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MEDIA RELEASE 

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ALEXANDER DOWNER 



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FA1 



January 1998 



AUSTRALIA PROVIDES REFUGEE RELIEF ON THE THAILAND-BURMA BORDER

 

I am pleased to announce that the Australian Government is contributing a 
further $ 1 million in humanitarian relief to Burmese refugees residing 
in camps on the Thailand-Burma border. The funds are being provided 
through AusAID's humanitarian relief program.

The Australian Government is conscious of the burdens placed on Thailand 
by this refugee presence, and we are prepared to do what we can to help 
share the burden of refugee relief. Australia encourages Thailand to 
continue to provide sanctuary to civilian refugees from Burma so long as 
it is unsafe for them to return to Burma. We also encourage Burma's 
Government - the State Peace and Development Council - to take steps to 
improve the observance of human rights inside Burma, which is the 
underlying cause of the problem. 

The aid is for over 115,000 refugees composed of largely the Karen ethnic 
minority but also the Mon and Karenni peoples. Australian funds will 
provide food, mosquito nets, firewood, blankets and basic health care. 
The assistance is designed to promote self-sufficiency and assist the 
refugees in establishing their own health system. The relief programs 
will be implemented in partnership with Australian NGOs. 

$650,000 is going to the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) 
as part of their work with the Burmese Border Consortium (BBC) which 
currently provide all the food and relief assistance to the refugees. A 
further $350,000 has been allocated to Community Aid Abroad (Oxfam in 
Australia) to provide medical assistance to reduce the spread of 
communicable diseases and improve sanitation. These activities include 
malaria control, immunisation, and the development of adequate sanitation 
facilities to reduce the prevalence of disease in the camps.

  



For more information:

 

  



Innes Willox (Ministerial) 02 6277-7500 or 0411 414-695 

Kirk Coningham (Departmental) 02 6261-1555 or 0418 623-327 


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