UNHCR unhappy over rights report

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

October 9, 1998 							
								
    								


REFUGEES

UNHCR unhappy over rights report
Significant gaps seen in refugee protection

Post reporters
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees found "regrettable" the
failure of a US-based human rights group to "check" with it before
releasing a report critical of Thailand and the UNHCR regarding Burmese
asylum seekers, according to the UNHCR spokesperson in Bangkok.
The spokesperson was commenting yesterday on a report released by Human
Rights Watch on Wednesday which alleged that the UN refugee agency had been
"unnecessarily weak" in its effort to "challenge" Thai policies which, in
the view of the report, "undermine refugee protection".
Thailand, according to a summary of the report, makes little distinction
beween refugees and migrants, lacks effective refugee determination
procedures, and may be deporting people with a valid claim to refugee status.
Kobsak Chutikul, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, on Wednesday rejected
these charges, saying Thailand had given shelter to some 99,700 Burmese for
some time, and had never forcibly pushed back any refugees. He also said
Thailand had repatriated illegal Burmese workers only through safe
channels, and never sent them back to Rangoon directly.
The report maintained that significant gaps in refugee protection remained
despite an agreement in May between the Thai government and the UNHCR that
many observers saw as a turning point in its enhancing UNHCR access to
Burmese asylum seekers on the border.
"Although UNHCR would welcome constructive scrutiny of its work by NGOs, it
is regrettable that Human Rights Watch did not check with UNHCR before
releasing their report this week since it does not take into account recent
development, particularly regarding the Royal Thai Government's invitation
to UNHCR to have an expanded role at the Myanmar (Burmese) border" the
UNHCR spokesperson said.
"In this context, UNHCR plans to establish offices in the Mae Hong Son, Tak
and Kanchanaburi provinces as soon as possible," the spokesperson added.
"We expect that UNHCR's expanded role at the border, in close cooperation
with the Royal Thai Government, will contribute to enhancing the protection
of the refugee population," the spokesperson said.
The Human Rights Watch report said Thailand's failure to ratify the 1951 UN
convention on refugees was part of the problem and urged the country to do
so. The group also called on Thailand to stop a practice in effect since
June of rejecting new asylum seekers.
Mr Kobsak said Thailand had not ratified the UN convention because it would
commit the country to giving refugees far reaching rights, such as rights
to education, jobs and labour unions. He also reiterated Thailand's policy
of allowing refuge to people fleeing from armed conflicts.							 	Classifieds

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© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1998
Last Modified: Fri, Oct 9, 1998
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