1
لها
3
12. All steps need to be taken to encourage in the strongest possible terms voluntary repatriation by establishing an atmosphere in camps more conducive to this option. Those groups wishing to repatriate should be separated and armed activities and intimidation of potential repatriants would need to cease. The negative influence of some of the agencies involved in assistance in the camps which discourage voluntary repatriation and encourage unrealistic expectations for resettlement among the refugees should be discouraged.
13. In order not to create unnecessary obstacles to voluntary repatriation, and in accordance with traditional UNHCR policy, it must be mutually accepted that assistance levels in camps should not be seen to be of a level substantially above that of the local population.
14. Finally, all governments concerned would need to strengthen or actively support mechanisms which would permit a larger and more regular flow of Laotians to their country of origin, including the provision of assistance in returnees' villages of origin.
15. In the case of Lao Hilltribes, for whom voluntary repatriation may not in all cases be a realistic-option and in the absence of any other apparent solution, the possibility of resettlement in third countries in the region supported by the international community in order to achieve self-sufficiency needs to be investigated, realising that the country of first asylum must not alone bear the brunt of the situation.
Kampuchean
There
16. At the present time, there are approximately 72,000 Kampuchean refugees in UNHCR camps in Thailand and some 28,000 Sino-Khmer refugees in Vietnam. have been no official reports of significant arrivals of Kampucheans in Thailand.
17. Resettlement departures of Kampucheans from Thailand amounted to 20,411 in the course of 1982, 10,183 of whom departed in the first six months of the year. In 1983, 13,427 Kampucheans have been resettled from Thailand up to 30 June. From Vietnam, 1,090 Kampuchean refugees were resettled in 1982, of whom 578 departed in the first six months of the year. In 1983, a total of 313 have departed on resettlement up to 30 June, a decrease of 45.8% from the corresponding period in 1982.
18. As resettlement is becoming increasingly difficult for a large number of Kampuchean refugees, and since the problem can easily be compounded by inaccurate impressions among this refugee population, care must be taken to refrain from any action which may create unrealistic expectations for resettlement.
19. With regard to the possible voluntary repatriation of Kampucheans to their homes, two avenues need to be pursued. First, orderly voluntary return by UNHCR of special humanitarian cases on an ad hoc basis should be approved by the relevant authorities as quickly as possible, if necessary without formal procedures being established.