NCJ Number
121414
Editor(s)
R Rubenstein,
A C Helton
Date Published
1989
Length
122 pages
Annotation
Many obstacles block the path to solving the problems facing Cambodian refugees and Vietnamese boat people in a manner consistent with fundamental human rights principles: a seemingly capricious U.S. processing procedure, arbitrary confinement, or rejection at the shore and lack of protection from pirates and other parties.
Abstract
This study describes protection issues on the Thai-Cambodian border, including the background of the Cambodian exodus, Thai policy, Site 2, the Khmer Rouge camps, Khao I Dang, and Task Force 80. Issues concerning Vietnamese boat people include the push-back policy, abuses committed by Thai security personnel and pirates, the deterioration of the anti-piracy program, erosion of rescue at sea, Phanat Nikhom, and Ban Thad. The Committee recommends that the Thai government repeal its push-back policy and take the necessary steps to curb piracy committed by Thai fishermen against Vietnamese boat people, including the enhancement of the joint Thai-U.S. anti-piracy program. The Committee urges Thailand to end its asylum deterrence policies, improve living conditions at refugee camps, enforce law and order within the camps, facilitate an international protective presence at the camps, separate civilian and military personnel and move the Cambodian settlements further away from the border, refrain from relocating residents of the Khao I Dang camp to already overcrowded border sites, legalize unauthorized refugees, provide non-discriminatory legal protection to asylum seekers, and establish a mechanism for transferring refugees for family reunification or protection reasons. With regard to the U.S. refugee processing procedures in Thailand, the Committee recommends that the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) processing be afforded the same protections and procedures common to U.S. administrative and judicial processes, that the right to appeal be expanded and reasons for rejection given, that duty officers have a background in Southeast Asian affairs and new officers be trained accordingly, that an institutional quality control system be established to oversee acceptance and rejection rates, that the Worldwide Guidelines for Overseas Refugee Processing be updated and clarified, that INS country reports be updated and revised annually, that the procedures place less emphasis on documentation, and that the U.S. humanitarian parole program be expanded.