We need to write letters to UNHCR!

[hag2@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Friends,
UNHCR has been passive enough for the Burmese refugees problems and
sometime their officilas treated our brothers and sisters as unworthy
persons.  It is a heart breaking situation in India and in Thailand.  UNHCR
officials in India said "we will not consider the cases which are already
rejected".  This kind of treatment is unacceptable.  We need to protest
this awful regulations set up by UNHCR people.  If we all write letters to
their office and main office in Geneva, we will make a difference.  Here is
the address that I have so far.

United Nations High Command for Refugees
Branch Office in Thailand
United Nations Building
Rajdammern Ave
PO Box 2-121
Bangkok 10200
fax: 011-66-280-0555


Mrs. Sadako Ogata
High Commissioner
United Nations High Command for Refugees
94 Montbrilliant Street
Geneva
Switzerland CH 1202


Judge Rajsoomer Lallah
Special Rapporteur
Centre for Human Rights
Palais des Nations 1211
Geneva
Switzerland 10

I do not have an address of UNHCR branch office in India.  I hope Ko soe
Myint will find for us.

regards

Htun Aung Gyaw


Samata Party writes to UNHCR Chief to help Burmese refugees
>
>March 25, 1999, New Delhi
>MIZZIMA News Group
>
>Samata Party General Secretary Ms. Jaya Jaitly has written to the Chief of
>Mission of UNHCR in India to extend assistance to those Burmese refugees
>who came away to India due to violent military oppression in Burma. It is
>recalled that a group of ten refugees from Burma went on an indefinite
>hungerstrike in front of UNHCR office in New Delhi from March 22nd,
>claiming that UNHCR has neglected their genuine plights for refugee
>status.
>
>In her letter dated 24th March to Mr. Augustine Mahiga, Chief of Mission
>of UNHCR, Ms. Jaya Jaitly urged the UNHCR to consider favorably the
>request of the Burmese refugees. "As humanitarian citizens of India and a
>party that supports human rights across the world, we wonder how can
>anyone expect refugee students or families to survive and get shelter and
>food with no funds and no work permits", said the Samata Party General
>Secretary in her letter. 
>
>The letter also pointed out that the Samata Party has not only been
>supporting the pro-democracy movement in Burma but it also has been giving
>sympathy and support on a purely humanitarian basis to those refugees who

>came away to India to escape jail or death in Burma. The Samata Party is a
>partner in the ruling coalition government of India and it is headed by
>Defence Minister Mr. George Fernandes.
>
>Meanwhile, the ten refugees who were released late night yesterday and
>went to continue their hungerstrike in front of UNHCR office were
>re-arrested by the police force of the Lodi Colony police station about 2
>p.m today. The police informed that they received a complaint call from a
>UNHCR legal officer in Jor Bagh, Lodi Road. The police had told the
>refugees that they would be arrested if they continue their hungerstrike.
>However, the refugees have been insisting that they will not call off
>their hungerstrike unless the UNHCR extends refugee status and assistance
>to them.
>
>After learning the arrest of the refugees, Mr. Rajesh Talwar, Legal
>Counsel and Mr. Suhas Chakma, Deputy Director of the South Asia Human
>Rights Documentation Center (SAHRDC) went to the Lodi Road Police station
>about 3.00 p.m today and inquired about the circumstances pertaining to
>
>the arrest and detention of the Burmese refugees. The SAHRDC is a
>Delhi-based human rights organization. They also interviewed the refugees.
>
>Moreover, Mr. Ravi Nair, Executive Director of the SAHRDC wrote to the
>Delhi Police Commissioner Mr. V. N. Singh and also Head of Human Rights
>Cell of Delhi Police today to intervene the matter and release the Burmese
>refugees. 
>
>"The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in our Constitution. This
>right is also available to non-nationals as per the case law laid down by
>the Supreme Court of India", Ravi Nair said in his letter, which is also
>addressed to Mr. Pradip Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South
>District, Delhi. 
>
>"The unwillingness of the UNHCR to address the problems of the Burmese
>asylum seekers forced them to take such a drastic step to resort to hunger
>strike", he further mentioned in his letter. 
>
>The Burmese protestors are currently being detained in the Lodi Road
>police station in Delhi. When our reporter went and interviewed the
>refugees in the police station this evening, the protesting Burmese
>refugees told that they will continue their hungerstrike at wherever they
>are till UNHCR recognizes them as mandated refugees. 
>
>MIZZIMA News Group
>Contact Tel/Fax : 91-11-711 5491
>
>