Memorandum submitted by Oxfam GB East
Asia
INQUIRY INTO DfID ASSISTANCE TO BURMESE IDPs
AND REFUGEES ON THE THAI-BURMA BORDER
Oxfam GB welcomes the attention that the International
Development Committee is giving to the situation of people in
and from Burma.
Oxfam GB does not currently have a presence
in Burma, however we have been providing funding support to a
small number of INGOs and local NGOs in Burma since 2002, managed
from our East Asia Regional Centre in Bangkok.
In undertaking its current inquiry, we would
urge the Committee to consider the needs of people in the whole
of Burma and how these can be addressed. While we agree that IDPs
are an especially vulnerable group with specific needs, there
is also a chronic humanitarian situation in many other areas of
the country and a large proportion of the population who are struggling
to meet their basic requirements.
Oxfam GB has decided to expand our programme
in Burma and we are currently in the process of applying for a
Memorandum of Understanding which would enable us to increase
the scale of our humanitarian activities and establish a presence
in the country. This decision is based on the experience of our
partners and extensive consultations with a variety of stakeholders
over the last two years.
While we recognise that working in Burma is
difficult and complex, we believe that with care and sensitivity
it is possible to implement accountable programmes that have positive
impact on people's lives and fall within international frameworks
and standards.
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