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Thailand mulls allowing UNHCR run r



Thailand mulls allowing UNHCR run refugee camps 
11:23 p.m. Mar 24, 1998 Eastern 
BANGKOK, March 25 (Reuters) - Thailand may change long-standing policy and
allow the United Nations to help run refugee camps along its border with
Myanmar (Burma), the Nation newspaper reported on Wednesday. 

The newspaper quoted Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan as saying the cabinet
had on Tuesday discussed allowing the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) to administer the camps. 

``Some (cabinet members) said it was good because the country now could not
afford the cost of camps; others said it wasn't good because UNHCR's rules
and regulations might pose problems for Thai authorities in supervising
camps,'' he was quoted as saying. 

More than 100,000 refugees, mostly ethnic Karen, are housed in sprawling
refugee camps in Thailand just inside the border from Myanmar. 

Although non-governmental organisations have been allowed to help out in the
camps, Thailand has not allowed the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) an established presence in the area. 

The refugees, who fled decades of fighting between ethnic groups and the
Myanmar government, have been housed in the camps for over a decade. 

The UNHCR, which does have a presence at refugee camps on the Cambodian
border, conducts regular visits but must have permission to go to the camps. 

UNHCR officials were not available for comment on Wednesday. 

Surin said the Thai army had proposed regrouping the 19 camps along the
border into 11 and moving them deeper into Thailand. But he said the army
had reported difficulty finding suitable sites. 

The cabinet discussion came after a series of attacks by Myanmar-backed
insurgents on several Karen refugee camps. 

Members of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which is supported by
Myanmar's army, have raided and razed several camps this month, killing at
least five people and burning down more than 1,000 homes. 

Many refugees now fear for their lives, and have been sleeping in the jungle
to avoid further attacks on the camp, Thai sources have said. 

Thailand also houses about 65,000 refugees along its eastern border with
Cambodia. ^REUTERS@ 

Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.