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The Nation - Is Thailand too kind t
Subject: Re: The Nation - Is Thailand too kind to Burmese refugees?
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That is bullshit or unable to think rationally by a Thai politician.
The realty is that Thailand itself is facing a transitional challenge to the
democracy after the economy combustion and many Thai are pissed off with free
fall borrowers,associates of the many politicians of the country,politicians
for the bust and IMF is trying to " help out" or what.
People like Chaulvalid Youngchaiyud, general- turn politician,logging tycoon is
a powerful figure in today Thai politics is now becoming a very loud question
Thai people are asking to themselves in the tough time economy.
Because their taxes are repaying the bad loans that the big top peoples did.
This is not fair.
The Burmese cheap labourers were once contributed to a growth of Thailand's now
fucked economy.
Forceful repatriation or inhumane treatment to those once were needed,boom time
labourers is a crime.They are a labour force and have rights as much as the
fighting students are as political force and rights,are bi- product of Thai's
raw exploitation as get- rich quick approach on Burma.Burmese students are not
very easy about it.
Thai must now try the alternatives and have a go.
Help topple the military of Burma!
Burma under democracy will do you good, Khun Htone.Get thin.Now!
panyoma/syd
panyoma/syd
The
TIN KYI wrote:
> The Nation - Nov 9, 1999.
> Headlines
> Is Thailand too kind to Burmese refugees?
>
> ACADEMICIANS, activists and officials were at loggerheads at yesterday's
> seminar on Burmese refugees as they were unable to find common ground on how
> the government should deal with the plight of hundreds of thousands of
> Burmese refugees, exiles and dissidents living in the country.
>
> Human rights and aid workers said the government needs to rethink its
> policies towards the Burmese refugees and dissident students living in the
> country, while officials said tighter enforcement is needed.
>
> The Interior Ministry's Director of Information and Foreign Affairs, Wannida
> Boonpracong, and Senator Charan Kullavanijaya said Thailand has been too lax
> with dissident groups in the past and accused some dissidents of exploiting
> the ''flexibility'' of Thai authority.
>
> ''What we called 'displaced' people are in fact 'illegal immigrants',
> according to our law. But because of our humanitarian principles, we have to
> treat them as 'displaced people','' Charan said.
>
> But human rights activists Somchai Homlaor and aid worker Jack Dunford,
> director of the Burmese Border Consortium, said the government needs to
> rethink its policies towards the Burmese refugees and come up with a
> comprehensive assessment of the situation.
>
> ''Putting them in a crowded camp like Maneeloy is not the answer,'' said
> Somchai, suggesting that the asylum seekers should be given greater access
> to education and the freedom to carry out their activities like normal
> citizens as they wait to be relocated to a third country.
>
> Wannida, on the other hand, suggested that Thailand should not become a
> breeding ground for Burmese political activists and so-called ''freedom
> fighters'', saying that many exiles do not understand their limitation in
> being refugees.
>
> Moreover, said Charan, Thailand does not have a legal commitment to any
> international forum such as the United Nations Refugee Convention and,
> therefore, the government is not obligated to use anybody's framework or
> method in dealing with the refugees.
>
> ''Our policy in dealing with the refugees is based on humanitarian
> principles. Repatriation has always been on a voluntarily basis,'' he
> stated.
>
> A Burmese dissident attending the seminar accused the authorities of
> ''painting a wonderful picture''. In reality, the situation on the ground is
> quite different, he said.
>
> A Burmese student was granted refugee status, but his parents were forced
> back to Burma where their fate is uncertain, he said, speaking on condition
> of anonymity.
>
> Bangkok-based UN High Commissioner for Refugee's regional representative
> Jahansha Assadi said the agency's work has been limited to asylum and
> protection as UN officials are denied access to the Burmese side to monitor
> the returnees.
>
> Since last Thursday, a wish list has been passed around to Burmese asylum
> seekers eligible for relocation to a third country, asking them where they
> would like to go.
>
> Assadi said about 16 countries have expressed interest in taking some of the
> refugees, but so far only the United States has said publicly that it's
> willing to admit about 1,000 out of nearly the 3,000 which come under the
> UN's ''people of concern'', or POCs.
