STANDING CONFERENCE OF
•Dept
UN
For advice
66/2
draft
BRITISH ORGANISATIONS FOR AID TO REFUGEES reply from
(Registered under the Charities Act, 1960: No. 268485)
*
Mr. Kard
International Development Centre Parnell House 25 Wilton Road London SW1V 1JS
Chairman: H. Leslie Kirkley CBE
Telephone: 01-828 7616
Goromiy
cc. Ps/ Lord
www. Anche
Mow. Folawlay
SEAD M-VD.
Jam Mh. Luard,
Rob-t Secretary:
Secretary: Miss N. Rice-Jones MBE Asst. to Secretary; Mrs. E. S. Dony
BJB
علم
15(un
Copy to Minister.
July 14th 1976
Mr O'Keeffe This in relevant to the Ava
The Asia Committee of the Standing Conference has been considering reports on the present situation in Thailand which, particularly over the last year, has been receiving many thousands of refugees from Indo-China.
Case
and Thailand,
It is estimated that in May 1976 there were over 70,000 refugees in
Thailand, for whom resettlement plans had to be made. Some thousands have since left the country but others are still coming in- also now from Burma. Resettlement opportunities elsewhere are becoming more difficult with a population of 43 million, a high proportion of whom have a very low standard of living, is unable to support large numbers of newcomers and is therefore not willing to allow large-scale permanent resettlement of refugees
in her territory.
15/vii Mid Lytton
Our Committee has been discussing possible ways in which Thailand can be helped with this major humanitarian problem and I have been asked to write to you on behalf of the voluntary agencies concerned list of which I attach.
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In the first place, we should like to express our strong hope that II. M. Government will respond favourably to the appeal for humanitarian assistance for Indo-Chinese refugees made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and reiterated by him to the Foreign Secretary during his visit here
last month.
Per.
We have Commenter mdraft
Ansee
prepared Ah UND
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Some of the voluntary agencies are trying to operate and plan projects in Thailand for the relief of both refugees and the local population, many of whom are in equal need. The possibility of working together on a joint programme is under discussion and, when plans are further advanced, we would welcome an opportunity to discuss these with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Overseas Development with a view to asking for aid towards these
projects.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.