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Security chief wants all student ex

Subject: Security chief wants all student exiles removed

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<font size=5><b>Security chief wants all student exiles removed<br>
</font><font size=4>Kachadpai: No need to check willingness<br>
</b>Yuwadee Tunyasiri</font><font size=6> <br>
</font><font size=5><b>T</font></b><font size=3>he National Security
Council has urged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to
send all exiled Burmese students in Thailand under its care to a third
country.<br>
Kachadpai Burusapatana, secretary-general of the NSC, said yesterday the
Burmese students were not Indochinese refugees and there was no need to
ask them whether they would be willing to go to a third country.<br>
He maintained all exiled Burmese students in Thailand were actually
illegal immigrants but were granted temporary stay on humanitarian
grounds.<br>
&quot;But since some of them have caused trouble here, they should all be
sent to a third country,&quot; Mr Kachadpai said, apparently referring to
last week's armed takeover of the Burmese embassy in Bangkok by five
hardline Burmese students.<br>
Because of its proximity to Burma, he said, Thailand could not afford to
allow the exiled students to engage in political activities against the
Rangoon government.<br>
&quot;But they can do so in some western countries that have no problems
with Burma,&quot; he added.<br>
According to the UNHCR, there are about 2,700 exiled Burmese students
under its care, with some 1,000 being housed at the Maneeloy camp in
Ratchaburi and the rest scattered around in Bangkok.<br>
But the NSC said about 1,700 students are now under UNHCR care, with
another 900 students still unaccounted for and believed living illegally
in Bangkok.<br>
Mr Kachadpai said the 900 Burmese students must report to the UNHCR for
registration or face tough legal action as illegal immigrants.<br>
On top of the exiled students, he said, about 150,000 displaced Burmese
have taken refuge on Thai soil along the border. &quot;These Burmese
should return home once the situation in Burma returns to
normal.&quot;The NSC chief yesterday met the UNHCR representative in
Thailand, Jahanshah Assadi, to discuss the future of exiled Burmese
students.<br>
Mr Kachadpai has called on Sadako Ogata, the UN high commissioner for
refugees, to begin a dialogue with Rangoon on the problem of Burmese
asylum-seekers.<br>
According to the Foreign Ministry, Mr Kachadpai asked Ms Ogata to visit
Rangoon in person and to ensure a continuation of the dialogue.<br>
Meanwhile, the UNHCR yesterday completed the relocation of 7,120 Burmese
refugees from Huay Kalok Camp to a safer site inside Thailand.<br>
They were transported 95km to Umpium Camp, located 13km from the border
and &quot;situated in terrain that affords a degree of natural
protection&quot;. <br>
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