Written by U Ne Oo on 1997-11-14
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Adelaide
November 14, 1997.
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai
Office of the Prime Minister
Governe Minister
Government HOuse
Nakhorn Pathom Road
Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Dear Prime Minister Chuan:
re: United Nations Protection for Burma's Refugees
I firstly should like to congratulate Prime Minister Chuan
for your new appointment and to the new Royal Thai Government. As
a Burmese national in Australia, I am hoping that Prime Minister
Chuan and the Royal Thai Government will be able to continue
supporting our Burma's democratic movement in Thailand.
With this letter, I call your attentio your attention to the siutation of refugees and displaced people from Burma in Thailand. In this connection, I enclosed my appeal letter to you on 6-April-1994 and also an appeal to former Prime Minister General Chavalit on 3-November-1997. In spite of recent changes in the Royal Thai Government, our concerns about safety of Burma's refugees in Thailand and also the request for protection of these refugees still stand. I therefore call upon Prime Minister Chuan to give a priority attention to enact a legislation to protect Burma's rurma's refugees and, especially, urge the Royal Thai Government to raise the issue of Burma's refugees at this 52nd Session of United Nations General Assembly.
In closing, I thank the Prime Minister Chuan and the Royal Thai Government for your kind attention to this matter.
Your respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo
1. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500, CH-1211 Geneve 2 Depot, Switzerland.
A Letter to Prime Minister Chuan in 1994
Dr U Ne Oo
Dr U Ne Oo
Australia.
April 6, 1994.
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai
Government House
No. 1 Phitsanuloke road, Dusit
Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Dear Prime Minister,
RE: Comprehansive Plan of Action for Burmese Refugees in Thailand
I am a burmese national presently residing in Australia. I wish
to draw your kindful attention to the plight of displaced
Burmese people in thailand. The total number of displaced
Burmese in Thailand is now close to 450,000. Apart from 2500
students who2500
students who came from Rangoon, most of the displaced people are
farmers who fled to Thailand after their livelihood were
seriously disrupted by the Myanmar Government's counter
insurgency campaign. Since displaced Burmese people were
considered as illegal immigrants to Thailand, the well-beings and
personal integrity of these people are at stake. I therefore
appeal to you and the Royal Thai Government to make initiatives
to protect those displaced Burmese.
I am aware that the Royal Thai Government have been actively encouragingncouraging the ethnic rebel groups to make ceasefire agreement with Myanmar Government in order to improve the conditions within Burma and also to reduce displaced population flow. I morally support the Royal Thai Government try to solve Burma's internal conflict and helping to improve the situation in Burma. However, the internal conflicts in Burma as well as the problems of displaced Burmese are far too complex and too large for the Royal Thai Government to solve alone. I therefore urge you and the Royal Thai Government to solve Burmese refugee problem in co-operation with United Nations and international community.I appeal the royal Thai Government to enact a legislation similar to the 'Comprehensive Plan of Action' for Burmese refugees and resolve this crisis with the help of UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
In the light of recent success of UNHCR in reaching agreement with the Government of Myanmar for the repatriation of Muslim refugees in Bangladesh and the possible dialogue between Myanmar Government and Opposition Leader, it is plausible that displaced Burmese problem could be resolved in a relatively short period of time. therefore, a legislation that provides enough time for UNHCR to organize repatriation will be appropriate.
Finally, I wish to express my sincere thanks to you for hosting the Nobel Peace Laureates' visit to Thailand last year. This event has helped to raise awareness about Burmese people's struggle for democracy.
Yours faithfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo.
1. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500, CH-1211 Geneve 2 -Depot, Switzerland.
