The Thai authorities arrested five men from Mae La refugee camp, located in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, on 17 September for alleged illegal logging.
Thai Rangers, Forest Rangers, Thai Police and Mae La camp security officials came into the camp on the evening of 12 September and arrested the five refugees who all lived in Zone-C-(3B) of the camp.
Saw Khu Htoo, one of the supervisors of Zone-C said: “The wood had been stored inside the church [and was going to be used] to rebuild a bridge inside the camp. We submitted [a request] to the camp to rebuild [the bridge] a long time ago. We took the wood because [we believed that] we had an ‘understanding’ and this happened.”
The arrested men were a pastor, his brother-in-law and three students. Two logs, some hardwood and saws were also confiscated as evidence. The arrested men were taken to Mae Ramat Police Station.
According to refugees the Thais have strict laws relating to the forest and the authorities have previously taken action against Mae La residents who cut down trees and bamboo near to the camp for domestic use.
A Mae La resident said to KIC: “In the past we have cut wood and bamboo for domestic use. Now, the Thai authorities made the arrests, so we can’t do anything.”
The authorities in the refugee camps located along the border in Thailand deal with minor infractions such as fighting and domestic issues. They also assist the Thai authorities to take action as required by Thai law in more serious cases, such as possession of weapons and drugs, human trafficking, rape and murder.
But, because this incident was an infringement of Thai Forestry law the camp authorities could not deal with it and it had to be dealt with by the Thai authorities, in accordance with Thai law.
The Thai news agency AEC News reported on its Facebook page that five men had been felling trees in the Kanesu Forest in Tha Song Yang District and that they had fled when Forestry officials found them. They arrested a man named Maung Aye at the scene and then made the arrests at Mae La camp.
Previously, in June 2012 Thai forestry officials exchanged gunfire with illegal loggers from Mae La camp at a forest reserve in Mae Ramat District.
Reporting by S’Phan Shaung for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
