Brussels, 07/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the Commission granted 4.5 million euro humanitarian aid for some 900,000 Burmese located in the frontier areas of Thailand. The aid, which will be managed by Echo and distributed this year by its partners on the ground, will be used for the provision of basic foodstuffs (including the provision of drinking water) and health care (including health education and education in health and sanitary issues). It will also serve to support efforts at preventing the forced repatriation of refugees. Echo has been operating on the Thai border since 1995, and, in 1999 and 2000 released 9 million euro for refugee camps.