Feb 28, 2006

Karenni State: ASEAN Lawmakers Visit Refugee Camp in Thailand


A Malaysian MP, stresses increasing refugee problems are caused by the policies of Burmas military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the problems could only end when political problems are solved inside Burma
Feb 26, 2006 (DVB) - A team of the Association of South East Asian Nations [ASEAN] Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) members visited the Karenni refuge camp in northern Thailand’s Maehongson Province, on 23 February.

It was the first time the AIPMC members visited the refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border in order to find out the true situations of the refugees. The team included a Thai senator Kraisak Choonhavan, a Cambodian MP, two Indonesian MPs and a Malaysian MP Theresa Kok.

Ms Kok told the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) that the increasing refugee problems are caused by the policies of Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and she insisted that the problems could only end when political problems are solved inside Burma. She added that refugees harbour the desire to return to their old homes, and that they are unable to return home because it is not safe yet for them to do so.

She also urged the junta to accept the latest offer of the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) and try to solve all the problems of Burma including the refugee crisis together.

The MPs met with local Thai authorities, non-government organisations and refugees, and their findings will be reported to their respective parliaments.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma