The Nation - Burmese students plead

[tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: The Nation - Burmese students plead for calm at Maneeloy

The Nation Oct 25, 1999.
Local & Politics
Burmese students plead for calm at Maneeloy

A LEADING Burmese dissident group yesterday appealed to all sides, asking
them to keep their calm amid growing tension between the UN refugee agency
and a number of Burmese students who were angered after having been denied
their monthly stipends.

The All Burmese Students Democratic Front yesterday urged the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to clarify the misunderstanding over an
incident at the Maneeloy holding centre on Oct 18 when a group of Burmese
students allegedly prevented five UN officials from leaving the meeting room
until they explained why some of the refugees had not been given their
monthly stipends.

Soe Aung, ABSDF's foreign affairs director, said, based on the federation's
initial findings, that it appeared there have been some inconsistencies over
how the UNHCR officials handled their operation at the Maneeloy centre. For
one thing, said Soe Aung, the UN agency had yet to explain why some of the
students had been paid, while others had been denied their monthly stipends.

Moreover, Soe Sang said the UNHCR has begun to demand that the students in
the camp end their political activities, suggesting that their monthly
allowance could be taken away if they refused. The federation believes this
is against the spirit of the UN and the humanitarian principles that the
world body preaches, Soe Aung said.

Such a move would prevent them from informing the world about the atrocities
committed in their homeland, he said.

The initial reason for not paying the 42 students at Maneeloy their monthly
Bt800 was because they were absent on the Sept 10 pay day. Many had been in
front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok the day before, protesting on the
significant ''9-9-99'' day of action, while others were not present during
the roll call for pay, Soe Aung said.

Out of 42 people who had submitted a formal protest, only 28 were paid. No
reasons were given to the other 14 as to why they were denied payment, Soe
Aung said. The 42 people were in the same situation and therefore the
justification employed by the authorities should apply to all 42, he added.

During the argument in a meeting room at Maneeloy with the UNHCR officials
over the decision, one of the students locked the door, preventing the five
officials from leaving the room. Camp officials, who were called in to help,
settled the matter and Ratchaburi governor Komet Daengthongdee stepped in
and ended the dispute by paying out of his own pocket.

The students stated they would like to return the money to the governor
because it was the responsibility of the UNHCR to come up with the money,
Aung Soe said.

Many in the camp are afraid that the dispute could result in a anti-Burmese
dissident sentiment.

Aung Soe said the UNHCR needed to come up with their version of the story
over the Oct 18 incident quickly, as this would help clear the air.

There has been a growing tension between the UNHCR and the refugees at the
Maneeloy centre over the past year, he said. Communications between UN
officials and the refugees at the centre have been troubled. The recent
incident was fuelled by the growing mistrust, coupled with the negative
views each side has towards the other, Aung Soe said.

The federation would like to see both the students at the centre and the UN
officials find ways to improve the atmosphere and create an environment that
would facilitate the authorities' work, he added.

Maneeloy is home to about 1,000 Burmese students who have been granted
refugee status and are waiting to be moved to a third country.

The Nation