@@@The rainy season seems to have set in now, rather early
this year. Apart from some fighting that broke out on May 19,1996
opposite to Nong Bua village of Tha Song Yang district,the situation
along this stretch of the Thai-Burma border had been relatively quiet
throughout the month of May. A case of looting however occurred in
Sala camp of Mae Sa Riang district on the night of May 26,1996. Armed
personnel from across the Salween river came into the camp,looted a
shop and threw granades before they escaped. One camp resident was
wounded in the grenade blast.
@@@The Thai authorities are following the refugee situation more
closely now and in Tha Song Yang district of Tak province,step are
taken in conjunction with the Karen Refugee Committee to contact a new
round of survey and resistration of the Maela and Shoklo camp
population. Camp identification card will be issued to camp residents
aged 12 years and above. It is believed that this same measure will
also be taken in the other camps as well at a later stage.
@@@For residents in the various camps and especially for residents
of Maela and Shoklo camps, travelling has become greatly restricted
now. Special permission from to travel to places outside of the
jurisdiction of Tha Song Yang district.
@@@In Mae Ra Mat district, another 58 families of displaced Karen
from Burma who had been living on their own in various places outside
of the camp were rounded up during the month and brought into
Donpakiang camp.
@@@itmdDPXXU
@@@One must have thought that the rainy season would bring more
stbility to the situation here along the Thai-Burmese border but,
contrary to general assumption, the situation has grown turbulent once
more. Armed clashes occurred sporadically on the Burma side of the
border opposite to the Thai district of Tha Song Yang and in the early
evening of June 13, 1996 eight rounds of mortar fired from across the
border landed as targeted in Shoklo camp. Two women were seriously
wounded in the shelling. One of them died later. Sounds of gun fire
can be heard off and on by people living along the border in Tha Song
Yang district. Movement of troops is reported in other places along
this stretch of the border as well.
@@@The process of producing camp identification card for camp
resdents 12 years old and above of Shoklo and Maela camps in Tha Song
Yang district began on the third of June and it is expected that the
work will be completed by the beginning of July. The work has been
carried out jointly by the district of Tha Song Yang and the Karen
Refugee Committee with the help of representatives in the said camps.
jqb|mdvr(MAY,JUN/1996)D
@
