THE NATION: UNHCR to get greater r

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Politics 

      UNHCR to get greater role
      in refugee issues

      THAILAND announced yesterday it will
      allow the United Nations' refugee agency
      access to Karen refugee camps in June
      which it plans to relocate some 50
      kilometres inside the Thai border. 

      Supreme Commander General Mongkol
      Ampornpisit said the United Nations High
      Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will
      have a greater role in handling the Karen
      refugees through collaboration with
      Thailand. 

      ''The UNHCR will work jointly with Thailand
      in relocating the refugees to safer areas
      further inside Thailand's borders ... The
      camps' new locations will be decided by
      the Interior Ministry,'' he added. 

      Plans are underway to combine and
      relocate the camps aimed at facilitating
      closer supervision and providing more
      security and safety for the refugees. 

      ''The move will allow the military and
      UNHCR to take better care of the refugees
      and provide for their security,'' he said. 

      Speaking after a National Security Council
      meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chuan
      Leekpai, Mongkol said the UNHCR would
      be allowed to help in the planned moving of
      border camps, but declined to clearly
      outline the longer-term role the UN body
      would be allowed to play in caring for the
      refugees. 

      The NSC meeting followed consultations
      between the UN, the Foreign Ministry and
      the Thai Army. 

      UNHCR officials in Bangkok said they had
      not yet been officially informed of the Thai
      decision and were unable to clarify the kind
      of access they would likely be granted. 

      NSC secretary-general Boonsak
      Kamheangridirong said yesterday the
      meeting also discussed regulating border
      responsibilities to deal with any future
      border problems. 

      ''The army region will be the main pillar,'' he
      said. 

      He said the delegation of responsibilities
      will provide the framework to enable more
      effective operations along the border and
      deal with hostile intrusions by outside
      forces. 

      Meanwhile Deputy Foreign Minister
      Sukhumbhand Paribatra who returned from
      a two-day official visit to Burma on
      Wednesday quoted Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, first
      secretary-general of State Peace and
      Development Council as saying Burma will
      accept the voluntarily return of refugees and
      workers. 

      Sukhumhand had informed the Burmese
      junta during his visit about Thailand's plan
      to allow the United Nations High
      Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) a
      greater role in supervising Karen refugee
      camps. 

      The Foreign Ministry said yesterday Thai
      authorities will arrest and execute any
      members of the Buddhist Karen guerrilla
      group who cross over from bases in Burma
      into Thailand. 

      The ministry made the comment in a
      statement issued after Sukhumbhand
      returned from a brief visit to Burma. 

      ''The Burmese government does not control
      the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army,'' the
      statement said. ''Any contacts between the
      government and the DKBA are through
      intermediaries.'' 

      The DKBA was formed in 1994 after a split
      with the predominately-Christian Karen
      National Union (KNU) and is thought to
      have ties with Rangoon. 

      Burmese authorities have consistently
      denied any connection with the DKBA
      saying they had not provided assistance to
      the group in its attacks on Karen refugee
      camps, inhabited primarily by rival Karen
      National Union (KNU) loyalists. 

      The DKBA split from the KNU in 1994
      following an ideological dispute, following
      which, observers say, the splinter group
      gained backing from the Burmese junta. 

      Chuan last month agreed in principle to
      allowing the UNHCR to assist in caring for
      some 90,000 Karen refugees living in a
      string of camps along the border with
      Burma. 

      The decision was viewed by analysts and
      observers as a major policy change, as the
      UN had previously been allowed very
      limited access to the camps which have
      been repeatedly raided by
      Rangoon-backed forces. 

      The Nation