The Karen National Union (KNU) in Dupalayar District is preparing three different areas in Burma for returning refugees from Thai camps. A 22-member group of officials from the Thai Noh Hpo refugee camp, Karen Refugee Committee (KRC), Thai authorities, NGOs workers, and The Border Consortium (TBC) recently met with KNU officials to discuss upcoming resettlement operations.
Dupalayar District Secretary Mann Kennedy said a district-level resettlement committee was established last year to oversee the land located in Kyain Seikgyi Township controlled by the military wing of the KNU, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) 17th Battalion. The areas designated for refugees have been named Lawparkhee, Lawparkaw Kalaw, and Palawpitakha.
“We have arranged the areas that will be convenient for the refugees to live in case they come back. I think it’s over 10,000 acres.” Mann Kennedy told KIC News.
Noh Hpo Refugee Camp’s Secretary Saw Kyaw Waw told KIC they won’t know the exact details until the end of May. After surveying the area they can continue discussions before the resettlement program begins.
“I think the arranged areas will be convenient for resettlement. They are vacant lands. We have requested (to the KNU to give) at least five acres to each family so they can generate a living.”
But an unnamed official from Dupalayar District said it won’t be feasible to give five acres of land to each family from the Noh Hpo. The camp has about 11,000 people living in about 2,300 households in 17 wards. According to the TBC, there are about 120,000 refugees in total in Thailand living in nine refugee camps along the border.
