China forces thousands of refugees back into Myanmar

05 March 2015
China forces thousands of refugees back into Myanmar
People gather as they wait the arrival of a rescue team to flee away from the Kokang capital Laukkai, northern Shan State, Myanmar, February 17, 2015. Photo: Lynn Bo Bo/EPA

Tens of thousands of refugees from fighting in the northern Myanmar region of Kokang near the border with China are being evicted from at least two camps in China, reports Radio Free Asia on March 4.
Refugees and aid workers told RFA that the Chinese authorities are forcing the refugees to return over the border, telling them they cannot store food and relief supplies on Chinese territory.
Some groups have been given notice to leave, while others had already been evicted.
Beijing has been at pains to distance itself from involvement in the Kokang conflict following tensions with Myanmar's ruling military junta over the role played by its citizens in supporting the ethnically Chinese Kokang side.