CARTA AL EMBAJADOR DE TAILANDIA EN ESPAÑA- SUPLICATORIA- BIRMANIA POR LA PAZ

Envia esta carta a la Embajada de Tailandia en España- REFUGIADOS KAREN DEPORTADOS
http://www.embajada-online.com/embajada-en-Espana-de-Tailandia-H-P166C3E180.htm

Your Excellency,

We are writing to you regarding the approximately 3,000 ethnic Karen from Burma who are currently in temporary camps in Tha Song Yang, Tak Province. These refugees fled serious human rights abuses during a military offensive in June 2009.

We would like to thank the government and people of Thailand for giving these refugees shelter when they arrived in Thailand. For 25 years now Thailand has given shelter to refugees fleeing military attacks and human rights abuses in Burma, and this is greatly appreciated.

The official position of the Royal Thailand Government not to force the 3,000 refugees who arrived in Thailand in June last year to go back against their will shows compassion. However, we are seriously concerned about recent attempts to deport the refugees against their will, and harassment and bullying by local soldiers to intimidate people into saying they agree to leave.

Aside from the fact that the area which they would be made to return to has significant numbers of landmines, it is also now under the control of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, which is responsible for serious human rights abuses including torture, forced labour, forced recruitment to the army, and extortion.

Sending these refugees back to Burma where they face possible death or serious human rights abuses would cause real damage to the reputation of Thailand internationally.

I ask that no more pressure be placed on the refugees to return against their will, and that instead a permanent solution be found that allows them to remain in Thailand until it is genuinely safe for them to return.

Yours sincerely