Thai Troops Repatriate 30 Families Of Karen Refugees

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Thai troops repatriate 30 families of Karen refugees

TAK: -- A Thai paramilitary trooper taskforce here Friday repatriated 30 families of ethnic Karen refugees to Burma amid concerns of their safety.

Col Noppadol Watcharajitborworn, commander of the Paramilitary Trooper Taskforce 35 in Maesot district, instructed his subordinates to send back the Karen families to a Burmese village opposite from Nong Bua village in Thasong Yang district Friday morning.

Noppadol claimed the families volunteered to go back to their homes on the Burmese soil and the Thai troops simply assisted them.

But the Thailand Burma Border Consortium has earlier asked the Thai authorities to halt repatriations for fear that the repatriated refugees could be killed by landmines and famine.

-- The Nation 2010-02-05

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US Congressman Crowley calls on Thailand to Halt Deportation of Burmese Refugees

Congressman Joseph Crowley Thursday called on Thailand to halt the repatriation of ethnic Karen refugees to a dangerous conflict zone in eastern Burma.

In his press release, Crowley said the area was dangerous for the refugees because the ruling military regime has destroyed over 3,300 ethnic minority villages.

He said the Burmese refugees, who fled to Thailand following a renewed summer military offensive by the military junta, could suffer horrific human rights abuses -including rape, torture, and executions - if repatriated.

"I strongly urge the government of Thailand to halt the deportation of ethnic Karen refugees back to the Burmese conflict zone. If this decision isn't reversed, thousands of Burmese refugees will be forced to live in grave danger," said Congressman Joe Crowley.

"The brutal Burmese junta has shown no mercy in the past, and the international community is very concerned for the safety of the Karen who are returned to Burma."

-- The Nation 2010-02-05

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[jamesjdaly]

The land of humanity and compassion.

[junglist]

Sadness.

[Artisi]

Maybe big mouth Crowley can arrange for them to be send straight to the USA - solves his and the refugee's problems in one move.

[toasted]

Maybe Crowley would like to arrange that. However, the Thai government has never been keen on allowing Karen refugees into third countries as it thinks this will encourage more refugees to cross into Thailand.

[animatic]

The sad reality in most nations is that people tend to cicle the wagons in tough economic times,

and outsiders are not at all welcome and often sent packing because they are considered to waste resources.

It is pretty stupid and nonsensical, but far to many people think like this,

and especially in places where a pervasive jingoistic nationalism was inculcated from childhood.

Nation building fine.

Nation building at the expense of your neighbors / ethnic cousins atrocious.

Human rights fine, but the human rights of OUR tribe before others...oh so sadly.

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REPATRIATION OF KARENS

Bangkok ceases sending Karens back home

please continue here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Ceas...me-t336397.html

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