The question needs to be examined as to what national
interest and/or humanitarian obligation Thailand has to afford
safe havens for refugees and others from Indochina. The present
situation along the Thai-Kampuchea border illustrates how complex
the answer is likely to be. The policy of Thailand has been to
seal off the border to movement from inside Kampuchea.
evacuations into Thailand of Khmer driven from their base camps
during the annual dry season offensives of the Vietnamese have
been permitted. In general, it is fair to say that recent move-
ments of groups of Khmer back to their camps inside Kampuchea
from the evacuation sites have occurred voluntarily.
Temporary
It is also
necessary to say that individuals really have had no choice as to
whether or not they will stay in Thailand or return to Kampuchea.
It will take time to come to terms with the effects of this
latest large-scale movement of people into Thailand.
For now,
thousands of Khmer are bottled up in evacuation sites just inside
Thailand many of whom are exposed to the reality or the danger of
bombardment by the Vietnamese. If and when they will be able to
return to Kampuchea--with even the tenuous security they
previously had--is unknown.
While the Government of Thailand does not want the Khmer
resistance to be crippled, it also must be concerned that
providing the resistance with a base of operations on Thai
territory could invite attack by the Vietnamese.
Nevertheless,
it is possible--perhaps likely--that the Khmer resistance govern-
ments will not be able to reestablish an effective presence in
Kampuchea at the border.
If this is the case, the position can
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