SEMINAR
ON
FIRST ASYLUM FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE
SPONSORED BY THE FORD FOUNDATION
SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS
A seminar bringing together representatives in their individual capacities from the countries of first refuge in the region organized by the International Studies Centre was held in Cha-Am, Thailand on 25 - 28 May 1988. The seminar was sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Informal and wide ranging discussions were held on the multiple aspects of the Vietnamese boat people problem.
1.
The seminar took note of the critical situation caused by the increasing exodus of boat people from Vietnan. If this exodus continues unabated, it will create unacceptable political, security, economic and social problems for the countries of first refuge. Immediate action is required by the international community to respond with a greater sense of urgency to what amounts to the gravest Indochinese refugee crisis since 1979.
2.
Greater emphasis should be placed on the role of Vietnam as the root cause of the problem and on how to solve it at its source. Vietnam has an obligation both to its own people and to the international community to resolve the problem.
3.
In order to resolve the Vietnamese boat people problem satisfactorily, there is a need for greater efforts and closer cooperative endeavours among all concerned: the country of origin, the countries of first refuge, the resettlement countries, the major donor countries, the international organizations and the non-governmental organizations concerned with the problem.
4.
Discouraging future outflows of non-refugees is of fundamental importance. Pressure aust be exerted by all concerned on Vietnam to recognise the humanitarian consequences of the outflow, the negative image created for Vietnam, and the adverse impact on relations with other countries in the region.
5.
There has been a shift in the motivations of persons who are now leaving Vietnam. Although some still flee for . political reasons, economic motives are playing an increasingly larger role. Family reunification is also a factor. The dramatic increase in the number of arrivals has created critical conditions in a number of regional countries.