BKK Post, April 12, 1998. BORDER

[burma@xxxxxxxxxx]

April 12, 1998. BORDER

Academics, activists urge refugee talks
Groups suggest public hearing for solution

Ahuman rights group and Chulalongkorn University have proposed a public 
hearing on ways to resolve the problem of Burmese refugees sheltering on 
the border.

Somchai Homlaor, secretary of Asian Forum for Human Rights and 
Development (Forum-Asia), in a letter to the National Security Council 
chief, pointed out that the hearing could cultivate ideas, information 
and cooperation among all organs involved to formulate a proper and 
comprehensive solution.

It was important because the issue was "sensitive due to its involvement 
with relations with other countries and directly affected people and 
image of the country," he said, and cited the new constitution, which 
clears the way for a hearing on issues having impacts on people and 
local communities.

The issue grabbed attention after the government's decision to allow the 
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to play a part in the 
problem.

The UNHCR's role is not clear but the NSC agreed in a meeting on 
Thursday to give the UN agency an access to the camps in June to 
facilitate a plan to relocate them inside the territory.

More than 100,000 refugees from Burma live on the border camps, most of 
them Karens.

Forum-Asia and the Asian Research Centre for Migration of the university 
were ready to step in to help the NSC organise the forum, Mr Somchai 
said in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Interior Minister Sanan 
Kachornprasart and Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.

NSC Secretary-General Boonsak Kamhaengrithirong was not available for 
comment.

But Foreign Ministry spokesman Kobsak Chutikul neither supported nor 
objected the proposal, saying that non-governmental organisations and 
other agencies had the right under the constitution to call for public 
hearings. 

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