Bangkok

Fighting wanes between rebels and government troops near the Thai border.

There has been a surprise turn of events in the days-long, ongoing refugee crisis in Myanmar. Since the weekend, tens of thousands had to leave the military-ruled country for Thailand to escape the battles between Karen rebels and government troops, but the situation now appears to be stabilizing. The fighting broke out one day after the parliamentary election in Myanmar last Monday.

Although there was speculation at the beginning of the week about yet another chapter of expulsion and escape from Myanmar after the major waves of the years 1984, 1988, 1994, 1997 and 2007, which led to over 100,000 emigrants in Thai refugee camps, this time around things may not be as bad.

This is because the Myanmar armed forces, hated by the oppressed minorities of the Karen, Mon and Shan, now apparently has large parts of the east of the country under its complete control and has pushed the rebels back. Many refugees already returned to their villages the day before yesterday. During the conflict near the border to Thailand, which killed at least three civilians and injured more than a dozen and caused tens of thousands to flee, a number of bombs and grenades also landed on the Thai side. “I was already far on the Thai side of the border when an apparently misguided grenade of the rebels from the Karen National Liberation Army hit directly next to us,” relates the 30-year-old Burmese Jaypooh from Payatongzoo City in Sangkhla Buri district hospital. Atieng was injured along with her mother in their house a few kilometres west of the Thai border. “Four family members were able to escape into a sort of tunnel under the house,” according to the 21-year-old. Dr. Panas Sophonpong, the chief physician of Kanchanaburi Province, explained that preparations for establishing special bases continued along the border with tents, medical equipment and the move of three additional ambulances.

In the border town of Dan Chedi Sam Ong (Three Pagodas Pass) alone, every night since Monday approximately 3,000 Burmese – among them a particularly large number of women and children as well as Buddhist monks – sought and found refuge on a sports field after fleeing across the border. “If the battles continue, we anticipate a ten-fold flood of refugees here over the coming days,” local mayor Piijai Chatchai declared at noon. But, early evening brought a surprise turn of events as the news of the apparently absolute success of the Myanmar army arrived. The refugees were informed of the new situation via loudspeakers. Many of them will return home far sooner than expected.

By the thousands, they are moving in small groups from the camp towards the Dan Chedi Sam Ong border station at the 282-metre high pass, which has been impassable for over a year. Its opening is celebrated very emotionally by both sides. A waft of Germany’s 9th November whispers through this part of the Tenasse. Hope of peace: refugees from Myanmar on the way to a camp.