>
> About 100,000 displaced people, most of whom are ethnic Karen who had fled
> the fighting between government troops and rebel armies, are living in camps
> along the Thai border. Almost 3,000 have been granted ''refugee'' status,
> thus enabling them to request to be relocated to a third country.
>
> The UN and the Thai government have been tight-lipped over the fate of about
> 10,000 ethnic Shan from Burma living along the northern border.
>
> Like many other refugees from Burma, the Shan had crossed over to the Thai
> side, refusing to be relocated. Human rights groups accused Burma's military
> junta of systematically relocating hundreds of villages to keep at bay the
> support coming in for the rebel armies.
>
> The issue of refugees has become a hot topic amid growing tension between
> Bangkok and Rangoon after five Burmese armed dissidents stormed the Burmese
> Embassy in Bangkok.
>
> Rangoon accused Bangkok of using ''kid gloves'' in solving the 25-hour
> standoff with the dissidents and responded by closing the border and
> cancelling all concessions to Thai fishermen.
>
> Rangoon also refused to cooperate with the Thai authorities and threatened
> to shoot its own nationals being pushed back from Thailand.
>
> About one million Burmese are working in the country. Most have taken up
> jobs in factories along the border, working for below minimum wages.
>
> Charan called the current repatriation of Burmese workers ''a joke'', as
> many are able to return to Thailand at will. He said the authorities should
> go after the factory owners who have long ignored the country's immigration
> law.
>
> He also warned that Thailand risks being condemned by the international
> community especially after Burmese troops have threatened to shoot those
> sent back.
>
> ''They will accuse us of pushing these people to their deaths,'' he said.
>
> BY DON PATHAN
>
> The Nation
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That is bullshit or unable to think rationally by a Thai politician.
<BR>The realty is that Thailand itself is facing a transitional challenge
to the democracy after the economy combustion and many Thai are pissed
off with free fall borrowers,associates of the many politicians of the
country,politicians for the bust and IMF is trying to " help out"
or what.
<BR>People like Chaulvalid Youngchaiyud, general- turn politician,logging
tycoon is a powerful figure in today Thai politics is now becoming a very
loud question Thai people are asking to themselves in the tough time economy.
<P>Because their taxes are repaying the bad loans that the big top peoples
did.
<BR>This is not fair.
<P>The Burmese cheap labourers were once contributed to a growth of Thailand's
now fucked economy.
<BR>Forceful repatriation or inhumane treatment to those once were needed,boom
time labourers is a crime.They are a labour force and have rights as much
as the fighting students are as political force and rights,are bi- product
of Thai's raw exploitation as get- rich quick approach on Burma.Burmese
students are not very easy about it.
<P>Thai must now try the alternatives and have a go.
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1>Help topple the military of Burma!</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1>Burma under democracy will do you good, Khun Htone.Get
thin.Now!</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1></FONT> <FONT SIZE=+1></FONT>
<P><FONT SIZE=+1>panyoma/syd</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1></FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+1></FONT>
<P>panyoma/syd
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<P>The
<P>TIN KYI wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>The Nation - Nov 9, 1999.
<BR>Headlines
<BR>Is Thailand too kind to Burmese refugees?
<P>ACADEMICIANS, activists and officials were at loggerheads at yesterday's
<BR>seminar on Burmese refugees as they were unable to find common ground
on how
<BR>the government should deal with the plight of hundreds of thousands
of
<BR>Burmese refugees, exiles and dissidents living in the country.
<P>Human rights and aid workers said the government needs to rethink its
<BR>policies towards the Burmese refugees and dissident students living
in the
<BR>country, while officials said tighter enforcement is needed.
<P>The Interior Ministry's Director of Information and Foreign Affairs,
Wannida
<BR>Boonpracong, and Senator Charan Kullavanijaya said Thailand has been
too lax
<BR>with dissident groups in the past and accused some dissidents of exploiting
<BR>the ''flexibility'' of Thai authority.
<P>''What we called 'displaced' people are in fact 'illegal immigrants',
<BR>according to our law. But because of our humanitarian principles, we
have to
<BR>treat them as 'displaced people','' Charan said.
