Refugees boosted by Suu Kyi visit
MAE SOT, TAK : The chances of Myanmar refugees returning to their homeland in safety may have improved since Myanmar opposition leader's Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Thailand, an academic says.
Suu Kyi: Curbs on camp visit
Annette Hamilton, lecturer at the University of New South Wales's Faculty of Arts, said Mrs Suu Kyi's visit helped raise international awareness of Myanmar's refugee issues.
As a result, the Myanmar government might give the 150,000 refugees inside Thailand some hope of returning without facing reprisals, Ms Hamilton said.
Myanmar's improving economy may also offer new opportunities for refugees and migrant workers to find work in their homeland, she said.
Another group in need of help is the hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals displaced from their homes, but still living inside Myanmar along the border, she said.
Refugees International says 500,000 Myanmar people have been displaced by conflict in eastern Myanmar and another 800,000 Muslims, known as the Rohingya, in western Myanmar are stateless. About 3 million Myanmar people have fled to neighbouring countries.
Ms Hamilton said ethnic minority people living along the border need help to lead better lives, so they will no longer want to escape into Thailand.
"This is an enormous task. We do not know whether the views of a single person like Aung San Suu Kyi can bring about such an enormous change," she said.
"The international community must take a lead in addressing the problems."
On Saturday, the last day of Mrs Suu Kyi's Thai visit, officials imposed curbs on her inspection of a refugee camp.
Although the Thai government accepted her last-minute request to visit the camp, which has about 50,000 people living on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, officials declined her request for a public address system and barred her from meeting the leaders of ethnic minority groups.
"The Foreign Ministry asked us to keep her visit low-key," said Suriya Prasatbuntitya, the governor of Tak province, where the camp is located.
"They didn't want her trip to become news because they don't want it to affect our relationship with Myanmar."
The government's concerns were heightened when Myanmar president Thein Sein cancelled a trip to Bangkok last week to speak at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, where Mrs Suu Kyi gave an address on Friday.
The Myanmar government expected Mrs Suu Kyi would focus on making changes in parliament, not making overtures to the outside world, when she was released from house arrest and then elected in a by-election on April 1, a Myanmar political observer said.
Ko Tate, secretary of the Assistance Association of the Political Prisoners (AAPP), said Mrs Suu Kyi's visit was welcome even though she was unable to meet ethnic leaders and representatives of democratic organisations based in Thailand, including the AAPP.
"We understand her complicated and confusing situation very well, and managed to hand over our statements and proposals to her delegation," Ko Tate said.
Migrants and refugees who failed to hear her speech were disappointed to have missed her, he said.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow, permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry, said the government allowed her to visit the places she wanted, but not at the cost of possibly hurting relations with Myanmar.
"Anything in the humanitarian realm is welcome but we have to consider any aspect of the visit that might be politicised. After all, Thai-Myanmar relations are improving," Mr Sihasak said.
Suu Kyi: Curbs on camp visit
Annette Hamilton, lecturer at the University of New South Wales's Faculty of Arts, said Mrs Suu Kyi's visit helped raise international awareness of Myanmar's refugee issues.
As a result, the Myanmar government might give the 150,000 refugees inside Thailand some hope of returning without facing reprisals, Ms Hamilton said.
Myanmar's improving economy may also offer new opportunities for refugees and migrant workers to find work in their homeland, she said.
Another group in need of help is the hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals displaced from their homes, but still living inside Myanmar along the border, she said.
Refugees International says 500,000 Myanmar people have been displaced by conflict in eastern Myanmar and another 800,000 Muslims, known as the Rohingya, in western Myanmar are stateless. About 3 million Myanmar people have fled to neighbouring countries.
Ms Hamilton said ethnic minority people living along the border need help to lead better lives, so they will no longer want to escape into Thailand.
"This is an enormous task. We do not know whether the views of a single person like Aung San Suu Kyi can bring about such an enormous change," she said.
"The international community must take a lead in addressing the problems."
On Saturday, the last day of Mrs Suu Kyi's Thai visit, officials imposed curbs on her inspection of a refugee camp.
Although the Thai government accepted her last-minute request to visit the camp, which has about 50,000 people living on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, officials declined her request for a public address system and barred her from meeting the leaders of ethnic minority groups.
"The Foreign Ministry asked us to keep her visit low-key," said Suriya Prasatbuntitya, the governor of Tak province, where the camp is located.
"They didn't want her trip to become news because they don't want it to affect our relationship with Myanmar."
The government's concerns were heightened when Myanmar president Thein Sein cancelled a trip to Bangkok last week to speak at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, where Mrs Suu Kyi gave an address on Friday.
The Myanmar government expected Mrs Suu Kyi would focus on making changes in parliament, not making overtures to the outside world, when she was released from house arrest and then elected in a by-election on April 1, a Myanmar political observer said.
Ko Tate, secretary of the Assistance Association of the Political Prisoners (AAPP), said Mrs Suu Kyi's visit was welcome even though she was unable to meet ethnic leaders and representatives of democratic organisations based in Thailand, including the AAPP.
"We understand her complicated and confusing situation very well, and managed to hand over our statements and proposals to her delegation," Ko Tate said.
Migrants and refugees who failed to hear her speech were disappointed to have missed her, he said.
Sihasak Phuangketkeow, permanent secretary of the Foreign Ministry, said the government allowed her to visit the places she wanted, but not at the cost of possibly hurting relations with Myanmar.
"Anything in the humanitarian realm is welcome but we have to consider any aspect of the visit that might be politicised. After all, Thai-Myanmar relations are improving," Mr Sihasak said.
