seekers have not been established.
Apparently, discussions are
now taking place between the Government of Thailand and the UNHCR
that could lead to agreement whereby Thai officials would screen
new arrivals from Laos with UNHCR officials as observers. This
would represent a substantial change in both Thai and UNHCR
policies.
All parties, however, must be prepared to live with the
consequences of screening for refugee status. This has not been
the case in the past. Thailand would have to face up to the fact
that those who passed the screening are refugees and should be
treated as such. The UNHCR would have to accept that some of the
Laotians attempting to enter Thailand will be determined not to
be refugees. The U.S. and other countries would have to accept
that Thailand and UNHCR would be involved in determining the pool
of people who are potentially eligible for third country reset-
Some Laotians, in whom the countries of resettlement
may have a humanitarian interest, may not be allowed to enter
Thailand, thus increasing the pressure and need for an Immigra-
tion or Orderly Departure Program from Laos.
tlement.
Assuming the screening is conducted in
accordance with
accepted principles of non-refoulement--that is, that people
demonstrating a well-founded fear of persecution will not be
returned to the source of that persecution--actions of the Thai
government to exclude, deport and/or detain those Laotians who
fail to meet this refugee test need to be recognized as legiti-
mate actions of a sovereign state to defend its border against
illegal entrance.
3