<P>But human rights activists Somchai Homlaor and aid worker Jack Dunford,
<BR>director of the Burmese Border Consortium, said the government needs
to
<BR>rethink its policies towards the Burmese refugees and come up with
a
<BR>comprehensive assessment of the situation.
<P>''Putting them in a crowded camp like Maneeloy is not the answer,''
said
<BR>Somchai, suggesting that the asylum seekers should be given greater
access
<BR>to education and the freedom to carry out their activities like normal
<BR>citizens as they wait to be relocated to a third country.
<P>Wannida, on the other hand, suggested that Thailand should not become
a
<BR>breeding ground for Burmese political activists and so-called ''freedom
<BR>fighters'', saying that many exiles do not understand their limitation
in
<BR>being refugees.
<P>Moreover, said Charan, Thailand does not have a legal commitment to
any
<BR>international forum such as the United Nations Refugee Convention and,
<BR>therefore, the government is not obligated to use anybody's framework
or
<BR>method in dealing with the refugees.
<P>''Our policy in dealing with the refugees is based on humanitarian
<BR>principles. Repatriation has always been on a voluntarily basis,''
he
<BR>stated.
<P>A Burmese dissident attending the seminar accused the authorities of
<BR>''painting a wonderful picture''. In reality, the situation on the
ground is
<BR>quite different, he said.
<P>A Burmese student was granted refugee status, but his parents were forced
<BR>back to Burma where their fate is uncertain, he said, speaking on condition
<BR>of anonymity.
<P>Bangkok-based UN High Commissioner for Refugee's regional representative
<BR>Jahansha Assadi said the agency's work has been limited to asylum and
<BR>protection as UN officials are denied access to the Burmese side to
monitor
<BR>the returnees.
<P>Since last Thursday, a wish list has been passed around to Burmese asylum
<BR>seekers eligible for relocation to a third country, asking them where
they
<BR>would like to go.
<P>Assadi said about 16 countries have expressed interest in taking some
of the
<BR>refugees, but so far only the United States has said publicly that
it's
<BR>willing to admit about 1,000 out of nearly the 3,000 which come under
the
<BR>UN's ''people of concern'', or POCs.
<P>About 100,000 displaced people, most of whom are ethnic Karen who had
fled
<BR>the fighting between government troops and rebel armies, are living
in camps
<BR>along the Thai border. Almost 3,000 have been granted ''refugee'' status,
<BR>thus enabling them to request to be relocated to a third country.
<P>The UN and the Thai government have been tight-lipped over the fate
of about
<BR>10,000 ethnic Shan from Burma living along the northern border.
<P>Like many other refugees from Burma, the Shan had crossed over to the
Thai
<BR>side, refusing to be relocated. Human rights groups accused Burma's
military
<BR>junta of systematically relocating hundreds of villages to keep at
bay the
<BR>support coming in for the rebel armies.
<P>The issue of refugees has become a hot topic amid growing tension between
<BR>Bangkok and Rangoon after five Burmese armed dissidents stormed the
Burmese
<BR>Embassy in Bangkok.
<P>Rangoon accused Bangkok of using ''kid gloves'' in solving the 25-hour
<BR>standoff with the dissidents and responded by closing the border and
<BR>cancelling all concessions to Thai fishermen.
<P>Rangoon also refused to cooperate with the Thai authorities and threatened
<BR>to shoot its own nationals being pushed back from Thailand.
<P>About one million Burmese are working in the country. Most have taken
up
<BR>jobs in factories along the border, working for below minimum wages.
<P>Charan called the current repatriation of Burmese workers ''a joke'',
as
<BR>many are able to return to Thailand at will. He said the authorities
should
<BR>go after the factory owners who have long ignored the country's immigration
<BR>law.
<P>He also warned that Thailand risks being condemned by the international
<BR>community especially after Burmese troops have threatened to shoot
those
<BR>sent back.
<P>''They will accuse us of pushing these people to their deaths,'' he
said.
<P>BY DON PATHAN
<P>The Nation</BLOCKQUOTE>
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