Karen forest dwellers nabbed

Ten Karen villagers who returned to their land at Bang Kloi-Jai Paen Din inside Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan National Park have been arrested, according to a human rights lawyer.

Waraporn Utairangsee, a lawyer for the Human Rights Lawyers Association, said she learnt about the arrests from the forest dwellers and that the detainees had been taken to the office of Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Ms Waraporn said the detainees include family members of the late Karen spiritual leader Ko-ee Mimee who was known for his unwavering fight against a violent eviction in 2011.

Pachara Khamchamnan, who works for the Northern Development Foundation, reported the incident on Facebook yesterday morning. He quoted a park official as saying authorities were complying with legal procedures.

Meanwhile, Jatuporn Buruspat, permanent secretary of the National Resources and the Environment…