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BURMA/REFUGEES (r)



DATE=6/3/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-233254

TITLE= BURMA /REFUGEES (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=AMY BICKERS

DATELINE= HONG KONG

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS ARE AWAITING THAI GOVERNMENT 

APPROVAL SO THEY CAN INCREASE ASSISTANCE TO BURMESE REFUGEES 

LIVING AT THE THAI BORDER.  AS AMY BICKERS REPORTS FROM THE V-O-A

ASIA NEWS CENTER, AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS EXPECTED THIS MONTH.


TEXT:  AUTHORITIES IN THAILAND AND THE U-N HIGH COMMISSION FOR 

REFUGEES HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO EXPAND THE U-N-H-C-R'S ROLE 

IN ASSISTING BURMESE REFUGEES ALONG THE THAI-BURMESE BORDER.


ACCORDING TO SURAPONG POSIANON, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE 

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DEPARTMENT AT THE THAI MINISTRY OF 

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, FINAL APPROVAL IS NEEDED FROM  PRIME MINISTER 

CHUAN LEEKPAI.  HE EXPECTS THIS WILL COME AT THE NEXT MEETING OF 

THAILAND'S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, WHICH HAS  NOT  YET BEEN 

SCHEDULED.


                   /// FIRST SURAPONG ACT ///


         WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MORE ACCESS TO U-N-H-C-R REGARDING

         THE CAMPS WHERE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MYANMAR PEOPLE, 

         ABOUT 100-THOUSAND OF THEM. THESE ARE DISPLACED PERSONS,

         AND THEY HAVE FLED THEIR COUNTRY BECAUSE OF HOSTILITIES 

         ALONG THE BORDER AREA, AND WE WOULD LIKE U-N-H-C-R, 

         WHICH HAS THE MANDATE IN DISPLACED PERSONS, TO HAVE A 

         BIGGER ROLE IN LOOKING AFTER THESE PEOPLE. 


                         /// END ACT ///


U-N-H-C-R OFFICIALS REGULARLY VISIT THE BURMESE REFUGEE CAMPS,  

AND MONITOR ACITIVIES THERE. BUT THEY MUST APPLY TO THAI 

AUTHORITIES  FOR PERMISSION EACH TIME THEY GO.  THE NEW 

ARRANGEMENT WOULD MEAN THEY COULD TRAVEL MORE FREELY AND TAKE A 

MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN  ORGANIZING THE CAMPS.


BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.  THE NEW SET-UP WOULD ALLOW THE U-N OFFICIALS

TO PROTECT ASYLUM SEEKERS.  ACCORDING TO MR. SURAPONG, THAT MEANS

THE INTERNATIONAL BODY WOULD ACT AS A FORMAL CHANNEL FOR BURMESE 

REFUGEES SEEKING CITIZENSHIP IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.


                  /// SECOND SURAPOING ACT ///


         WE WANT TO HAVE MORE TRANPARENCY.  IN THE PAST WE WERE 

         GETTING NEGATIVE REPORTS WHEN WE WERE SENDING THESE 

         PEOPLE BACK TO MYANMAR (BURMA) THAT THEY WERE  NOT  

         RETURNED IN SAFETY AND DIGNITY.  WE WANT MORE 

         TRANSPARENCY, AND 

         U-N-H-C-R SHOULD GIVE US THIS CREDENCE. 


                        /// END ACT /// 




// OPT //  MR. SURAPONG SAYS  RESETTLEMENT OPTIONS ARE LIMITED 

FOR THE BURMESE REFUGEES, BECAUSE OF WHAT HE CALLS COMPASSION 

FATIGUE IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES.  HE SAYS THE U-N-H-C-R WILL 

NEED TO WORK WITH THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT IN RANGOON TO ENSURE THE

REFUGEES WHO RETURN TO BURMA ARE WELL-TREATED.


                   /// THIRD SURAPONG ACT ///


                 I THINK THE U-N-H-C-R IS IN A POSTION TO HANDLE 

                 IT.  TO SEE THAT THAILAND OBSERVES NEUTRALITY, 

                 AND THAT WE ARE  NOT  FORCED TO SEND THESE 

                 PEOPLE BACK, THAT THEY GO BACK VOLUNTARILY, AND 

                 THAT THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE THEM AND 

                 GIVE THEM SAFETY FOR RETURN. 


               /// END ACT ///   /// END OPT ///  


WHILE NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE U-N-H-C-R TO INCREASE ITS 

INVOLVEMENT, THE THAI GOVERNMENT SAYS APPROVAL SHOULD COME LATER 

THIS MONTH.  HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS EXPECT THE 

U-N-H-C-R'S ROLE WOULD BE EXPANDED IMMEDIATELY.   (SIGNED)


NEB/AB/GC/WTW


03-Jun-98 7:19 AM EDT (1119 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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