Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

Search

 

Cablegate: Unhcr Regional Resettlement Strategic Planning

VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBK #7429 3490352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150352Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3457
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1751

UNCLAS BANGKOK 007429

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF
SUBJECT: UNHCR REGIONAL RESETTLEMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING
MEETING


1. Terry Rusch, PRM Refugee Admissions Director, Mike
Honnold, Bangkok Regional Refugee Coordinator and Jessica
Adler, Deputy Regional Refugee Coordinator participated in
the December 7 - 8 Regional Resettlement Strategic Planning
Meeting organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangkok. Staff of eleven East and South
Asian UNHCR offices attended as did government
representatives from eight resettlement countries and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM).

2. This was the fourth in a series of regional strategic
planning meetings and was chaired by UNHCR,s Resettlement
Service Director of the Division of International Protection
in Geneva, Vincent Cochetel. (Previous meetings were held in
Accra, Nairobi, and Beirut.) The purpose of these sessions is
to review the current resettlement need from the region,
identify challenges to meeting the need and share best
practices.

3.The situation of the sizeable Burmese refugee population in
Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh dominated the discussion.
While the Royal Thai Government has recently agreed to allow
third country resettlement processing of the 140,000 Burmese
in camps along its border with Burma, significant staffing
and logistical challenges persist. The remote location of
some of these camps complicates selection missions for
smaller resettlement countries who do not maintain a
permanent field processing infrastructure and are dependent
on UNHCR for support. The sizeable number of children
residing in the camps while their natural parents are either
still in Burma or are working elsewhere in Thailand presents
special considerations when their relatives or other
custodial adults are under consideration for resettlement.
The need for trained child welfare staff to conduct "Best
Interests of the Child Determinations" is acute. The lack of
common family names and knowledge of birthdates among the
refugee population presents unique challenges to
documentation and raises potential fraud concerns.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

4. The recent availability of "waivers" for the material
support for terrorism provision in U.S. immigration law for
the Karen and Chin was hailed as a most welcome development
as considerable anxiety had developed in the camps as to what
this ineligibility meant. The dire living conditions of the
urban Chin refugees in Malaysia and the Rohingyas in
Bangladesh argue for durable solutions to be found for these
groups as well. Participants were also updated on the current
political situation within and prospects for repatriation to
Burma.

5. The group also benefited from brief presentations on the
refugee situation in other countries (Nepal, India, Sri
Lanka, Hong Kong and Indonesia) in the region.

6. Comment: In recent years and at the urging of
resettlement countries, the profile of third country
resettlement has been raised considerably within UNHCR. The
organization has made significant progress in training
protection and other staff to both recognize the need for and
follow through on the use of resettlement as a viable
protection tool and durable solution. The U.S. has
contributed considerable financial and moral support to this
effort and USG participants in the Bangkok meeting were
pleased to see the positive and tangible results.
ARVIZU

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
UN News: Aid Access Is Key Priority

Among the key issues facing diplomats is securing the release of a reported 199 Israeli hostages, seized during the Hamas raid. “History is watching,” says Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. “This war was started by taking those hostages. Of course, there's a history between Palestinian people and the Israeli people, and I'm not denying any of that. But that act alone lit a fire, which can only be put out with the release of those hostages.” More


Save The Children: Four Earthquakes In a Week Leave Thousands Homeless

Families in western Afghanistan are reeling after a fourth earthquake hit Herat Province, crumbling buildings and forcing people to flee once again, with thousands now living in tents exposed to fierce winds and dust storms. The latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 km outside of Herat on Sunday, shattering communities still reeling from strong and shallow aftershocks. More

UN News: Nowhere To Go In Gaza

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said some 1.1M people would be expected to leave northern Gaza and that such a movement would be “impossible” without devastating humanitarian consequences and appeals for the order to be rescinded. The WHO joined the call for Israel to rescind the relocation order, which amounted to a “death sentence” for many. More


Access Now: Telecom Blackout In Gaza An Attack On Human Rights

By October 10, reports indicated that fixed-line internet, mobile data, SMS, telephone, and TV networks are all seriously compromised. With significant and increasing damage to the electrical grid, orders by the Israeli Ministry of Energy to stop supplying electricity and the last remaining power station now out of fuel, many are no longer able to charge devices that are essential to communicate and access information. More

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.