[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
Repatriation seen gaining momentum
- Subject: Repatriation seen gaining momentum
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 19:43:00
October 24, 1998
REFUGEES
Repatriation seen
gaining momentum
Likely to quicken once government
formed
Achara Ashayagachat
Surin and Si Sa Ket
Repatriation of the remaining 37,162 Cambodian refugees who fled
the country after a coup d'etat 15 months ago is expected to pick up
after a new Cambodian government is formed, according to Thai and
UN refugee officials.
They were speaking on Tuesday to three Australian Olympic gold
medalists, who are Sporting Goodwill Representatives of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Their trip was to raise
awareness and support for the UN humanitarian assistance to the
Cambodian displaced persons.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been cooperating closely with the
UNHCR and non-governmental organisations in sending back 8,899
displaced Cambodians from camps in Surin and Trat to places of the
refugees' choice, according to the Unhcr office in Bangkok.
Its field officer in Surin, Erna Henriksen, conceded that the repatriation
was moving slowly due to the time-consuming process and political
uncertainty in Cambodia.
The repatriation operation is voluntary. Chosen destinations must be
safe and verified by the UN and NGOs on the spot, the UN official
said.
Some of the 7,105 Cambodians in Huay Cherng camp, about four
kilometres from the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin, could not return
to their desired destination at O'Smach because it was still classified as
no-go areas, she said.
Special Col Manit Boonprong, head of the Thai-Cambodian
Coordination Centre Area II, said the momentum of the plan had been
established and the speed would be boosted after a new Cambodian
government was set up.
Now refugees have mixed feelings about their future as conflicts in
their country remain.
Sai Sen, 51, a retired soldier loyal to the FUNCINPEC forces, said at
Huay Cherng camp that he would not go back to rejoin his wife in
Samrong, 40 kilometres from the border, if Hun Sen was still with the
new government for fear of being killed.
Son Kham, a 21-year-old crippled military officer, was also afraid of
being killed but preferred to return home in Siem Reap. "Once my hip
and my leg heal, I will go back with the others," he said.
Maj-Gen Khoun Lee, a Khmer Rouge officer and leader at Phu Noi
camp, thinks differently, saying that "We will join the coalition
government once the talk is finished. The war should be over as the
international community so desires, and so do we."
Refugees at Phu Noi camp are apparently well prepared for their
exodus, carrying their personal belongings and household items
including cattle and food crossing the border.
Seng Veuon, 53, said: "I don't have anywhere to go. My property was
completely sold, Thailand and the UN have to help us. If Hun Sen is
still the ruler, we prefer to live here, not under the Vietnamese-backed
ruler."
Repatriation of refugees at Huay Cherng camp seems to be easier than
those in Phu Noi, about 12 kilometres off the Cambodian border in Si
Sa Ket, conceded Ms Henriksen. The Si Sa Ket camp houses 15,252
Cambodians.
Huay Cherng, set up in August last year, is mostly composed of
people who were caught in the northwestern area of O'Smach when
the troops loyal to Hun Sen attacked the last base of the royal
Funcinpec party.
The majority of the population originated from all parts of Cambodia
and went there to earn their living as its border trade flourished, she
said.
Meanwhile Phu Noi camp residents were those who fled the more
recent fighting in April and May this year in Anlong Veng, one of the
last Khmer Rouge strongholds.
Although the majority were farmers, they originated from 20 villages in
Anlong Veng.
Classifieds
Jobs
Property
Entertainment
Investment
Education
Travel
Sales
Learn English
Weekly
Database
Horizons
NiteOwl
Student
Weekly
Real Time
Special
We Care
Street Art
Back Issues
Last Month
Archive
Company
Servcies
Subscriptions
Advertising
Annual Report
© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1998
Last Modified: Sat, Oct 24, 1998
For comments and letters to the editor see : notes
Comments to: Webmaster
Advertising enquiries to Internet Marketing