Submissions must be received by 31 May

Via post or email:

ATT: Lucy Morgan
Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA)
Suite 4A6, 410 Elizabeth Street,
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Tel: 02 9211 9333
Fax: 02 9211 9288
Email: info@refugeecouncil.org.au

Submission Form
Name: Saw Lwin Oo (National President)
Organisation (if Australian Karen Organisation Inc. (AKO)
applicable):
Contact Information:
Address: PO BOX 58, Guildford NSW 2161
Email: saw_lwinoo@yahoo.com.au
Contact Phone Number: (61) 4 1234 4009
(61-2) 9632 6248
Country of Origin: Burma/Myanmar

Topic of Submission:
Regional Focus (Asia, Africa, Middle East, South East Asia
other)
Country Focus: Burma/Myanmar

Issues Covered in Submission:

1. Contextual Background
2. Forced Repatriation
3. Cross Border Assistance
4.Reccommendation

Recommendations to UNHCR
1. To increase their (financial and moral) support to the cross-border organisations who are providing
aid within the affected region; and encourage other nation governments to do so.
2. To ensure the continuance of the current funding of the refugee support programs within this area.
3. To assist in ensuring the safety of the Karen people and prevention of forced repatriation.

* * Please Attach your 1-page Submission

Karen Refugees at Risk
Contextual Background:
The people of eastern Burma have been suffering under one of the most brutal military regime for
many years. Since 2006, the Burmese army has been carrying out an offensive operation in eastern
Burma, which has led to the massive displacement of the Karen civilians who have fled to Thailand
and regions within eastern Burma. The offensive will lead to a greater number of civilians’ deaths;
and the displacement will continue to increase with them being at high risk of landmine injuries,
malaria, and maternal and infant death.

Forced Repatriation:
In June 2009, approximately 4000 refugees have fled from the fighting zone; and took refuge in
three temporary shelters along the border: Noh Bo, Mae U Su and Mae Salik of Tha Yong District and
Tak Province, Thailand. Instead of being taken care of by the international law UNHCR regulations,
these refugees were forcefully repatriated to Burma by means of persuasion, threats and bribes. All
their temporary shelters were burnt down and all evidence of their existence was destroyed. As a
result in Mae U Su, approximately 100 families (779 people)were forced to repatriate via means
mentioned above during 4-6 March 2010.They were not given any provisions and were forcibly
repatriated into war zone from which they had just left.

Cross Border Assistance:

Currently the Thai Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), Burma Relief Centre (BRC), Partners Relief &
Development (PRAD) and Free Burma Rangers (FBR) are visibly providing cross border aid with
limited funding. For example, 100 repatriated families from Mae U Su were provided with 200 sacks
of rice (1 sack is 50kg and this will effectively feed 100 people only for the duration of one month)by
the PRAD, and community charity groups through cross border aids. In the recent attacks by the
Burmese army, during January to March 2010 thousands of IDP were given vital food and medicine
by FBR, PRAD, and TBBC saving their lives and enabling that the IDP are to stay in their own area
without having to flee to the border and cross over into Thailand.
There is very little doubt that the decades of economic mismanagement and oppression at the
hands of the successive military regimes have left the country in need of increased assistance.
However the best strategy for ensuring such aid finds it way to the people and not the regime itself
remains somewhat elusive.
Citing similar concerns Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF France) was forced to close its modest malaria
programs in eastern Burma in March 2006 as a result of the increasing Burmese Government
restrictions on their work. In 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reduced its
operations in Burma by 90% and closed as a result of similar restriction by the regime. In July this
year, the Burmese Government SPDC instituted new travel clearance procedures, which will have
the effect of restricting access to grant implementation areas by the principle recipients, staff of
implementing partners and Global Fund staff (-the Global Fund is to prevent AIDS, Tuberculosis’, and
Malaria).The regime has consistently shown, including in its initial response to the Cyclone victims,
that it is of no benefit for ethnic nationalities and the entire people of Burma. Additionally, the 2010
election is seen as an unfair and undemocratic election which will only prolong the military rule.

Recommendation:
Therefore the international aid agencies and donor organisations must critically consider to increase
their (financial and moral) support to those Cross-border organisations that are already providing
much needed support to the most vulnerable populations the country, Burma. The UN and UNHCR
are to encourage the governments that support cross-border aid is needed for Burma.