KAREN REFUGEE COMMITTEE ^ MONTHLY REPORT AUGUST 1997
KAREN REFUGEE COMMITTEE MONTHLY REPORT AUGUST 1997 August being the height of rainy season in this region, travels and movements to and inside camp are being hampered by incessant rain and abundance of mud. With essential food and materials supplied and matters concerning health and education supported by the Non-Government Organizations like BBC, ARC, MSF, AMI, ICS etc, life in Karen Refugee camps are in a state of subdued normalcy with idleness all around. There being little space for planting and gardening, to which the Karen is most adapted to and with very little incentive for food animal farming like chicken, goats, pigs and fish, it is only natural that people are becoming idle. For the refugees the effects of uncertainty and insecurity are more on the mental than on the physical. And there's the lingering worry about the future and the concern with the problem of repatriation looming in people's minds. However, compared to life of displaced persons in the refugee camps, indications are that life for displaced people inside the Burma Border are extremely harsh and difficult. People are being shifted and relocated against their will to "control areas" where all walks of village life are being put under close and intense scrutiny and observation. Overall, the "Four cuts" policy of cutting off Food, Fund, Information and Recruits to the resistance is being imposed and carried out with severe restrictions. There is unending demands of" Fine money" and food animals with daily forced labour topped by bodily abuses. For those who fail to conform to orders, punishment is swift and harsh. There are innumerable tortures and executions. Houses are looted and burned routinely. Unable to stand anymore, large groups of villagers, including the old, the weak and the infirm flee into the forest and mountains risking starvation disease and death. These grave repressive acts are being carried out in the rural areas of Nyaung-lay-bin, Kyauk Kyi, Shwe-Kyin, Toungoo, Pa-pun, Doo-playa, and Tavoy-Mergui districts.this is pure,unadulterated ethnic cleansing.lt is only a matter of conjecture how long these Internally displaced people will survive, given the condition that they had to rely only on forest produce like, shoots, roots,fruits, tubers, leaves and barks, unprotected from the elements without the benefit o*f medical facilities. P.O.Box 5, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand. Tel : (055) 532 947 Intl: +66 55 532 947 E-mail win3@loxinfo.co.th Fax: (055) 546 869 Intl: +66 55 546 869
The KRC had recently received information of misdeeds by the SLORC troops as shown below. 1. Thaton District - number of houses burnt 1926 houses 2. Nyang-lay-bin District - Houses burnt down (a) Kyauk-kyee Township, Houses burnt x Kheh Doh circle 143 houses x Kwee lar circle 223 houses (b) Mone Township x Ywah lay Kho village x Nyar Mu Khe 3. Number of houses relocated (a) Mow Keh Tha circle x Lay Khee 94 houses 227 households It is for these I.D.P's that the KRC is most aggrieved and concerned though there's little that can be done. There is fear that with no access to proper shelter, food, and medical facilities, the chance of survival will really be slim. The KRC appeal to the international community and friendly organizations for understanding and sympathy and to take whatever action necessary to ease this misery and sufferings of the internally displaced persons who number in the thousands. We thank the Thai people and the Royal Thai Government for granting safe refuge to displaced persons within their territory. Profound gratitude is also due to the Non Government Organizations for their great work in providing the physical needs of our people in distress. Yours sincerely, (Robert Htwe) Chairman Karen Refugee Committee.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE CAMPS. CAMP No.of Over 12 YRS 5-12 YRS Under 5 YRS Total MAE families M F M F M F SOT Wang Kha (Huay Ka Lok) 1690 3185 3112 726 722 579 651 8975 AREA Mae La 4285 8892 7976 3317 2519 1517 1308 25529 Sho Klo ( Mae Song) 1030 2143 2093 953 925 339 340 6793 Maw Ker 1380 3099 2871 789 782 740 617 8898 8385 17319 16052 5785 4948 3175 2916 50195 Mae Ra Ma Luang 791 1604 1486 577 510 355 354 4886 N Khun Mae Kong Kha 547 889 997 398 399 267 292 3242 O Sa La 355 766 654 253 243 103 111 2130 R Mae Sa Kup 415 806 803 294 257 121 176 2457 T Khlo Pa 436 833 815 314 272 196 204 2634 H U Da Hta 535 1218 1030 339 290 236 249 3362 Mae Ye Hta 302 644 549 261 208 82 80 1824 S O U T H FROM 3381 6760 6334 2436 2179 1360 1466 20535 Noh Po 1834 3414 2834 1068 990 253 845 10004 Ban Don Yang 317 348 389 271 234 129 117 1488 Tliap Hin 1661 1625 2155 994 1039 873 926 7612 Hti Yo Ki 233 Kho Thay Lu 70 77 85 22 16 36 44 280 4105 20406 Grand Total 15871 91136 RICE AND OTHER ITEMS RECEIVED FOR THE MONTH Rice sacks Salt kgs F.Paste tins Blanket Pcs. ITE MS Yellow Bean kgs Pressed Sawdust bundle Clothing bales BBC 2751 16,000 3,180 200 15,500 67 COERR 350 - - - - - - ICS - - - - 7500 - - DISTRIBUTION OF RICE AND OTHER ITEMS RECEIVED CAMP Rice Salt F. Paste Pressed Saw Dust Blanket Yellow Bean Wang Ka 1414 3450 565 - - 1705 Mae La 4107 8250 1600 12450-4300 Sho Klo 1128 2100 440 3050-1007 Maw Ker 1432 3000 575 - - - Nop Po - - - - 200 - KRC/MSF 20 - - - - 488 Total 8101 16800 3180 15500 200 7500