No Easy Solution for Refugee Problem in Thailand

A forum was held on that day in the Thai capital with the discussion topic "Looking at the future of refugees in Thailand where they call it home".

The country's recent several rounds of repatriation of refugees was discussed at the forum, where the repatriation was seen as a government mistake which has raised questions among the international community. Some believed that the deportation by Thailand was partly to blame for the country being put on the US State Department's human trafficking watch list.

The State Department said that Thailand was a source, destination and transit point for trafficking, with ethnic minorities and citizens of neighbouring countries at particular risk of sexual abuse or forced labour.

Statistics by the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) stated in April that 139,239 registered and unregistered refugees from Myanmar, mostly ethnic minorities, are now housed in Thailand's border camps, while the rest are scattered in border villages or mixed with migrant workers in towns across the country.

During the past few years, deportations included that of the ethnic Muslim Rohingyas to Myanmar. Since last year, over 4,000 Hmong in the northern province of Phetchabun have been sent back to Laos, followed by a deportation to Myanmar of Karenni sheltering in the country, a repatriation which Thai officials claimed was voluntary and which finally led to the closing down of both their settlements in the northern province of Tak's Tha Song Yang district.

Acting Chairman Surapong Kongchantuk of the Lawyers' Council of Thailand's Human Rights Sub-Committee on Ethnic Minorities, Stateless, Migrant Workers and Displaced Persons said that according to a survey at the site, Karenni at the two camps in Tha Song Yang district were forcibly returned to Myanmar, where their lives are in danger and they live in fear.

"If Thailand doesn't change its strategy to tackle the repatriation issue, the United States may cut its financial assistance to us, while those sent back to their homelands may return to our country again becoming non-refugees or victims of human trafficking or illegal migrants and transnational workers because they don't have other better choices," said Surapong.

Asylum Access - Thailand's acting director on policy, Promluck Sakpichaimongkol, supported his comment. She said refugees in the country do not receive any privileges from the public sector, no matter whether they came to Thailand legally or illegally from countries such as, Iraq, Pakistan, Cambodia, Laos, China and Vietnam. Some 100,000 ethnic refugees of about 20 countries fled their homes to seek asylum in Thailand, she said. They entered the country with tourist visas and have continued to live here invisibly in groups with their expired documents and without the legal right to make their living.

However, progress was made when, according to Pim Koetsawang from Friends Without Borders Foundation, birth and death registrations for refugee children in camps were introduced in late 2009 so that childrens' personal status and identities were recognised in Thailand. Although she said the authorities have not proceeded with such a case in practice, Pim believed it was already a very important step.

Promluck also said in this regard a birth registration will offer children born to refugee parents at least basic human rights.

Pim said that up until now, Thailand theoretically does not accept it has refugees on its territory. Thus, asylum seekers are not allowed to work outside their 'temporary' camps, while requisites are provided in their settlements by international humanitarian organisations.

Their status is only that of illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, and once walking outside their camps, they can be arrested immediately and deported. In addition, many refugees are unable to register and that deprives them of basic rights. If a problem occurs outside their settlements, any legal defense is not possible for these displaced persons as their status is not certified.

Pim added that due to having no certified status, refugees cannot earn a living outside their camps, which prevents them from sending their kids to school for basic education. Although related public and private agencies are trying to help cushion the expenses, it is not enough for them to buy school uniforms, and other related-schooling items.

Adisorn Kerdmongkon, manager on the project on developing the quality of life of transnational workers and those with personal status problems under ThaiHealth, said some refugees have been living in Thailand for as long as 10 to 20 years, and others were born here.

Being aware that Thailand is not their motherland, asylum seekers, Adisorn said, seek only a space or a place that they can feel at 'home', for they want to be able to have hope and to expect to have a future like everybody else.

Adisorn added that they said although their real homes [in Myanmar] were taken, no one could take away their hopes, and they dreamed to settle down in a place, to be considered as their safe place, so their future could become real.

"Actually, we should be open-minded about refugees. The most important thing is the Thai government should look at and understand them better in other dimensions. It should also have a clear policy on the issue so that displaced persons can have a 'home' and a future, for they also are human beings," said Adisorn.

As the forum concluded, participants urged the Thai government not to repatriate refugees having fled their own country with fear of persecution, violence and human rights violations until evidence has been given and accepted by all parties that peace has returned and human rights are respected in Myanmar.

The forum also recommended that the government seek international cooperation on restoring peace and political stability in Myanmar in order to tackle the root of the problem of the refugee influx to Thailand

Children born to refugees in Thailand now can receive birth certificates from the Thai Government.