Source: Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC)
Date: 20 Mar 2009
Executive Summary
his report describes the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) programme during the second half of 2008 and presents an operating budget of baht 1,130 million (USD 33 million or EUR 26 million) for 20091. It tells a remarkable story of how TBBC managed to maintain its services in a year of turmoil, but also describes the tough challenges ahead for 2009.
Refugee Situation:
As the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) militarises, assimilates and exploits the natural resources of the border areas of eastern Burma, the human rights of indigenous ethnic groups are abused with impunity and a steady flow of new refugees continues to flee into Thailand. The TBBC feeding figure was 135,623 at the end of December 2008, but although this represented a reduction of 3,347 since June, it was known that there were large numbers of unregistered people in the camps, probably more than 40,000. These were mainly in Tak Province where, in the absence of a refugee status determination process, TBBC maintained artificially low feeding figures.
The growing number of unregistered people and the difficulty in determining reliable feeding fi gures are demanding the attention of all stakeholders. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been working with the Royal Thai Government (RTG) to establish a new "pre-screening" process to "screen out" those "without a manifestly just claim to asylum", which will be piloted in four camps during the first half of 2009. Meanwhile, TBBC is in the process of verifying the number of camp residents, both registered and unregistered, and compiling this into a data base. The data base will be used with a new ration book system in 2009 to more closely control rations. However, with more reliable data available from both the pre-screening process and TBBC's verification exercise, the result may well be higher feeding figures during the year, and increased expenditures.
Resettlement is currently the only durable solution available for the refugees and 17,172 left for resettlement to third countries in 2008. The fact that this did not significantly reduce population numbers makes the search for new strategies even more urgent. Whilst it is important that the pre-screening process is effective to ensure that only genuine asylum seekers access assistance, it also important to find ways to help the refugees become more self-reliant though livelihood opportunities. While the scope for promoting livelihood opportunities is very limited when refugees are confined to remote camps, donors are increasingly unwilling to support the status quo. The urgent need for donors, the RTG and UNHCR to develop a common medium term strategy was pursued by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at the annual RTG/ NGO Workshop held in December.
TBBC Programme:
As recommended by European Commission consultants last year, to improve programme effi ciency, a logistics and supply expert seconded by the Swiss government has been working with TBBC to review and strengthen the whole supply chain management from procurement of commodities, through delivery, storage and distribution. A central warehouse is planned in Mae Sot to streamline deliveries and additional field staff are being recruited to improve monitoring. So far eight new positions have been created, four supply officers responsible for monitoring deliveries and four data entry personnel. TBBC is also committed to reversing the trend of aid dependency by supporting livelihood initiatives where possible. Surveys are being conducted to explore possibilities within existing constraints, and two new staff positions have been added to support agriculture and livelihood activities.
No comments:
Post a Comment