mae hong son • Thailand has denied entry to 250 ethnic Karen refugees from Myanmar who said they had fled attacks by soldiers from the ruling military junta, Reuters witnesses and a refugee leader said yesterday. The refugees, many of whom were sick children and women, travelled on Wednesday in two boats along the Salween river, which forms the border between the two southeast Asian nations, but Thai border officials denied them entry.
"They were waiting for four hours in the boats while their leaders were negotiating with Thai officials, but they weren't allowed to land," said Thi Che, who runs the unofficial E Tu Hta camp on the Myanmar banks of the Salween.
A Reuters photographer at the scene confirmed the incident.
Thi Che said E Tu Hta, which lies in malaria-infested jungle, now housed 3,114 Karen refugees who had been targeted by troops of the military junta that has been in charge of the former Burma for the last four decades.
Pado Mhan Shar Laphan, secretary general of the Karen National Union, an ethnic rebel militia, told Reuters by telephone that another 150 Karen villagers were running away from their homes which had been attacked by Myanmar soldiers. A senior official with the United Nations refugee agency confirmed the Wednesday boat arrivals.
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