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Despite Risk of Death, Thailand Sends Myanmar Refugees Home

International refugee laws ban the return of people to countries where their lives may be in danger. But refugees, aid groups and Thai officials themselves say Thailand still sends thousands of people who fled violence by Myanmar's military back home.

Since its takeover of the country last year, Myanmar's military has killed more than 1,700 people and arrested more than 13,000. The military has also tortured children, women and men.

The refugees are now unsure of their future. Many live on both sides of the river dividing the two countries, as fighting continues in Myanmar.

Hay is a young woman from Myanmar. She and her family now live in the tall grasses near the river on the Thai border. Like thousands of others, Hay left her village for neighboring Thailand after the military's takeover.

Returning to Myanmar would place her and her family at risk of death. But that is what Thai officials tell them to do at least once a week, she told The Associated Press. The Thai government does not want to hurt its relationship with Myanmar's ruling military.

"When they told us to go back, we cried and explained why we can't go back home," Hay said. "Sometimes we cross back to the Myanmar side of the river. But I have not returned to the village at all."

Sally Thompson leads The Border Consortium, which provides aid to Myanmar refugees in Thailand. "You can't keep going back and forth¹ across the border," she said. "You've got to be somewhere where it's stable... And there is absolutely no stability in Myanmar at the moment."

Thailand has not signed on to the United Nations Refugee Convention. It claims Myanmar's refugees return home voluntarily. Thailand also says it has followed international laws that say that people must not be returned to a country where they would face torture, punishment or harm.

"As the situation on the Myanmar side of the border improved," Thai officials helped citizens voluntarily return to Myanmar, said the spokesperson for Thailand's Ministry² of Foreign Affairs.

Thousands of people from Myanmar have sought refuge in Tak province. The governor there said many crossed illegally when there was no fighting.

"We had to send them back as the laws said," the governor said. "When they faced the threats and crossed here, we never refused to help them."

The international refugee agency UNHCR says that 48,000 people have fled to neighboring countries since the Myanmar military's takeover. The agency says Thai government sources estimate around 17,000 have sought safety in Thailand. But the Thai-Myanmar Border Command Center reports that only around 2,000 are currently living in Thailand.

Those fleeing the fighting between the Myanmar military and ethnic³ minority groups must wade⁴ across the rivers dividing the two countries. They carry belongings⁵ and babies on top of their shoulders. They must live in crowded, poorly kept shelters made from plastic covering and bamboo.

Refugees and aid groups say that when fighting stops, Thai officials send them back. Myanmar's military, meanwhile, continues to take over villages, burn homes and set land mines.

"I have seen some of them being forced to get in a car, get off at the river, and cross over to the other side," said Phoe Thingyan of the aid group the Overseas Irrawaddy Association.

Win is a 23-year-old student who lives on the Myanmar side of the river. He often crosses through chest-high water to get food from the Thai side. Then he goes back to his shelter in Myanmar, where he lives with around 300 other refugees.

"I just want to go home," he said. "I do not want anything else."

Words in This Story

back and forth — adv. between two places or people

stable — adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change

province — n. any one of the large parts that some countries are divided into

wade — v. to walk through water

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

5 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。