As there were only three weeks before the Government's response, and as it was believed the best way of solving problems in the camps in Hong Kong was to empty them, it was agreed that the Chairman would write to David Waddington to tha him for their meeting and to inform him that the Asia Committee had been reflecting on this issue, and were now exploring the numbers of Vietnamese refugees agencies could take and the cost involved. The letter would also inform the Minister that they understood the UNHCR had placed emphasis on recommendation Part 1, 5 (iii), and agencies were looking into arrangements that would be necessary to implement this recommendation.
5.
IRANIAN REFUGEES IN PAKISTAN
A note on this subject by UNHCR had been circulated.
The Chairman said that he had received a deputation of Iranian refugees when he had been in Pakistan. They had felt they were not getting as much protection or assistance from UNHCR as they ought.
Simin Azimi (BRC) gave a report on the situation of Iranian refugees in Pakistan as reported to her by Iranian refugees who had arrived in this country.
took two weeks for an Iranian in Pakistan to see UNHCR to arrange an interview which would then be a further two weeks. More than 50% of those interviewed were not granted refugee certificates, reasons given being that they were draft-dodgers or "economic" refugees. With no official status, those refused could not legally leave the country. Those granted refugee certificates still had problems, namely: lack of employment; poor health, particularly skin disease carried through polluted water; lack of security, as it was believed the Government of Pakistan allowed Iranian revolutionary guards to arrest Iranians in Pakistan. Simin Azimi requested the Committee urge UNHCR to improve their eligibility criteria, and for the British Government to start a project for the settlement of Iranian refugees from Pakistan in the UK.
Irene Khan (UNHCR) said there were no known cases of Pakistan having refouled any refugees. UNHCR already applied its mandate liberally. The fact that roughly half the applications were rejected were due to specific local problems. Many of those rejected were of Baluchi tribal origin. There was a problem as UNHCR gave cash handouts to Iranian refugees which led to the occurrence of double registering and registering by Afghanistanis. The Pakistani Government was concerned at the level of national assistance provided to Iranian refugees by UNHCR, and that in some respects the refugees were better provided for than local people. This problem was related to the fact that the standard of living was much higher in Iran than Pakistan.
UNHCR was nowconcentrating on self-help programmes and vocational training projects. The Pakistani Government allowed refugees to be employed in areas where they were not taking local jobs. The rate of arrivals for refugees remained steady, but as the number of departures decreased, the number of refugees Pakistan played host to slowly increased.
Sheena Grosset (Oxfam) said she would ask Oxfam representatives in Pakistan for their response to the situation.
It was noted that international representations to the Pakistani Government .could have a negative effect on the situation of the refugees.
Martin Barber (BRC) said there would be a reluctance on the part of the British Government to accept Iranians from Pakistan other than close family reunions.
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