TNAG-1427-FCO40-1910-Vietnamese-refugees-in-Hong-Kong-general-1986 — Page 196

seekers have not been established.

Apparently, discussions are

now taking place between the Government of Thailand and the UNHCR

that could lead to agreement whereby Thai officials would screen

new arrivals from Laos with UNHCR officials as observers. This

would represent a substantial change in both Thai and UNHCR

policies.

All parties, however, must be prepared to live with the

consequences of screening for refugee status. This has not been

the case in the past. Thailand would have to face up to the fact

that those who passed the screening are refugees and should be

treated as such. The UNHCR would have to accept that some of the

Laotians attempting to enter Thailand will be determined not to

be refugees. The U.S. and other countries would have to accept

that Thailand and UNHCR would be involved in determining the pool

of people who are potentially eligible for third country reset-

Some Laotians, in whom the countries of resettlement

may have a humanitarian interest, may not be allowed to enter

Thailand, thus increasing the pressure and need for an Immigra-

tion or Orderly Departure Program from Laos.

tlement.

Assuming the screening is conducted in

accordance with

accepted principles of non-refoulement--that is, that people

demonstrating a well-founded fear of persecution will not be

returned to the source of that persecution--actions of the Thai

government to exclude, deport and/or detain those Laotians who

fail to meet this refugee test need to be recognized as legiti-

mate actions of a sovereign state to defend its border against

illegal entrance.

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