MINUTES OF THE MEETING, PART IV
United Nations Press Release REF/814. 21 July 1979.
Meeting on Refugees and Displaced Persons in South-East Asia Concludes in Geneva With Remarks by Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim.
(Received from the United Nations Information Service, Geneva)
“Our purpose at this meeting has been to try to reverse the course of this tragedy, and I believe we are now well on our way to doing so” stated Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim in his concluding remarks this afternoon, 21 July, at the end of the two-day international meeting on the problem of refugees and displaced persons in South-East Asia.
The meeting, without a precedent in the history of the United Nations, has been attended by the representatives of 65 countries concerned with “the grave crisis existing in South-East Asia”. The participants sought to relieve the plight of hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in the area. In practical terms, this will mean that within the next months tens of thousands of refugees will move away from the present camps to begin new lives. But the scope of the problem is much larger. To resolve it will require humane policies by all concerned, respect for certain fundamental principles, and the carrying out of a plan of action which would he based on the various proposals advanced at the meeting.
“I consider”, the Secretary-General said, “that this meeting has served a very useful purpose in clarifying and underlining the interdependence between various elements and I am confident that they can and will be reconciled within the framework of a comprehensive plan of action.” Highlighting certain important aspects of the plan, he said: “First, we must work with the utmost speed to reduce the backlog, which can only be done by resettlement on a far greater scale and much faster than hitherto. Second, the understanding between Viet Nam and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the orderly departure should be expanded.
Third, a major breakthrough has been achieved at this meeting on the establishment of holding centres.
“Fourth, rescue at sea deserves special attention. I note with appreciation the noble and humane action undertaken by several countries which have sent ships to the area to rescue refugees in distress.
“Evidently, the conclusions we have reached at this meeting cannot be the end of our efforts. But it is my intention to present to the next General Assembly a comprehensive report on the situation and the implementation of the action plan.
“I am confident that we have laid the foundation for the solution of one of the most tragic experiences which the world has faced.”
POUL HARTLING, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the meeting indicated that the international community has moved into a “new phase” in its efforts to help Indo-Chinese refugees and that those refugees will now know that they have not been abandoned.
“In the weeks immediately prior to this meeting”, he said, “and in the course of it, we have been informed of a truly dramatic increase in the number of resettlement places available for the refugees. These have risen from 125,000 at the end of May to 260,000 today.”
Mr. Hartling said that just before the meeting, the UNHCR was moving over 10,000 persons a month. “As soon as possible”, he said, “we shall now try to move 20,000-30,000 each month.” The High Commissioner promised delegates a technical plan “to generate a rapid and systematic rate of departure and to utilize new commitments to the maximum effect”.
He said that a “significant proposal” was made in regard to a major fund for achieving permanent solutions. “It could be of great help to our efforts on behalf of refugees in all developing countries.” New pledges totalling $160 million in cash and kind “heartened” the High Commissioner who said they will ease considerably the financial situation of his office.
Mr. Hartling stressed that departure of refugees under the arrangement worked out with Viet Nam “should in no way detract from the priority of those in the camps of South-East Asia”.
The High Commissioner also noted offers by Governments to place staff at his disposal and said “a standing co-ordinating mechanism will group together our colleagues in the United Nations system, the Inter-Governmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League of Red Cross Societies and others in the non-governmental sector.
The High Commissioner promised that “the follow-up will be equal to the challenge”.
HARALDUR KROYER, Permanent Representative of Iceland in Geneva: The very holding of the meeting has spurred many countries to redouble their efforts to help Indo-Chinese refugees. “Hopefully, it will also help to stir further the awareness and compassion of public opinion to make it easier for host countries to resettle refugees in an atmosphere conducive to their harmonious integration in their new environment.”
He noted that Iceland has never accepted refugees from outside Europe and, “situated in splendid isolation at the Arctic circle and is rather cold and forbidding, not only the name, but also its harsh climate”.
Nevertheless, Iceland is willing to accept 30 refugees from South-East Asia and is already preparing to receive them. Financially Iceland is increasing its contribution to the High Commissioner for Refugees by 50 per cent.
His country does not feel there is any need to set up new bodies to handle the situation and that it can best be done by strengthening UNHCR.
A. LEAL DE COSTA LOBA, Acting Director-General for Political Affairs of Portugal: Portugal is still absorbing more than half a million people from former colonies and Macao currently has 3,500 refugees, or 1 per cent of the population.
Macao therefore can only be a transit centre for displaced people. But in view of the gravity of the situation, Portugal is raising to 5,000 the ceiling figure for refugees and therefore Macao should benefit from a quota towards permanent host countries.
The departure of people wishing to join their families is not the usual case concerning Indo-Chinese refugees. As the exodus will not stop abruptly, the High Commissioner must have adequate financial and human resources to achieve its task during the transit stage.
Another suggestion was that countries of permanent settlement use no discriminatory criteria in their acceptance policy.
JOHN C. NOEL, Minister for Urban Development of Papua New Guinea: He particularly welcomes the refugee scheme initiated by Indonesia and the Philippines “as one of the ways of alleviating the burdens caused to countries in the region”.
