7 Thai border refugee camps
171. DFID is providing £20 million over three
years to support the 140,000 refugees and 17,000 internally displaced
persons(IDPs) on the Thai Burma border. The Minister told us that
this funding was committed up until November 2015.[215]
In our terms of reference, we asked whether there were any areas
DFID should do less. While in Burma we heard that some of the
people in the camps had jobs outside of them and returned to the
camps to pick up their allowances. In addition, we heard that
the money spent on the camps could be better spent inside Burma.
We sought witnesses' views on this funding.
172. Burma Campaign UK complained that some donors
had reduced funding to the camps which had resulted in cuts to
rations, shelter, clothing and other essential services. Some
refugees were now questioning whether the international community
was trying to 'starve' them back to Burma.[216]
Benedict Rogers told us:
Now is certainly not the time to withdraw from
supporting the camps. Indeed, there is a case for looking at the
level of support for the camps and rations, making sure that the
refugees are supported in their survival needs, whilst preparing
for the future.[217]
173. Burma Campaign has consulted with the IDPs and
refugees about returning and their concerns were:
· the Burmese army still being present in
their villages;
· landmines not being cleared;
· their land having been confiscated by
the army or by Government;
· the need for support to return including
compensation for the destruction of their homes and farms and
theft of their possessions;
· the fear of being forced into special
economic zones and becoming cheap labour in factories as opposed
to being able to return to their villages; and
· whether those who had committed abuses
would be held accountable as they wanted justice.
The Minister stressed that "repatriation should
be voluntary and not compulsory".[218]
174. While there have been concerns that funding
is no longer necessary for the camps on the Thai border, we do
not believe that people should be pushed out of the refugee camps;
they should leave voluntarily. However the situation requires
monitoring as DFID currently spends over £20 million which
could be spent on improving conditions inside Burma. If there
is a successful peace process and a stable economy emerges the
camps should be closed. The return of the refugees should be carefully
handled ensuring that where they are returning to is safe and
viable to live in. The Burmese along with aid agencies should
be considering and planning for this now.
215 Q134 Back
216
Burma Campaign UK (BUR 0018), para 25 Back
217
Q105 Back
218
Q136 Back
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