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Thailand: resettlement numbers pass 10,000 milestone

Briefing Notes, 27 July 2007

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 27 July 2007, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

Departures of refugees from Thailand under the world's largest resettlement programme passed the 10,000 mark earlier this week. The programme began in January, 2005. Nearly all of the refugees fled fighting and oppression in Myanmar over the past 11 years, and have been sheltering in nine refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. The total camp population is 140,000.

The United States, which made an open-ended offer in 2005 to take ethnic Karen refugees from the camps in Thailand, has received the most refugees in the past two and a half years – 4,876 thus far. Departures for Australia since January 2005 total 1,774; another 1,269 have left for Canada. Other resettlement countries for Myanmar refugees are Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand and Sweden.

Last week, UNHCR completed its initial mass registration of applicants for resettlement from Nupo and Umpium camps, the third and fourth camps to be included in the U.S. offer. Departures for the U.S. from Tham Hin camp began last year, and departures from Mae La camp began in May this year.

Departures are picking up, with more refugees leaving Thailand every week. More than 3,800 Myanmar refugees are scheduled to depart Thailand between now and the beginning of October, and we expect this number to rise even further.

In addition to the large-scale departures under the U.S. programme – where many refugees have gone to Syracuse, New York; Phoenix, Arizona; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Fort Wayne, Indiana and Dallas – small numbers of refugees from as far afield as Africa, who had been stranded in Bangkok and other Thai cities, have also left to start new lives in third countries.

We are grateful to resettlement countries for providing a fresh start for refugees for whom returning home or integrating into their countries of asylum is not possible.

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During the early 1990s, more than 250,000 Rohingya Muslims fled across the border into Bangladesh, citing human rights abuses by Myanmar's military government. In exile, refugees received shelter and assistance in 20 camps in the Cox's Bazaar region of Bangladesh. More than 230,000 of the Rohingya Muslims have returned since 1992, but about 22,000 still live in camps in Bangladesh. To promote stability in returnee communities in Myanmar and to help this group of re-integrate into their country, UNHCR and its partner agencies provide monitors to insure the protection and safety of the returnees as well as vocational training, income generation schemes, adult literacy programs and primary education.

Returnees in Myanmar

UNHCR Relief Items Pour into Myanmar

With eight relief flights and an earlier truck convoy from nearby Thailand, UNHCR had by June 6, 2008 moved 430 tonnes of shelter and basic household supplies into Myanmar to help as many as 130,000 victims of Cyclone Nargis. The aid includes plastic sheeting, plastic rolls, mosquito nets, blankets and kitchen sets. Once the aid arrives in the country it is quickly distributed.

On the outskirts of the city of Yangon – which was also hit by the cyclone – and in the Irrawady delta, some families have been erecting temporary shelters made out of palm leaf thatching. But they desperately need plastic sheeting to keep out the monsoon rains.

Posted on 12 June 2008

UNHCR Relief Items Pour into Myanmar

Myanmar Cyclone Victims Still Need Aid

With eight relief flights and an earlier truck convoy from nearby Thailand, UNHCR had by June 6, 2008 moved 430 tonnes of shelter and basic household supplies into Myanmar to help as many as 130,000 victims of Cyclone Nargis. The aid includes plastic sheeting, plastic rolls, mosquito nets, blankets and kitchen sets. Once the aid arrives in the country it is quickly distributed.

On the outskirts of the city of Yangon – which was also hit by the cyclone – and in the Irrawady delta, some families have been erecting temporary shelters made out of palm leaf thatching. But they desperately need plastic sheeting to keep out the monsoon rains.

Posted on 12 June 2008

Myanmar Cyclone Victims Still Need Aid

A new life for refugees from BhutanPlay video

A new life for refugees from Bhutan

They fled to Nepal from Bhutan amid ethnic tensions in the early 1990s. Now, many of the slightly more than 100,000 refugees have been offered the possibility of resettlement to another country.
Aid To Myanmar Cyclone VictimsPlay video

Aid To Myanmar Cyclone Victims

UNHCR has sent in almost 120 tonnes of aid to help more than 10,000 victims in Myanmar of Cyclone Nargis.
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Through ninemillion.org Paw Wah, a young refugee living in a refugee camp in Thailand is able to share with you a glimps of her life. To learn more about the ninemillion.org campaign visit the website.