“The Papua New Guinea Government supports the call by the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the Socialist Republics of Viet Namand Kampuchea to cease immediately the creation of circumstances which cause thousands of people to leave their homeland.”
“It was no surprise that ASEAN nations and others are now reacting very strongly indeed to the problem and that the refugees have become victims of a clash of wills.” His Government supports the suggestion that countries should divert their aid from Viet Nam towards resettling the refugees.
His Government has also indicated its willingness to contribute up to $300,000 to the High Commissioner for Refugees to help establish processing centres already proposed by the ASEAN nations.
C.R. GHAREKHAN, Permanent Representative of India in Geneva: The meeting should stick closely to its humanitarian aims as politics will only distract it from the main objective — “maximum international support for concrete measures to ameliorate the tragic situation”.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees is to be praised for its “sustained, sincere and dedicated efforts”. His Government has under active consideration the possibility of making a suitable contribution in kind “as a token of our solidarity with the international community in the humanitarian field”.
KAZEM RADJAVI, head of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran: His country gives unreserved support to United Nations efforts on the subject and on the action undertaken by the Secretary-General.
Iran has recently quadrupled its contributions to the programme of the High Commissioner for Refugees “and will never hesitate” to support its “efficient and humanitarian actions in favour of all refugees, wherever they may be”.
He announces a contribution of $90,000 to the Indo Chinese programme. He is aware that this sum is only “symbolic” in view of his country’s current economic austerity.
KAMRAN IMAN, Ambassador in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey: Turkey has been gratified to see that the emphasis during this debate has been put by almost all speakers on the humanitarian aspect of the question and that great care has been taken to avoid making undue references to its political angles. If this meeting turns out to have been successful, it is to a large extent thanks to the spirit of conciliation and co-operation which has been generally demonstrated.
Turkey appreciates the sincere efforts that have been made by the most directly concerned countries in order to reach a concerted solution to the problem. The concrete proposals made by those countries, which have many points in common, should be examined in depth by the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner and should be given a rapid follow-up in order to lead to a satisfactory solution.
The Governments of the countries of first asylum must be congratulated for the steps they have taken in difficult circumstances to house the large numbers of people who have taken refuge on their territories. In particular, Turkey welcomes the decision of the Philippines and Indonesia to put islands at the disposal of UNHCR to serve as temporary havens for refugees. In this line of thought the proposal to set up re-processing centres under the auspices of UNHCR is a constructive one and should ease the task of channelling the refugees to their places of permanent settlement. Turkey fully supports the proposal made this morning for the creation of an international refugee fund.
R. BOUDJAKI, Permanent Representative of Algeria in Geneva: He compliments the meeting on the “near unanimous” agreement that the international community should produce the conditions which will lead to the permanent installation of these homeless people in other countries.
A great number of Vietnamese have achieved such a degree of alienation by living under powerful occupying powers that they cannot accept the political options chosen by the majority of the people of Viet Nam. Nor do they seem prepared to discover their original personality and to take part in the reconstruction indispensable to the survival of the entire Vietnamese nation.
A certain category of the Vietnamese population has been fascinated by the advantages of a certain way of life, a certain philosophy and other things which left little room for traditional culture. This way of life is nothing more than a “grotesque caricature” of Western life made possible over the years by a rich war economy.
First asylum countries have done more than their share to help and their patience was made even shorter by the lack of speed to help ease the situation by the countries directly responsible.
Because of the complicity of certain powers the Palestinian people are prisoners on their own territory and 2 million have been forced into exile. Also to be remembered are the 4 million African refugees which colonialism and apartheid have driven out of their land and who live in precarious conditions.
He hopes that one day all these millions of uprooted people will enjoy the increased solicitude of the world community.
A. MCHUMO, Junior Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania: Tanzania has presently over 200,000 refugees from various neighbouring countries who were uprooted from their homes in circumstances not dissimilar to those of South-East Asian refugees. Despite our sympathy and understanding for the South-East Asian refugees, Tanzania feels bound to point out a bewildering inconsistency in the response and attention which the international community has accorded to the refugee problem originating in South-East Asia as compared with the refugee problem in the rest of the world.
Tanzania supports the proposals made at this meeting to alleviate the plight of the refugees in South-East Asia. Tanzania is willing to make its experience available wherever it may be required. This experience has been acquired in more than 17 years of dealing with refugee problems. Tanzania pays tribute to those countries in South-East Asia which have found it possible, within their limited means, to extend assistance to the refugees and to those other nations which have agreed to provide homes for the refugees.
A distinction has to be made, however, between particular proposals aimed at solving the problems of refugees of South-East Asia and proposals which would lend to helping refugees throughout the world.
Tanzania supports the proposal made by Australia, the United States and other delegations to establish an international fund for the settlement of South-East Asian refugees.
There are about 4 million refugees in Africa. There are thousands of refugees in other parts of the world. In view of these facts, the proposed international fund should be for the settlement of all refugees throughout the world. The fund should be available for the repatriation, resettlement and settlement of refugees in South-East Asia, Africa, Asia and other parts of the world
SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, Governor of Hong Kong and a member of the United Kingdom delegation: Hong Kong is now providing refuge to 66,000 boat people from Viet Nam and there are no refugees from other countries.
