HRW urges Thailand to halt deportation of 26 Karen villagers to Myanmar

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Thai authorities to cease the deportation of 26 ethnic Karen villagers from Phetchaburi province, fearing they are at risk of severe harm upon return to Myanmar. On August 10, district and forestry officials, along with military personnel, conducted a raid in Ban Pa Deng village, a Karen community within Kaeng Krachan National Park, without any evidence of Thai citizenship.

They arrested 28 individuals, including eight children and two pregnant women. Two were released after confirming their residence registration, leaving 26 to be taken to Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Center in Bangkok for potential deportation to Myanmar.

HRW's Asia director, Elaine Pearson, emphasized that deporting these ethnic Karen villagers to Myanmar would expose them to grave danger. Myanmar's military has been responsible for mass killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and unlawful attacks since the February 2021 coup. Over 2 million people have been internally displaced, and more than 100,000 have fled as refugees to neighboring countries.

Local leaders informed HRW that Thailand recently labeled undocumented Karen in Kaeng Krachan National Park as "illegal immigrants," making them susceptible to arrest and deportation. After being deported to Myanmar about two months ago, at least 10 villagers are still missing.

HRW warned that the deportation of these 26 villagers could breach Thailand's obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture and the principle of non-refoulement, which forbids returning individuals to places where they are at risk of persecution, torture, or other severe harm. Thailand's Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act also prohibits such deportations if there is a substantial risk of torture or ill-treatment.

For generations, Karen communities have inhabited areas that are now part of Thailand and Myanmar, including Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, long before Kaeng Krachan National Park was established. In 2021, the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Since then, Thai authorities have barred human settlement in the national park, despite warnings from UN human rights experts, Thailand's National Human Rights Commission, and Indigenous groups regarding the ancestral land rights of the Karen.

Pearson urged the Thai government to end its abusive treatment of ethnic Karen in Kaeng Krachan National Park before the UN Human Rights Council reviews Thailand's human rights record in November.