The Nation -Pressure increases on B

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The Nation - Oct 22, 1999.
Headlines
Pressure increases on Burmese refugee students

THE Thai government yesterday stepped up pressure on exiled Burmese
students, giving them until next month to register their names with the
United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) or face charges of
illegal entry.

The secretary-general of the National Security Council Khachadpai
Burusapatana said every Burmese student residing in Bangkok and has
registered with the UNHCR but subsequently lost contact, must report to
authorities at the Maneeloy holding centre in Ratchaburi province no later
than Nov 21.

Only those registered with the UNHCR will be eligible for resettlement.

He was speaking at a press conference after a meeting with relevant
agencies, including the security council, Interior Ministry and Foreign
Ministry.

Khachadpai said the council will coordinate with Immigration Police to seek
out obstinate students who still had not turned up after the deadline.

''If found, they will be arrested and charged with illegal entry,'' he said.

About 3,000 exiled Burmese students live in Thailand. By official count,
some 2,700 have registered with the UNHCR, but most do not live in the
designated site, Maneeloy holding centre.

Until now, the United States, Canada, Australia and the European Union have
expressed willingness to resettle these students.

Khachadpai said the decision to have students register with the UNHCR will
certainly be welcomed by Burmese who want to get on with their lives, though
it could prove a blow to others struggling to keep up the fight against the
military regime in their homeland.

''I believe most of the Burmese students want to be resettled,'' Khachadpai
said.

''I just don't understand why Thailand must be the only place for them. In
fact, they could continue their struggle in other countries, too. We really
want them to have a better life,'' he said in response to concern that
students would not be able to stage any more political campaigns if they
were resettled. Normally, the resettlement process is carried out on a
voluntary basis, as the case of Indochinese displaced persons. However, the
security council chief explained that resettlement of Burmese dissident
students will be an exception.

Naing Aung, chairman of the All Burma Students Democratic Front, the chief
student activist group, acknowledged that many students would like to go to
elsewhere to continue their studies.

But he appealed to Thai authorities to let those who wish to stay in
Thailand to do so. The ABSDF has not been implicated in the hostage-taking
at the Burmese Embassy on Oct 1.

''We want to continue our struggle,'' Naing Aung said. ''The ABSDF doesn't
want to go to a third country. We would like to request more cooperation
from the Thai government on security problems,'' he said.

Most of the students fled to Thailand in 1988, after nationwide protests
against military rule were crushed in bloodshed.

''These measures are aimed at maintaining security in our country. Burmese
students have violated Thai law several times,'' Khachadpai said.

''We are generous, but after the increasing violence from those students,
especially taking hostages at the Burmese embassy two weeks ago, we have to
make a move,'' Khachadpai said. ''We hope to send all of them to another
country as soon as possible.''

Moreover, the security council will closely examine assistance to Burmese
students provided by non-governmental organisations.

Authorities are worried that monetary and other assistance that some
non-governmental groups give students is complicating the already-strained
bilateral ties between Bangkok and Rangoon.

Many activist students who regularly stage protests in Bangkok against the
Burmese junta are encouraged to remain in Thailand and not seek a third
country of asylum because of regular financial support they receive from
non-governmental organisations.

Meanwhile, the chief of Maneeloy holding centre Chaithawat Niamsiri lodged a
complaint with Pak Thor Police Station over the disturbance in the camp on
Monday when several dozen camp students locked UNHCR officials in a room to
protest the officials' refusal to pay stipends to some students.

Following the hostage crisis, the UNHCR has applied more stringent measures
on students, including refusing to pay monthly stipends unless they are on
time to collect it at the Maneeloy centre. The aim is to discourage them
from going out and creating disturbances.

Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said his ministry's negotiation with third
countries has been progressing moderately.

Surin, who leaves for Geneva on Oct 26, will urge the UNHCR and nations
ready to accept Burmese students for a time-frame on resettling refugees.

Surin yesterday urged the Thai fishing industry not to take matters into
their hands, saying the authorities are trying to resolve the Burmese issue
and deal with the five gunmen who took hostages in the embassy.

Pointing out that arrest warrants have been issued against the five Burmese,
Surin wanted legal procedures to be adhered to.

''I think the best way is to follow judicial procedures, because if there
are other attempts apart from legal actions, they would create confusion and
lead to future problems,'' he stated.

He said that though solving the Burmese problem through diplomatic channels
by the Foreign Ministry may be slow, it would nevertheless be best for
long-term interests.

The Nation, Associated Press