ICMCEUROPE WelcometoEurope.pdf (5.89 MB)

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3.3.2. Burmese refugees in Thailand
Since their arrival in Thailand in the
1980s, Burmese refugees have been
confined to nine closed camps - known
as ‘temporary shelters’ - along the
Thai-Burma border. Access to these
camps is regulated by the Thai government.
As of January 2013, 83,317
Burmese refugees were registered
as having been admitted to the nine
camps. 77 Since 2006, the registration
and admission system in the camps
has not been fully functional, and
approximately 46,000 camp residents
are estimated to be unregistered. 78
Unregistered camp residents are ineligible
for resettlement. UNHCR conducts
RSD for asylum seekers living in
Bangkok except for Burmese refugees
who are required by the government to
report to the camps on the border.
Most camp residents are ethnic Karen
who fled conflict with the military
regime in Burma. Following national
elections in Burma in November 2010,
new clashes between armed ethnically
affiliated groups and the Burmese
army erupted along the Thai-Burma
border, leading to the rapid arrival of
a further 16,000-18,000 refugees from
Burma. While recent ceasefire agreements
between ethnic armed groups
and the Burmese government have
presented some limited possibilities for
a resolution to these conflicts, it is not
77 UNHCR Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2014
78 Ibid.
clear when - or even if - the situation
will improve. Many Karen refugees
are subsequently reluctant to take up
voluntary repatriation at the current
time, and it therefore remains limited
as a durable solution in this context.
Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951
Convention and has no national legislation
governing the treatment of
refugees. Burmese nationals, found
living outside of the camps, are subject
to arrest, detention and deportation. 79
The basic rights of refugees in Thailand
are severely limited - they have no
access to medical services and they do
not have the right to work - meaning
local integration is impossible. To date,
resettlement has been the only durable
solution that offers adequate protection
for Burmese refugees in Thailand.
Resettlement began in 2005 and has
since provided a durable solution for
more than 80,000 Burmese refugees
in Thailand. 80 UNHCR has projected a
total resettlement need for Burmese
refugees in Thailand of 4,000 persons,
and plans to submit 3,500 refugees
for resettlement in 2014. 81 Although
resettlement from Thailand has been
conducted for over seven years, it has
not led to an improvement in the protection
climate in Thailand. UNHCR
79 Human Rights Watch, Ad Hoc and Inadequate.
Thailand’s Treatment of Refugees and Asylum
Seekers, September 2012
80 UNHCR Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2014
81 Ibid.
CHAPTER VI CHAPTER V
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER VII