She decided to settle in the Thai village of Mae Sam Laep village two decades ago – a safer bet than Myanmar, then still under full military rule, which lasted nearly 50 years. Karen rights groups have accused Thailand of forcing the refugees to go back to Myanmar – something the Thai authorities strongly deny. “If the Myanmar military is truly the good guy, then these refugees wouldn’t have to leave their homes in the first place, ” he said. K’nyaw Paw, head of the Karen Women’s Organisation, said the town was actually once a bustling trading point for locals in Karen state and Thailand. “The people who remained (in Mae Sam Laep) became integrated – they built up a new village, ” K’nyaw Paw said.

Source: The Star April 03, 2021 00:40 UTC