WORLD
Thousands of Burmese Refugees Return Home from Thailand
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says most of the 15,000 Burmese refugees who fled into Thailand earlier this week, have returned across the border. UNHCR says it is concerned that many may be returning before it is safe for them to do so.
The U.N. refugee agency says sites in northern Thailand`s Tak province have been empty since Wednesday and further south in Sanghklaburi all 3,000 refugees were gone by Friday morning.
UNHCR Spokesman Adrian Edwards says the picture that is emerging is not very clear. While many refugees have returned to Burma, also known as Myanmar, he says others are scattered on the Thai side of the border. And, others who had previously gone back to Burma, he says, have crossed back into Thailand because of resumed fighting in some locations.
"It is a confused situation," said Edwards. "And, that is why we are asking for more time to make assessments as to whether it is safe to return. Now, in some areas of that border, towards the North toward Mae Sot, it seems okay for people to be returning. Further south in Sangkhlaburi, we are worried about the situation immediately across the border. People have been returning at a time when you can hear fighting on the other side of the border. It is obviously not a satisfactory situation."
