STANDING CONFERENCE OF
UN Dept
で
For advice &
draft
BRITISH ORGANISATIONS FOR AID TO REFUGEES repay from
(Registered under the Charities Act, 1960: No. 268485)
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Mhard be.
International Development Centre · Parnell House · 25 Wilton Road · London SW1V 1JS
Chairman:
H. Leslie Kirkley CBE
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Telephone: 01-828 7616
J. PS Lord Goronny
Jean M. Guard
Mr. Miche
Mr. Handlay
SEAD
M-V.
Rub Secretary: Miss N. Rice-Jones MBE
Asst. to Secretary: Mrs. E. S. Dony
Jopy
July 14th 1976
INS
BJ Bron
to Minister
REGISTRY
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243/549
The Asia Committee of the Standing Conference has been considering reports on the present situation in Thailand which, particularly over the last year, has been receiving many thousands of refugees from Indo-China.
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It is estimated that in May 1976 there were over 70,000 refugees in Thailand, for whom resettlement plans had to be made. Some thousands have
since left the country but others are still coming in also now from Burma..
Resettlement opportunities elsewhere are becoming more difficult and Thailan1, with a population of 43 million, a high proportion of whom have a very low
standard of living, is unable to support large numbers of newcomers and is therefore not willing to allow large-scale permanent resettlement of refugees in her territory.
Our Committee has been discussing possible ways in which Thailand cau be helped with this major humanitarian problem and I have been asked to write
to you on behalf of the voluntary agencies concerned a list of which I attach.
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In the first place, we should like to express our strong hope that
II. M. Government will respond favourably to the appeal for humanitarian assistance
for Indo-Chinese refugees made by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees and reiterated by him to the Foreign Secretary during his visit here
last month,
Some of the voluntary agencies are trying to operate and plan projecto in Thailand for the relief of both refugees and the local population, many of whom are in equal need. The possibility of working together on a joint programme is under discussion and, when plans are further advancod, we would welcome an
opportunity to discuss these with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Overseas Development with a view to asking for aid towards these
projects.
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