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steadily decreasing levels of third-country resettlement
admissions, has contributed to the buildup of a population of
"long-staying refugees" in countries of first asylum
frustrating situation for the affected "hosts," who have long
stated their opposition to being left with "residual" asylum
seeker populations, with no durable solutions in sight. Last
year, when the overall number of newly arriving boat persons
exceeded that of departures for resettlement for the first time
since 1979, affected countries like Thailand forced the situation
to a head by signalling their intent to enact stricter policies
of their own.
The phenomena of "long-stayers" has become a major issue for
the countries of first asylum in the region. The UNHCR
definition of the term "long-stayer" is a refugee who has resided
in a first asylum camp for three years or more. Some Indochinese,
notably the Laotian Highlanders, have been in camps for as long
as fourteen years. Many persons are ineligible for resettlement
abroad; others do not desire it; a growing number have been
denied admission by all resettlement countries.
Disagreements
KARO GAM
that
remain between the resettlement countries and the countries of
first asylum regarding the future of these individuals
is, whether they are to remain and perhaps be absorbed locally in
the region or be resettled abroad under new cooperative "sharing-
out programs by third countries.
It bears clarifying that the crucial concern for the first
asylum countries remains the growing numbers of "long-staying"
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