3/11/97:LETTER TO THE THAI PRIME MI

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written 5 Nov 12:00am 1997 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" 3/11/97: Letter to Thai P.M. "--------------- */

LETTER TO THE THAI PRIME MINISTER
*********************************
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia

November 3, 1997.

General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Prime Minister of Thailand
Office of the Prime Minister
Government House
Nakhorn Pathom Road
Bangkok 10300, Thailand.

Dear Prime Minister:

re: United Nations Protection for Burma's Refugees

I am a Burmese national currently residing in Adelaide,
Australia. I firstly should like to thank you and especially the
Thailand's Minister for Foreign Affairs for his recent efforts
in persuading Military Government of Myanmar to make dialogue
with the opposition National League for Democracy party. I fully
support the Royal Thai Government in helping to bring peace and
national reconciliation to Burma.

I am writing to you, the Prime Minister of Thailand, regarding
with the situation of displaced Burmese people in Thailand --
especially of those Burma's ethnic minority refugees living in
the camps at Thai-Burmese border. I have also enclosed the leter
to His Majesty King of Thailand for your information. With this
letter, I call upon you and Royal Thai Government to allow the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to protect these
refugees. In particular, I urge the Royal Thai Government to (1)
enact a legislation that is similar to 'Comprehensive Plan of
Action' for Burma's refugees and (2) to hand-over the protection
responsibility for these refugees to UNHCR.

I understand that the Royal Thai Government may have some
concerns about the implication of UNited Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees becoming involved in the situation of
Burma's refugees. I, however, wish to point out to the Prime
Minister that a similar refugee problem in Burma western border
has now been resolved by Government of Bangladesh with the help
of UNHCR. I ask the Royal Thai Government to follow the same
direction as to that of the Government of Bangladesh's and fully
co-operate with UNHCR in solving these refugee problems. I also
ask the Royal Thai Government to raise the issues of Burma's
refugees and displaced people in Thailand at this 52nd Session
of UNited Nations General Assembly.

I am concerned about the reported incidences of the Royal Thai
Army is forcibly repatriating Burma's refugees and also of
refusing entry of Burma's refugees into Thai territory. I am
also very disturbed by some suggestions that individual Thai
army officers may oppress or forcibly repatriate refugees in
order to win business concessions from Myanmar Military
Government. I appeal the Prime Minister to look into such
matters and to put restraint on such activities of those army
officers in doing business with Myanmar Military Government.

In closing, I thank Prime Minister for you kind attention to
these matters.

Yours respectfully and sincerely,
Sd. U Ne Oo.

1. Mr Prachuab Chaiyasan, Minister for Foreign Affairs,Thailand.

2. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva.

3. Hon. Madeleine K Albright, The Secretary of State, U.S.A.

4. Mr Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia.

/* Endreport */
Subject: 7/9/97 Letter to the King of Thailand (fwd)
To: Recipients of burmanet-l <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Message-Id: <Pine.SUN.3.90.970909065415.927A-100000@pilot>
/* Written Tue 9 Sep 6:00am 1997 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ------------------" Letter to the King of Thailand "------------------ */
LETTER TO THE KING OF THAILAND
******************************
September 7, 1997.

H.M. Bumibol Adulyadej
King of Thailand
The Grand Palace
Thanon Na Phara Lan
Bangkok 10200, Thailand.

Your Majesty:

I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. With
this letter, I am making appeal to Your Majesty on behalf of 
Burma's ethnic refugees who are living in the camps.
     Beginning in 1984, these refugees from Burma enter the
Kingdom of Thailand to escape persecution by Burmese 
military. Over the years and recently in 1995 and 1997, many 
more Burma's refugees in total of 100,000 have to enter the 
Kingdom of Thailand in search for their safety.
     These Burmese refugees are in need of help from the 
United Nations, not only in assistance of food and shelter
for their survival but also to find longer-term solution for
themselves: i.e. the refugees to be able to go back to Burma 
safely. The United Nations, thus far, is unable to help in 
this way simply because of the Royal Thai Government does not
allow the United Nations to help our refugees. I, therefore,
humbly request Your Majesty King to command the Royal Thai 
Government to hand-over the affairs of Burma's refugees to
the United Nations.
     In closing, I thank Your Majesty King for your kind 
considerations to this matter and especially your kindness 
shown to our refugees staying in your Kingdom.

Yours respectfully,
Sd. U Ne Oo.

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