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3.
Business Arising
Minute 3
S
Tibetans suffering from Tuberculosis
4.
Some of the member-organisations had been trying to raise money for tals
scheme:
British Red Cross Society would give £1,000 without any conditions This would be sent at once to the Central Relief Committee (copy to UNHCR)
Christian Aid hoped to give a smallṛgrant - up to £500.
Tibet Society was sending out an appeal to all members. would follow this up.
The Secretary
Some other organisations still had to put this project to their Committees.
THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM AND LAOS
a) UNHCR Appeal for Displaced Persons in Vietnam and Laos
Copies of the appeal letter to Governments had been circulated; and detailed reports on projects were tabled.
There had been two programmes one in 1975/76 and one to be implemented in 1977. This had not been fully financed as a result of the appeal to Governments. The voluntary organisations were. therefore now being approached.
The UK Government was still considering this.
Reports were given on aid by the agencies:-
a) Save the Children Fund was working in Laos feeding children on the Plaine des Jarres, with the agreement of the Laotian Government and cooperation with UNHCR and
other international organisations.
It was hoped that extra money would be coming from SCF (British Colombia) to supplement this programme in Laos and also to extend the work in the camps in Thailand.
•
b) Christian Aid had contributed to the 1975/76 UNHCR appeal by providing agricultural kits for the displaced persons in Laos.
c) Oxfam had already made a large contribution to Laos, Vietnam and Thailand directly and had had discussions with Mr. Woodward, UNHCR, Geneva, when he was here in January about the latest appeal.
In answer to a question from Miss Joyce Pearce, Mr. Heidler explained that, wherever possible members of the UNHCR staff visited areas where projects were It was to be started up and did not just rely on reports from outside sources. still difficult to visit some areas both in Vietnam and Laos.
The general development programmes of the Governments appeared to be planned centrally which meant that those being directed to the new settlement areas could only have a limited choice of place which they might prefer - perhaps because of previous connections with an area.
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