AUSTRALIA: CALLED FOR BURMESE REFUG

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: AUSTRALIA: CALLED FOR BURMESE REFUGEE REPATRIATION


/* Written Sep 24 5:00am 1995 by DRUNOO@xxxxxxxxxxxx(DR U NE OO) in 
igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" AUSTRALIA: Call for refugee repatriation "------------ */

Following is a letter to the Senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus, the Minister
for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in Australia, urging to promote a
Memorandum of Understanding for the repatriation of Burmese refugees
to Burma.

According to the Australian Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs'
report  to  Human  Rights  Sub-Committee,  there  are  currently 36 Burmese
refugee status applicants in Australia - it' a further decline in
comparison to that of 96 applicants in 1990/91. Although the number of
Burmese asylum-seekers in Australia may be small, it is important that
this Burmese refugee population not to cause panic by the proposal.
I am in a process of informing the local refugee agencies about this
proposal and to tell the Burmese applicants not to cause panic:
Australian Government do have a soft-spot for the Burmese and there
will not be a forced repatriation. Nonetheless, an MOU is still
required to promote formally with the Government, which will assist
those who are capable of going home.

Any of our Burmese friends, who being in similar circumstances in U.S.,
Japan, FRG etc.. are encouraged to promote MOU with the UNHCR. This will
certainly help consolidate our humanitarian movement throughout the globe.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.

/* ---------" A letter to Australian Immigration Minister "----------- */

Dr U Ne Oo
48/2 Ayliffes Road
ST MARYS SA 5042
AUSTRALIA

September 21, 1995.

Senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus
Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
The Parliament House
Canberra, ACT 2600

Dear Senator Bolkus

RE: Repatriation of Burmese refugees from Australia
---------------------------------------------------
I am a Burmese national who was granted a refugee status by the  Government
of  Australia.  I arrived Australia in January 1988 under the AIDAB student
training programme and have studied at the  University  of  Adelaide  under
aforementioned  programme.  In  May  1992, I applied for the refugee status
from the Government of Australia after the cancellation of my  passport  by
the  Burmese  Embassy  in  Canberra.  The  Determination  of Refugee Status
Operation Branch have given the approval for my application in 27 July 1993
and Department of  Immigration  has  since  issued  a  Domestic  Protection
(Temporary) Entry Permit for a period of four years.

It  is  of  no  doubt that Australia is a good country for refugees to make
resettlement: many refugees and displaced people throughout the world  have
chosen  Australia  as their final destination. Many onshore asylum-seekers,
such as myself, do not therefore hesitate to take  up  permanent  residency
status  that  is  readily offered. Furthermore, the Australians have always
been  at  the  forefront  of  international  humanitarian  relief   efforts
throughout  the  world  -  an  evidence  of Australian generosity for those
displaced people and refugees. The Australians therefore in many ways  have
to be proud of themselves in regards to the care and concern shown to those
people who are in needs.

I  am of no doubt that it would be of a great honour for me - and feel sure
that there will be no difficulties - to live in  Australia  as  a  citizen.
However,  I  tend  to believe that the indignity to give up my own country,
Burma, have even been greater.  Therefore,  I  have  decided  that  I  will
voluntarily repatriate to Burma at any available opportunity.

I   therefore   call  upon  the  Minister  to  promote  the  Memorandum  of
Understanding(MOU) with UN  High  Commissioner  for  Refugees  and  Burmese
Authorities  for the repatriation of Burmese refugees in Australia. The MOU
must  respect  the  safe  and  voluntary  repatriation  of  the   refugees.
Furthermore,  in  case  of  the  arrival of Burmese boatpeople to Australia
(thouth highly unlikely), such MOU must also assure that repatriation  will
be  made  only after finalizing a thorough process of determination of well
founded fear of persecution for all arrivals.

Finally, I  should  like  to  thank  the  Minister  for  your  kindness  in
allocating  more  Burmese Special Assistance Category for this year. I look
forward to your favourable reply regarding the  voluntary  repatriation  of
burmese refugees to Burma.

Yours respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo

Enclusures:
(a) Statement of Claim for the Refugee Status in Australia,
    13 May 1992(Confidential).
(b) Letter of approval for the refugee status in Australia, The Department
    of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.

copy to:
1. Dr Pierre-Michel Fontaine, The Regional Representative for Australia,
Office of UNHCR, 9 Terrigal Crescent, O'malley ACT 2606.
2. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500,
CH 1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland.
3. Senator the Hon. Gareth Evans, MInister for Foreign Affairs,
The Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600.

/* Endreport */