THE NATION: UNHCR given a role in

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Politics 

      UNHCR given a role in
      Burmese border camps

      THE United Nations High Commissioner
      for Refugees (UNHCR) will be allowed to
      participate in the administration of all 12
      border camps for displaced Burmese as a
      ''co-partner'', a senior government source
      said Wednesday. 

      However, because of the UNHCR's
      shortage of staff, it will adopt a rotation
      monitoring team so they can effectively
      provide assistance for the Burmese, the
      source said. 

      A proposal detailing the role of the UN
      agency in the camps has been drafted by
      Thai authorities and the UNHCR and
      submitted to the National Security Council
      for final endorsement. 

      The NSC is expected to approve the
      proposal soon, the source said. 

      ''The UNHCR will work as a co-partner with
      Thai authorities from the beginning, starting
      with deciding whether the Burmese should
      be received into the camps, screening
      them to determine their status and
      registering them,'' the source said. 

      ''Importantly, the UNHCR will cooperate with
      Thai authorities in deciding whether to
      repatriate the Burmese. The agency and
      Thailand will decide whether it is timely to
      send them back, but repatriation will not be
      against the will of the Burmese. The joint
      mission will also determine whether the
      areas where the Burmese will be
      repatriated are safe,'' the source said. 

      Thailand changed its policy stance earlier
      this year when Prime Minister Chuan
      Leekpai publicly announced that he agreed
      in principle to the UNHCR playing a greater
      role in the camps for displaced Burmese. 

      Previously, the UN agency was refused any
      role in the camps. Due to the international
      organisation's absence, Thai authorities
      have often been criticised for their handling
      of the camps and for forcibly repatriating
      the Burmese. 

      ''Thailand has to accept the UNHCR's role
      in the camps because we need financial
      assistance as the country has suffered from
      the economic crisis. We cannot handle it by
      ourselves,'' the source said. 

      The proposal under consideration by the
      NSC does not include the budget the
      UNHCR will provide for the camps'
      administration. 

      At present there are 12 Burmese camps
      situated in four provinces -- Tak, Mae Hong
      Son, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi --
      housing about 96,000 Burmese. The large
      number of displaced people has caused
      problems for Thailand in terms of national
      security, public health and social and
      economic issues. 

      ''In granting the UNHCR a role in the camps
      we have to recognise that all the
      procedures will require more time as it is
      different from in the past when Thailand
      could run everything in the camps itself,'' the
      source said. 

      The source added that the UNHCR will not
      be authorised to provide security for the
      camps or refugees, leaving those duties to
      voluntary forces, border patrol police and
      soldiers. 

      BY MARISA CHIMPRABHA 

      The Nation