The rate of arrival of refugees has declined drastically in recent days, and he hopes that it reflects a permanent policy of Viet Nam to curtail the departure of people from its territory.
Hong Kong is an over-populated but a dynamic society. The problem of refugees should be seen in the light of separate but interrelated obligations.
Hong Kong, as a place of first asylum, has carried out its obligations to the full. It has also done what it could to house and to feed those for whom the High Commissioner for Refugees has been unable to take responsibility.
Humanity is not only for those who receive refugees. It is also for those who create conditions under which people become refugees. The problems of the region cannot be solved until the flood of refugees is stopped, and stopped humanely.
The calling of this conference and the commitments which have been made for increased resettlement and increased funding for the UNHCR have already brought great encouragement to those who have to cope directly with the problem of refugees from Viet Nam.
CLAUDE CHEYSSON, Commissioner of the European Economic Community: On behalf of the recently elected members of the European Parliament and at their request, expressed the deep concern and sense of commitment concerning the distress and suffering of refugees from South-East Asia and all the other people who have been forced into exile and poverty by revolutionary changes, wars and other dramatic events. The first debate of a parliament elected by 260 million Europeans was devoted entirely to the question of refugees from South-East Asia and throughout the world.
The European Community provided food aid programmes in 40 exceptionally poor countries of the third world, which accounts now for some $900 million. A sum of $150 million has been allocated by the Community to relieving the suffering of 3.5 million refugees in the Near East, Latin America and Africa.
Under the 1979 Community budget, some $16 million has been allocated to various organizations helping refugees in Kampuchea, Laos and other countries in South-East Asia.
Over and above the usual commitment, $7 million has been provided in cash in the last three months to help cover the expenses of the High Commissioner for Refugees, and 8,000 tons of rice and 1,500 tons of powdered milk have been supplied to cover 50 per cent of the High Commissioner’s food requirements for refugees in the region for the period June – August 1979.
E.V. BIGHINATTI, Under-Secretary-General of the League of Red Cross Societies: The League of Red Cross Societies is presently deeply involved with the ASEAN Governments, UNHCR and ASEAN National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in countries of first asylum. In keeping with local requirements, these services include medical assistance in the management of refugee camps, food distribution, shelter, clothing, health, medical and social care, special assistance to vulnerable groups, distribution of other basic essentials, language training and education, recreational activities, training and mailing services, logistics and communications. National and International Red Cross personnel carry out these tasks. These essential services will, of course, also be made available for the new processing and transit centres proposed by previous speakers.
The League stresses the needs of the local populations in the countries of first asylum who live around the refugee camps or transit centres whose needs are equal to those of the refugees and which have also to be met in order to ensure a harmonious environment.
In countries of final settlement, the National Red Cross Societies are very much involved in the immediate reception of refugees. They assist them in orientation programmes for the integration in their new environment, provide social services such as tracing for family reunion, emergency assistance for immediate needs, food and clothing, and co-operate with Governments and other voluntary organizations in providing assistance for long-term resettlement needs.
Close co-ordination will be continued and maintained between the High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Red Cross both in Geneva and in the field. All these activities, plus other services as maybe required, will continue and be expanded as and when the circumstances and needs arise.
ALEXANDRE HAY, President of the Committee of the International Red Cross: It is necessary to carry out, as fast as possible, an aid programme for the civilian population of Cambodia on the basis of humanitarian principles of impartiality and non-discrimination. The Committee of the International Red Cross has dispatched a delegate to Cambodia in order to set out a programme of protection and assistance. This humanitarian action has to be developed rapidly and must be implemented to a considerable extent on the territory of Cambodia in line with the procedures of the International Red Cross.
The Committee of the International Red Cross needs the moral and financial support of the international community to carry out this programme. Moreover, the Committee needs the confidence, co-operation and facilities of access of all parties involved in the conflict. This is a fundamental need for carrying out this humanitarian action.
As the Committee of the International Red Cross has already stated in its appeal of 15 June, massive aid programmes must be implemented for the countries of origin of the refugees where the population, up to today, has continued to suffer from all the consequences of conflict which have been inflicted upon this area during the past years. The Committee will also bring aid to the population of Viet Nam in the awareness that human suffering should be alleviated wherever it occurs.
The representatives of the European Economic Committee (EEC), League of Red Cross Societies, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) , United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ICEM, International Council of Voluntary Agencies and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who were the last speakers at the Saturday afternoon meeting, described the activities of their organizations in support of refugees from South-East Asia and elsewhere. They expressed their willingness to contribute actively towards the solution of the refugee problem in South-East Asia and drew attention to the various aspects of the problem.
In particular, the FAO representative called for the establishment of a “large-scale emergency food aid” programme for Kampuchea where “famine is a reality”, while the representative of UNICEF announced that his organization had committed some $0.5 million to provide assistance to children and mothers in the region.
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S-0901-0007-02-00001 Indo-China peninsula – Country files – Kampuchea – meeting on refugees and displaced persons in Southeast Asia, 18/06/1979–06/08/1979