[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

HUMAN RIGHTS SUBMISSION FROM TRW PA



Subject: HUMAN RIGHTS SUBMISSION FROM TRW PART 2 REPOSTED.

/* posted Mar 5 12:23:38 CST 1995 uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on igc:reg.burma-l  */
/* --------------" HRSUB: Tribal Refugee Welfare "---------------*/

[Subject:  To inquire into and report on the human rights situation
and lack of progress towards democracy  in  Myanmar(Burma)  by  the
Human Rights Sub-committee of the parliament of Australia.
        Submissions   to   this   enquiry  by  various  people  and
organisations are re-posted here.
        This section is  redistributed  to  Internet/PeaceNet  with
permission from the Tribal Refugee Welfare in SE Asia, P.O.box  215
Mirrabooka  Western Australia 6061. -- U Ne Oo]

# SUBMISSION NO. 1.

Part 2 of 2.

        THE TRIBAL REFUGEE WELFARE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA (INC)
                        & 6 ATTACHMENTS

LETTER TO THE UNHCR
-------------------

Mr Pierre-Michel Fontaine
Regional Representative, Australia New Zeland and
        South Pacific
UNHCR
9 Terrigal Crescent
O'Malley ACT  2606.

Dated 4th August 1994

Dear Sir,

        I have recently received information relating to events  at
Halockhanee  on  the  Burma-Thai  border which occurred on 21st and
22nd July, in which the Mon refugee camp  was  overrun  by  Burmese
troops and the camp burnt to the ground.

        The  report has been confirmed by a number of well informed
NGO sources in Bangkok, by reports in the Bangkok media and by  the
Australian Department of Foreign affairs.

        There  events come at a time when the ruling authorities of
Burma are actively  promoting  their  position  as  being  open  to
dialogue  with  the  ethnic  nationalities,  and  as  deserving  of
acceptance by the  international  community.  The  Burmese  Foreign
Minister himself claimed in a statement to UN officials at the time
of the ASEAN conference that "there are no problems of human rights
in Myanmar".

        It  is  of  great  concern  to  me and my agency that human
rights abuses continue to occur  both  with  Burma  and  along  the
border.

        I  am therefore now writing to seek your assurance that the
UNHCR    representative in Bangkok will take up  this  incident  in
dialogue   with   relevant  parties  and  agencies  in  the  region
particularly in Bangkok and Rangoon.  I  would  greatly  appreciate
your  advising  me  of  any follow up which you receive relevant to
this matter.

Singed.
Yours sincerely, (C. de Mello) Vice-chairman


LETTER FROM THE UNHCR TO TRW
----------------------------
22 August 1994

Dear Mr de Mello,

        I refer to your letter of 4th August  1994  which  outlines
your  concerns  over  recent  incidents  in  Halockhani Camp on the
Myanmar/Thai border.

        UNHCR become aware of the incident on 21st July  1994  when
approximately  100  Myanmar  soldiers,  from  its  62nd  battalion,
entered the camp, torched about 100 houses and  took  16  (by  some
account  18) hostages. The facts of the incident, while somewhat at
variance, indicate that the burning  of  the  camp  and  hostage  -
takings  were  an  an act of revenge in retribution for the earlier
killing of two Myanmar soldiers by the Mon refugees in reaction  to
a threat against a Mon woman, which of course does not excuse these
actions  by  the  Myanmar soldiers. The burning of the camp appears
likewise to have occurred in the  context  of  the  Myanmar  army's
search for the dead soldiers' missing weapons.

        It  should  be noted that while UNHCR considers the site of
the attack, Bledhun Phait, to be a  part of  Halockhani  Camp,  the
Thai  authorities  have on various occasions taken the view that it
is a Mon village  in  Myanmar.  It  has  thus  proven  difficult  to
persuade  the Thai authorities that the incident was a violation of
the security that the Thais have offered the  Mon  refugees  within
Thailand.

        As  of  3  August  1994 UNHCR had received reports that the
SLORC had released some or all of the  hostages,  although  it  was
reported  that  two  of  them  may  have  died  of  natural causes.
Subsequently received advice is that four of the 16  hostages  have
returned  to  the  camp  but the others, while not yet in camp, are
understood to have been released.

