Police Warn Karen Journalists in Mae Sot

News - Media Freedom Written by ALEX ELLGEE/The Irrawaddy Thursday, 04 February 2010 19:47

Thai police raided the office of Karen journalists and the home of David Takapaw, the vice chairman of the Karen Nation Union (KNU), in Mae Sot on Thursday, and issued a warning ...

MAE SOT/Thailand—Thai police raided the office of Karen journalists and the home of David Takapaw, the vice chairman of the Karen Nation Union (KNU), in Mae Sot on Thursday, and issued a warning that they do not want anyone planning attacks on Burmese government forces from Thailand.

About 20 policemen were involved in the early morning raids at David Takapaw's house and the Karen Information Centre (KIC), which is run by Karen journalists in Mae Sot near the Thai-Burmese border.

Sources told The Irrawaddy that the police first entered the home of the KNU vice chairman, searching the house and taking photographs. David Takapaw, however, was not in his home at the time.

The policemen told his daughter that they were searching for drugs and weapons, and that they didn’t want anyone using Thai soil to plan military attacks, the sources said.

The Karen journalists at KIC said they now feel unsafe at their office in Mae Sot where members of the pro-Burmese junta Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) are active.

“We don’t feel safe anymore. It is very difficult for us working as media on the border. It is very easy for the DKBA and State Peace and Development Council [the Burmese military government] to come to our office,” said Nang Paw Gay, the editor and director of the KIC.

“However, we will continue our role as journalists. We never oppose Thai law. We just publish the true information for people on the border,” she said.

According to Nang Paw Gay, the Thai policemen smashed open a door during the raid and took photographs of all the equipment and hard copies of their newspaper. Staff reported that a USB stick from a laptop has gone missing.

After the raid, Thai intelligence officers arrived at the KIC office and requested an interview with Nang Paw Gay, the sources said.

Staff said they noticed an army truck parked outside taking photos of the office two days ago.

The KIC was founded 12 years ago in order to create an independent news outlet providing accurate information to Karen people along the border and inside Karen State via their online news Web site and newspaper.

The KNU is now under growing pressure from the Thai authorities. David Takapaw’s home was also searched in October. Karen leaders have said they feel unsafe living in Mae Sot and some of them stay away from their homes for their own security.

In February 2008, Mahn Sha, the former general secretary of the KNU, was shot dead by two gunmen in his home in Mae Sot, an assassination most Karen sources said was ordered by Burmese authorities.

Karen sources on the border have reported that DKBA spies are now “everywhere” in Mae Sot.

Original source: http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=17742