Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Thai Policy toward Burmese Refugees and Migrants

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Synopsis
The policy of the Royal Thai Government towards Burmese refugees and migrants is in a state of flux. On the one hand, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's forging of closer economic and political ties with the Burmese government has resulted in an increasingly hardline stance by Thailand towards Burmese exiles, refugees, and migrants-especially those who are visibly and vocally opposed to the military government in Rangoon. This has included the arrests and intimidation of Burmese political activists living in Bangkok or along the border, harassment of Burmese human rights and humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), deportations of Burmese asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees to Burma, and the government's suspension of screening of new applicants for asylum from Burma by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).At the same time, Thailand has signaled a new receptivity to pressure by the United States and the United Nations to broaden resettlement opportunities for Burmese refugees now living in Bangkok and other urban centers in Thailand. While this should help to improve the situation, Human Rights Watch is concerned that Thailand may offset its agreement to resettle urban refugees by intensifying its crackdown on undocumented Burmese migrants and sealing the border to new asylum seekers from Burma. In addition, with the January 2004 ceasefire agreement between Rangoon and one of the main rebel factions, the Karen National Union (KNU), Thai authorities may begin to pressure increasing numbers of the 142,000 Burmese living in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border to "voluntarily" repatriate to Burma.
Copyright:
2004

Book Details

Book Quality:
Excellent
Book Size:
17 Pages
Publisher:
N/A
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
Nonfiction
Submitted By:
hrw_volunteers hrw_volunteers
Proofread By:
Jim Baugh
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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