CONFIDENTIAL
DSR 11C
and communications, and to begin a genuine re-settlement
programme aimed at giving the refugees a home where they
can take up their normal life of subsistence agriculture.
Such a site hs been found but its development awaits the
result of negotiations between the UNHCR and the
Indonesian authorities.
7.
Assistance provided to date is of the right type as
far as can be ascertained and food and medical supplies
appear to be adequate. But the UNHCR repreentative
recently reported to our High Commission the need for
more assistance to improve living conditions, to prevent
the spread of disease and malnutrition, and to supply
clothing.
8.
Although the UNHCR do all they can to discourage OPM
activity in the camps, both they and the PNG Government
are powerless to halt them and there is no doubt that the
OPM use the camps as rest and recreation centres, and use
the rations provided by UNHCR.
9. The relief work is intended to encourage
self-sufficiency amongst the camps and to discourage
dependency. The refugees are reasonably well housed
having constructed their own shelters or huts. In some
camps they have also been allowed by local kin groups to
plant and maintain gardens but this has led to tensions
when traditional land rights are over-stepped, as this
reduces the land available to local residents.
10. The host government are doing their "best" but seem
happy to leave the bulk of work to the UNHCR.
cr2ajk
CONFIDENTIAL
/11.
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