Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya yesterday defended the government’s decision to deport Karen refugees to Burma before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which had received some complaints about the matter.Many refugees do not wish to return to Burma, because they believe their lives will be endangered. The junta government is constantly clashing with ethnic groups and is believed to have set booby traps along the border.

The refugees are also worried they will not have enough food and money to sustain themselves because they have not worked on their farms in Burma for a long time.

Kasit said more than half of the 3,000 Karen refugees had already been deported, and were “now safe”, dismissing all concerns about their welfare.

The foreign minister also urged foreign non-governmental organizations to find funds to help the refugees if they were really worried about their conditions.