6.
Refugees from Indo-China
a)
In Thailand
b)
i)' Siting of Camps
Rev. Patrick Ashe (PVO) referred to raids by the Khmer Rouge on the border areas. The uncertainty made the Thai Government and the voluntary organisations hesitate to invest money in the camps if there were danger of having to move them.
PVO had been asked by UNHCR to start milk distribution, self-help schemes, etc. in Surin camp.
There was discussion on the siting of camps and whether the Thai Government should be urged to move the camp before raids became more serious.
It was agreed that the Coordinating Committee of the Voluntary Organisations in Bangkok should be asked to make an approach on these lines. It might be possible for voluntary organisations to help in the removal.
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The Committee recognised the difficult position of the Thai Government fear of infiltration and the awareness that, as the attacks were on the refugee camps, this might be some protection to the local Thai population.
The Thai Prime Minister had announced recently that, if there were sufficient support from overseas, it might be possible to accept some for permanent settle- ment in Thailand.
The United States had already pledged $2 million. HMG, through ODM, was considering helping the British voluntary agencies working in the camps.
Mr. McGee explained that there had been some delay in making allocations. Further information had to be obtained from the Embassy in Bangkok and supple- mentary estimates had to be approved. Decisions were expected within the next month.
Meanwhile. HMG had made a grant of £1 million for displaced persons within Indo-China.
ii) The Boat People
Reports had been received that boats were still not able to land the groups of refugees which they had picked up; some had tried as many as five ports.
The British Government had offered to resettle all those picked up by boats registered at British ports and the British Shipping Federation had been asked to issue instructions to this effect.
In the UK
The first quota of 151 had been filled. Originally these were to have come from Hong Kong but only 35 arrived in the first batch. Later the 116 remaining places were allocated to the "boat people".
Ockenden was looking after 83 of the 151 - 58 in Birmingham on behalf of BCAR and the remainder directly at an Ockenden house in Barmouth where extra flats were also being bought. Most of the men were working or being trained and the children were at school.
Some 13 more expected from Hong Kong would go to BCAR in Worthing and then to Ockenden.
Miss Browne (UNHCR) reported on the appeal for $500,000 by UNHCR for emergency relief for refugees from Cambodia in Vietnam. Plans had been drawn up for long-term
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