More info sought on missing Karen
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Surapong Kong-janteuk, chairman of the Lawyers Council of Thailand's human rights subcommittee on ethnic minorities, the stateless, migrant workers and the displaced, led a team to Suan Phung in Ratchaburi yesterday to investigate the disappearance of 55
This follows a request filed by former leaders of Myanmar’s “God’s Army” – Luther and Johnny Htoo – who claim about 60 Karen refugees were taken away in an Army truck and, while a few reportedly got away, most have never been seen again.
Surapong said the allegation may have grounds, as foreign news agencies and witness testimonies said the same. He said he would try to interview five men who reportedly escaped.
He would also look for information on the seizure of Ratchaburi Hospital by the God’s Army on January 24, 2000, which resulted in 10 hostage-takers being killed. Surapong cited Luther as saying that only two of the 10 killed were actually “God’s Army” fighters, while eight were Myanmar students.
