There is a full and detailed report on the Aiya Burma Fund site (which though I have not seen corroborated elsewhere sounds accurate) which says that the 3,000 new refugees will not be housed in a new camp in an abandoned school but moved to Mae La (They fled Burma during the recent surge by the Myanmar and their DKBA surrogate forces when these troops torched their villages.) Mae La was already the largest camp on Thailand’s border. Following an ambush on the Moei River (which forms the border) which killed a DKBA commander Colonel San Pyone they write:

Site of Eden Valley Academy, Tha Song Yang region - Photo: TBBC

Attacks on civilians are anticipated in retribution for the DKBA commander’s death.

Because of the precarious security at Ti Nu Koh agencies responsible for critical infrastructure, food and clothing had asked the Thai Army to post armed guards around the old school should it be used as a temporary camp.

Thai security forces said they were undermanned, could not ensure security and recommended another site be considered.

All parties agreed to move the dislocated people into the massive Mae La refugee camp.

Anyone who wants to return home may do so, but Thai authorities will ask them to sign a form saying they have rejected refuge in Thailand of their own accord and have not been forced to leave.

This is to counter recent allegations of soldiers forcing those fleeing back across the border and to prove Thailand is willing to offer safe haven in a time of need.

The Irawaddy reports:

Burmese refugees at Mae La refugee camp are on alert due to a threat of attack by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), according to the vice chairman of the camp.

“The DKBA said they will destroy our camp,” said Vice-Chairman Htun Htun, speaking to The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Many of the refugees have packed clothing and belongings in preparation for a military assault, sources in nearby Mae Sot said. Camp authorities have imposed a curfew of 9 p.m. On all refugee residents.

The DKBA threatened to attack Mae La camp after one of their influential commanders, San Pyote (aka Soe Myint), the head of Battalion 7, was ambushed and killed by an unknown armed group while traveling by longtail boat on the Moei River on June 26.

(STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Aung San Suu Kyi meeting diplomats before her trial

The Times reports that

The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, will visit Burma on Friday in a diplomatically risky effort to win concessions from the country’s military dictatorship.

Mr Ban hopes to persuade the Burmese junta to release political prisoners, including the country’s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, in advance of an election next year, denounced by opposition groups as fraudulent and meaningless.

But if he comes away without a significant compromise by the regime, he will further undermine the UN’s authority in a country where neither punitive sanctions nor diplomatic engagement have brought any obvious improvements.

Please pray that his visit will be useful, and not merely a propaganda opportunity for the regime. It comes at a time when the clamp down on ethnic opposition is particularly intense, with the Burmese opposition (esp. Aung San Suu Kyi) also under attack Ban Ki Moon’s visit could be critical…

Following the call for prayer, as the Burma Army and its allied forces begins to drive villagers out of yet another area, Partners have asked for money to provide relief supplies for the affected villagers:

Partners staff are rapidly working with ethnic leaders to provide critical assistance.

More than 60 families have arrived seeking aid and refugee. Food and emergency supplies are being distributed. Additional help is on the way.

Many at risk families have fled other Burma Army attacks. As recently as last week, Partners staff assisted 40 families with essential provisions, such as mosquito nets, blankets, clothes, pots, pans, and bowls.

If you want to give so innocent people can survive.  Here are the donation pages for:

• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Canada
• USA

Donations are usually tax deductible!

Partners in the UK have issued this call for prayer:

2nd June 2009 – Prayer for Ler Ber Her and 22 Battalion, Karen State

We have just received information that the Burma Army and the DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) are planning to attack Ler Ber Her, an IDP camp on the border and 22 Battalion close by in Karen State.

Our sources have told us that armed troops of hundreds of soldiers are only 2 days walk away.

The Burma Army and DKBA have arrested civilians whom they are using as porters for the operation. These people come from inside Pa-an district and Myawaddi Township.

Please pray – there are many innocents who today have nowhere else to run and are in fear for their lives.

An international petition for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi is being organised by Burmese activists, the Nobel Prize winning elected leader of the country. They had 271,493 “signatures” when I wrote this, the goal is 400,000 but it would be wonderful to go higher… you could sign here. And post this information to Facebook, your blog or email friends…

Email frrom Burma Campaign:
This morning Burma¹s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested by the regime and moved to Burma¹s notorious Insein prison. It appears she will face trial for breaking the terms of her house arrest which forbids visitors, after an American man, John Yettaw, swam across Inya Lake and refused to leave her house.

Aung San Suu Kyi has committed no crime, she is the victim of a crime. There was an intruder in her house who refused to leave, yet she is the one being imprisoned.

HELP AUNG SAN SUU KYI – TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations and ASEAN must dispatch envoys to Burma to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma¹s political prisoners.

Please go to this page where you can email the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and ASEAN leaders to urge them to send envoys immediately.
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html

As you know Burma¹s generals will use any excuse to keep Aung San Suu Kyi detained. If strong action isn¹t taken, Aung San Suu Kyi could face the rest of her life in jail.

Please take action now. Aung San Suu Kyi could now spend the rest of her life in jail. http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html

REPUTATION OF UN AND ASEAN IS AT STAKE
It is not acceptable that the UN and ASEAN only speak out ­ they must take action. In the past their expressions of concern and statements have been ignored and defied by the Burmese regime. Words alone are not enough. The UN and ASEAN must immediately take real action and send high level envoys to Burma to ensure that Suu Kyi does not spend the rest of her life in jail.

HER DETENTION IS ILLEGAL UNDER BURMESE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
Today Aung San Suu Kyi will have spent a total of 13 years and 202 days in detention. The United Nations has ruled that Aung San Suu Kyi¹s detention is illegal under international law, and also under Burmese law. The United Nations Security Council has also told the dictatorship that they must release Aung San Suu Kyi.

Please take action now and ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi does not spend the rest of her life under arrest.
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s elected leader – under house arrest for 13 years, is reported to be seriously unwell. Like many of the regime’s political prisoners she is only being allowed intermittent medical care. Reports claim she is on an IV drip, but the nature of the illness is unclear and her own doctor has been arrested.

Please pray forAung San Suu Kyi, for other political prisoners and for all the people of Burma.

Here is an extract from a letter we recieved recently from Mae La camp:

The situation in the refugee camps has been growing worse daily. The latest tactics of the Burmese is to try to attack the camp by poisoning. The first affected comodity was the wheat powder provided to refugees as rations from the Thai Burmese Border Consortium. Five people died before we were all warned not to eat the wheat powder.

 

The next more far reaching attmept was made on the water supply to the camp. Large packets of white powder (poison) were found to have been deliberately placed in the wells supplying all the weater for the refugee camp. Two people died from water poisoning and many more were affected. I actually got a little taste of the true refugee situation when I came down with water poisoning myself. It was certainly more severe and unlike any stomach upset I’ve every had in my life before!! I’m more or less over the worst of it but am still left with symptoms. Three people have been arrested in connection with this eposide and we amanaged to gain some airtime on the Thai news.

Please pray for all those affected, and for everyone else in the camps at this time!

There is a petition calling to the military rulers of Burma (aka Myanmar) to free their political prisoners. An Sang Sue Shue is merely the best known of thousands. Please sign it here…