ASIA/THAILAND - More Karen refugees arrive from Myanmar where conflict is ever fiercer

Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - Ever fiercer fighting, growing poverty, continual violation of human rights in Myanmar have caused at least 2,000 more people to cross the frontier into Thailand. They fled the region of Kayin where life is impossible because of growing insecurity due to fighting between the Myanmar army and ethnic minority militia groups considered hostile to the Yangon regime.
Last week about 400 people crossed the border and more are expected. The refugees are in camps run by the Thai government in cooperation with the UN High Commission for Refugees and some NGOs mainly in the northern area of Mae Hong Son. Most of the refugees are Karen people who witnessed the burning of homes and villages and killing of many innocent civilians. Many refugees arrive weak and suffering from diseases such as malaria after a long and dangerous journey through mine fields.
UNHCR expects more refugees to arrive in Thailand in the coming weeks. Many transit at the Eh Htu Hta, camp for internally displaced persons in Myanmar, just inside the border. They say the Karen people living there are in desperate conditions waiting to see if the situation allows them to return to their villages. If not they too may cross the border into Thailand.
UK based Christian Solidarity Worldwide recently denounced deteriorating living conditions, continual violation of rights of Karen people in Myanmar and “violent offensives on unprotected villages on the part of the Myanmar army”.
UNHCR works with the Thai government and NGOs including Jesuit Refugee Service, to see new arrivals find a place in the camps and are given adequate lodging and protection. The camps are overcrowded and some people have to live in makeshift shelters easily destroyed by heavy rainfall. Last week the Thai authorities gave permission to build suitable shelters for the new arrivals. At present about 140,000 refugees from Myanmar live in camps in Myanmar, some have lived here for over twenty years. (Agenzia Fides 24/5/2006 righe 27 parole 271)


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