are at risk of violence from the Thai
Border Police or other people taking advantage of their vunerable situation.
There is great fear for the security of people, especially women in the area of
Baan Larn, where there have been recent reports of a murder and a disappearance
of a woman, which some people have linked to Thai Border Patrol Police.  BPP
officials are particularly feared in this area because of previous incidents of
violence against migrants, including the rape of three Shan women earlier this
year.


MAE HONG SON 
An estimated 1,400 migrants have been deported at the Na Mai Luan and Salween
border crossings since 1.11.99.  Arrests appear to be concentrated in areas on
the outskirts of Mae Hong Son town at the rate of 50  70 per day, although
2-300 migrants were seen at the Immigration office on 10.11.99.  Local NGOs
have been told that the deportation campaign will continue until at least 
the middle of November. 

At Na Mai Luan checkpoint some migrants are escaping to hide in the forest or
make their way back to Mae Hong Son. Others are reportedly being taken to the
Burmese checkpoint where they are interrogated and detained by SPDC troops,
although men are allegedly being detained to work on a forced labour project in
Shan State. 

6.11.99 
101 migrants were deported to the Na Mai Luan checkpoint. Some escaped through
the forest, but 39 migrants who do not have Burmese identity cards were
reportedly detained by Burma Army soldiers at Ho Mong for two days. Many of
these people are reported to have come from areas in Shan State where there
have been widespread forced relocations. 

8.11.99 
Both border crossings were closed on the Burmese side.  It is not clear what is
happening to deported migrants left at the Thai checkpoint now.


PAI
About 100 migrants have been arrested by the local police and sent to Mae Hong
Son immigration office. In other areas around town centers throughout Mae Hong
Son province and deeper into rural Thai territory, it is believed that
authorities are also arresting migrants and sending them to provincial centers
for deportation.


MAE SARIANG
Observers in the town have reported a slight increase in the number of
arrests.  Two Karen NGO workers were briefly arrested last week at a checkpoint
on the outskirts of the town.  It is not clear where arrested migrants are
being taken or if they are being deported.


SANGKLABURI
There are confirmed reports that about 15 students were arrested briefly on
27.10.99.  These were regarded as routine and did not result in deportations. 
Members of opposition groups have been warned that arrests will intensify after
15.11.99.  


KANCHANABURI
There are no reports of arrests or deportations as of 10.11.99.  However, an
increased police presence has been reported in the city.


SUAN PERNG
280 people were arrested on 7-8.11.99.  They were reportedly taken away in the
middle of the night, but it is not known where they were taken.  Pictures of
the arrests were shown on Thai television on 8.11.99.


SAMUT PRAKAN
An NGO working with migrant communities at the seafood plants reported a slight
increase in arrests and deportations of migrant workers.  On 8.11.99 a truck
carrying 67 migrants to Mae Sot for deportation crashed in Kamphaeng Phet and
10 people were killed. 13 people managed to escape, but the location of the
rest, some of whom were injured, is still unknown.


RANONG
In an unconfirmed report from the Democratic Voice of Burma, on 8.11.99 a group
of 500 migrant workers were arrested and sent by boat to an uninhabited island
on the Burmese side.  Some swam back to Ranong, where they were arrested,
beaten and then send to another Burmese island further south.  Local Thai
people are reported to have provided medicine and food to these groups.

This report has been put together by Images Asia, using a variety of NGO and
local sources, and is intended for distribution.  

Contact; <images@xxxxxxxxxxxx>



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