UNHCR to help voluntary repatriation of Myanmar refugees in Thailand
UNHCR to help voluntary repatriation of Myanmar refugees in Thailand
The New Light of Myanmar, 17 Jul 2014
URL: http://www.myanmar.cm/newspapers/the-new-light-of-myanmar.html
Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Myanmar on Tuesday said the New Light of Myanmar that the UN organization will focus on an eventual voluntary repatriation of Myanmar refugees in Thailand.
Ayaki Ito said in the report that an eventual voluntary return of Myanmar refugees in Thailand can only take place when the refugees themselves decide in an informed and voluntary way to return; in the meantime, UNHCR will continue support the Royal Thai Government in their efforts to protect and assist the refugees from Myanmar, as well as the Myanmar Government and communities in their preparedness for an eventual voluntary repatriation; and both governments have reiterated their commitment to a voluntary return in safety and dignity.
The Bangkok Post of Thailand on Monday reported that the source from the 9th Infantry Division (Surasee) said joint working teams consisting of the military, the Mae Fah Luang Foundation and the office of
UNHCR has been conducting interviews and verifying people’s nationalities in all nine refugee camps nationwide.
Regarding this, UNHCR said that the survey conducted by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage was not designed to verify nationality or to ‘sort’ the refugees based on their intentions as was incorrectly reported in the media; the aim of the survey was to gather socio-demographic and livelihood profiles and to better understand the various vulnerabilities and the concerns of all the participating refugees in the nine camps.
UNHCR also said that the survey included an important question to get a sense of how refugees see their future; the survey was voluntary — people were free to participate or not— and did not lead to any registration; the results are still being consolidated and will be used by agencies to address the concerns and vulnerabilities of the refugee population and to support efforts in vocational skills training and humanitarian assistance activities after life in the camp, whatever and wherever that future life may be; the refugees were informed that the preferences for the future that they provided in the survey are only indicative at this point, and quite naturally may change over time as the overall situation back home is also changing; in short, they are not tied to their stated preferences in the survey.
The Thai newspaper reported, quoting an unnamed source, that the UNHCR has offered to provide land and financial assistance in the first year to refugees who voluntarily return to Myanmar. UNHCR Myanamr also explained that currently UNHCR’s work with the communities, authorities and partners focus on initial preparation for potential return; no concrete discussion or decision has been made regarding assistance and support for returning refugees; UNHCR is not in a position to nor has any authority to provide land in
Myanmar.
Ayaki Ito said in the report that an eventual voluntary return of Myanmar refugees in Thailand can only take place when the refugees themselves decide in an informed and voluntary way to return; in the meantime, UNHCR will continue support the Royal Thai Government in their efforts to protect and assist the refugees from Myanmar, as well as the Myanmar Government and communities in their preparedness for an eventual voluntary repatriation; and both governments have reiterated their commitment to a voluntary return in safety and dignity.
The Bangkok Post of Thailand on Monday reported that the source from the 9th Infantry Division (Surasee) said joint working teams consisting of the military, the Mae Fah Luang Foundation and the office of
UNHCR has been conducting interviews and verifying people’s nationalities in all nine refugee camps nationwide.
Regarding this, UNHCR said that the survey conducted by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage was not designed to verify nationality or to ‘sort’ the refugees based on their intentions as was incorrectly reported in the media; the aim of the survey was to gather socio-demographic and livelihood profiles and to better understand the various vulnerabilities and the concerns of all the participating refugees in the nine camps.
UNHCR also said that the survey included an important question to get a sense of how refugees see their future; the survey was voluntary — people were free to participate or not— and did not lead to any registration; the results are still being consolidated and will be used by agencies to address the concerns and vulnerabilities of the refugee population and to support efforts in vocational skills training and humanitarian assistance activities after life in the camp, whatever and wherever that future life may be; the refugees were informed that the preferences for the future that they provided in the survey are only indicative at this point, and quite naturally may change over time as the overall situation back home is also changing; in short, they are not tied to their stated preferences in the survey.
The Thai newspaper reported, quoting an unnamed source, that the UNHCR has offered to provide land and financial assistance in the first year to refugees who voluntarily return to Myanmar. UNHCR Myanamr also explained that currently UNHCR’s work with the communities, authorities and partners focus on initial preparation for potential return; no concrete discussion or decision has been made regarding assistance and support for returning refugees; UNHCR is not in a position to nor has any authority to provide land in
Myanmar.