        As a result of the  incident,  and  in  light  of  previous
assurances  given  by  the  Royal  Thai  government  with regard to
providing for the physical  security  of  these  refugees,  UNHCR's
Branch Office Thailand has written to General Charan Kullavanijaya,
Secretary General of the National Security Council, requesting that
the  refugees  be  permitted  to  remain  in  site  further inside
Thailand then Bledhum  Phait/Halockhani  Camp.  while  no  official
reply  has  yet been noted, the Thai Government has publicly stated
that the refugees would be  permitted  to  remain  inside  Thailand
until such time as it is safe for them to return to Halockhani.

        As  you are undoubted aware, the matter of the situation of
the Mon refugees from Halockhani Camp is evolving day  by  day.  We
can say at the present time that the Thai government has so far not
forcibly returned the refugees.

        It  is  clear  that  what happened in Halockhani Camp was a
violation of the physical security of the sort condemned by UNHCR's
Ececutive committee in EXCOM conclusions No. 45 ( XXXVII)  and  No.
48  (XXXVIII)  on  Military and Armed Attacks on Refugees Camps and
Settlements. UNHCR is seeking from all concerned parties  adherence
to  these  basic  principles  and  in  the meantime trusts that the
permission granted by the Thai Government to allow the refugees  to
reside some distance away from the site of the incursion will serve
to  protect  the  refugees.  UNHCR  is  in  close  contact with the
National  Security  Council  and  has  made  absolutely  clear  our
position  that  forcible return to an area that is presently unsafe
should not occur.

        I sincerely wish to thank you for  your  interest  in  this
matter  and  I  have forwarded your correspondence to our Office in
Thailand and Headquarters so that they too might be  aware  of  the
NGOs community's desire for such incidents not to be repeated.

Yours sincerely,
Signed. Pierre-Michel Fontaine
Regional Representative

cc UNHCR Headquarters, Geneva
   UNHCR Branch Office, BAngkok

LETTER TO THE ROYAL THAI EMBASSY FROM TRW
-----------------------------------------

Ambassador Dr Rongpet Sucharitkul
Royal Thai Embassy
111 Empire Circuit
Yarralumla  ACT 2600

Dated 4th August 1994

Your Excellency,

        I am  writing  to  you  to  express  the  concern  of  many
Australians about the situation of refugees from Burma in Thailand.
I ask that you forward our concern and messages of support to Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai.

        As your Government is aware, on  the  21st  and  22nd  July
1994,  Burmese  troops entered the Mon refugee camp of Halockhanee,
near Sanklaburi district, and fighting in that area resulted in the
inhabitants of the camp fleeing to seek protection on Thai soil and
in the camp being burnt down.

        Members of my organization  and  partner  organizations  in
South  East  Asia  have  long  been concerned about the security of
Burmese and Thai people along the border,  where  fighting  in  the
past  has  led  to  the  loss  of  life and property. We are strong
believers in the need for  protection  for  displaced  and  refugee
people  and  appreciate the efforts of the Royal Thai Government to
meet the needs of those communities.

        We seek your assurances that the Royal Thai Government will
undertake to offer protection to the Mon and other  who  have  fled
fighting  and  forced  labour  and who at this time are not able to
live in security in Burma.

        During the time of the ASEAN meetings in Bangkok,  we  also
became  aware  of  the  concerns  of  non-government  and community
organizations in Thailand who wanted to convey  their  messages  to
the  Prime  Minister  in support of human rights and democracy as a
priority in developing international relations. We support the Thai
people in these views and hope that  your  Government  will  pursue
them  in  your  relations  with  ASEAN  members and particularly in
regard to your relations with Burma.

        I would be very appreciative  of  your  forwarding  me  any
information which you can provide relevant to the matters raised in
this letter.

Your sincerely,
Signed. (C. de Mello) Vice-Chairman.

INCORPORATED DOCUMENTS
----------------------
1. REUTER, JULY 23: BURMESE REFUGEES REFUSE TO  RETURN  AFTER  ARMY
   RAID.
2.  AFP,  AUGUST  9:  UNHCR SEEKS HALT TO PLANNED EXPULSION OF MONS
   REFUGEES TO BURMA.
3. REUTER, AUGUST 10: BURMESE REFUGEES DEFY  THAI  DEADLINE  TO  GO
   HOME.
4. AAP, AUGUST 9: AID GROUPS WANT PROTECTION FOR bURMESE REFUGEES.
5.  AUSTRALIA  COUNCIL  FOR  OVERSEAS  AID (ACFOA), AUGUST 9: PRESS
   RELEASE 15/94.
6. DAWN NEWS BULLETIN: ONGOING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.

Part 2 of 2.

/* Endreport */