NEWS - Myanmar paper lashes out at

[TheTruth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Myanmar paper lashes out at Thailand over workers

NOTE: There wouldn't be a problem if the illegal workers wouldn't have
needed to escape the persecution in Burma in the first place.  Overall,
its the Burmese Tatmadaw's fault and responsibility.

Myanmar paper lashes out at Thailand over workers

  
YANGON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - A commentary in an official Myanmar newspaper
lashed out at neighbour and fellow ASEAN member Thailand on Monday for
its handling of the repatriation of illegal Myanmar workers. 

``If they respected the sovereignty of their own country and their
neighbour, there would not be any problem concerning illegal workers,''
the commentary in the Kyemon newspaper said. 

The article, attributed to ``an advocate,'' appeared as senior
immigration officials from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) were gathered in Yangon for an annual conference. 

It referred only to ``the other country'' but was clearly directed at
Thailand, whose relations with Myanmar have been strained since armed
dissidents took over Yangon's embassy in Bangkok in early October. 

``These problems will remain as a never-ending story as long as ``the
other country'' does not mend its ways,'' it warned. 

Thailand restarted a policy of repatriating 600,000 illegal Myanmar
workers after its neighbour shut its border to trade in protest at the
embassy attack. Yangon reopened the border on November 24 after an
eight-week closure, but relations remain edgy. 

The commentary said the workers had left Myanmar illegally and were
working in Thailand illegally. 

``It shows complete lack of due consideration to ask Myanmar to legally
accept Myanmar citizens after having had them work secretly and
illegally.'' 

The commentary also complained Thailand had allowed armed opponents of
the government to remain in a border buffer zone since Myanmar's
independence in 1948 and let refugees stay who were not real asylum
seekers but insurgents and their families. 

05:40 12-13-99