REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL’S RECOMMENDATIONSRefugees International recommends that: The Government of Burma • Respect the human rights of its people and end violations and abuse against the civilian population. • Allow international agencies access to all populations in Burma. • Permit international organizations to carry out their monitoring activities independently of Burmese authorities. • Make procedures for international organizations to obtain permission to work in Burma less lengthy and bureaucratic. • Recognize that there is an internal displacement crisis in Burma and permit International agencies access to the displaced in all parts of the country. • Ratify and endorse all international covenants and protocols relating to the protection of, and assistance to, civilians in situations of armed and state-society conflict and adhere to these principles. Donors and International Aid Community • Channel more aid into Burma and target areas beyond health, such as education, food production, and capacity building. • More international agencies consider operating in Burma; increased numbers of international NGO in the country will mean more implementing partners for UN agencies. • Provide funding for IDP assistance to Agencies based both in Burma and Thailand, and ensure that funding to one side of the border is not at the expense of the other. • Modify reporting requirements for Burma and Thailand-based local NGO which at present are unable to meet complex Reporting requirements. • Grant support for administrative requirements of Burmese CBOs operating in Thailand. • Avoid micromanaging programs from overseas; allow those having better understanding of situation to have more say in Utilization of funds; at the same time build strong partnership with fledgling local NGOs. • Develop protection strategies for internally Displaced persons in the conflict and War-affected zones of eastern Burma and provide funding to put strategies in action; this would involve support for measures such as provision of walkie-talkies. • Support initiatives to build the capacity of CBOs and civil society in Burma, as well as CBOs in Thailand. • Conduct human rights awareness training For Burmese military, police and civilian officials. • Urge the Burmese government to increase humanitarian space. • Invite Burmese officials to global forums on the issue of displacement so they realize they are not the only ones dealing with an IDP situation, thus reducing the sensitivity of the issue. Specifically the United States: • Expand funding for humanitarian initiatives in Burma. • Allocate more resources for Burmese IDPs. • Earmark funds for response to the IDPs By Burma-based agencies. • Expeditiously approve office of foreign assets control requests from NGO seeking to work in Burma. • Members of the US Congress and their staff travel, or continue traveling, to Burma and the region and meet extensively with all relevant actors (governments, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, academics, activists, and the people of Burma, including refugees and internally displaced persons) to gain a greater understanding of the political and humanitarian situation. Specifically the United Nations: • The UN as a whole develop a common strategy to respond to the humanitarian and human rights crises in Burma. • The Security Council put Burma on its agenda and explore possibilities for a lasting political solution in the country. • Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ Internal Displacement Division make Burma a priority. • The Secretary General’s Representative on the Human Rights of IDPs promote the start of a dialogue with national authorities and help identify a focal point in the administration on the issue of internal displacement. • The Special Rapporteur on Burma keep on disseminating information on the conditions of IDPs in his briefings to the commission on Human rights and the General Assembly. • If Special Rapporteurs with politically sensitive mandates continue to be denied access to Burma, Rapporteurs who cover sectors such as the right to education and right to food consider undertaking missions to Burma to find out more about the humanitarian and human rights situation there. International Agencies Based in Burma and Agencies with a Burma Focus Based in Thailand • Take more steps to understand each other’s role and responsibilities when it comes to alleviating suffering in Burma, and more specifically responding to the pressing needs of IDPs. • Exchange information regularly on humanitarian needs and challenges. • Develop better cooperation and coordination on humanitarian response. International Agencies Working in Burma • Build capacity of CBOs and civil society engaged in community assistance so they can act as conduits to areas that international agencies cannot access. • Encourage the emergence of CBOs and civil society among minority and underrepresented groups. • Advocate with government on behalf of civil society. • Collect more data on displacement in all parts of Burma; right now most of the information on the displaced is focused on eastern Burma and coming from agencies based in Thailand. • Monitor human rights violations and quietly report abuses to advocacy organizations and to agencies within Burma which can investigate the cases. • Create a protection strategy based on humanitarian presence. • Provide protection training to all international and national staff. • Train local networks in information gathering and reporting, as well as spreading awareness about protection and human rights among local communities. • Assist ethnic nationalities in acquiring land and property rights. • When IDP return is feasible, recognize that IDPs may not want to return to their original homes. • Make certain that IDP return is carried out in accordance with the Guiding Principles 28-30 and the displaced have complete understanding and participate in the planning and management of their return or resettlement and reintegration. • Avoid collaborating on humanitarian programs with GONGOs; instead seek partners among CBOs and local NGOs, which initially may have limited capacity. • Maintain unity in opposing regulations which could benefit the junta. Specifically the UN agencies working in Burma: • UNHCR seek access to displaced persons in eastern Burma as their preparatory work on refugee returns continues. • UNICEF become involved in the protection and assistance of displaced children. • Explore possibilities of access to the internally displaced population living in conflict and war-affected areas through sectoral approaches. • Advocate with the SPDC to recognize IDPs as a concern and to allow more access by the international community to the IDPs, especially the most vulnerable population in the conflict and war-affected zones. • Formulate a Strategic Action Plan on internal displacement. The National League for Democracy • Raise awareness about the issue of internal displacement in Burma and the related humanitarian needs in domestic and international forums. ASEAN • Urge Burma to allow UN officials, such as the Secretary General’s Special Envoys and the Special Rapporteur on Burma, and humanitarian agencies into the country so they are able to carry out their mandates. Burma’s Neighbors: Thailand, Bangladesh, India and Malaysia • Provide temporary asylum to Burmese seeking refuge. • Grant UNHCR full access to Burmese refugees and asylum seekers. • Cooperate with international efforts to resettle Burmese refugees. |
Main Page Executive Summary Introduction Types of Displacement and Conditions of the Displaced Population Humanitarian Response Inside Burma The Debate Over Aid and Engagement Rationale for International Assistance Inside Burma Towards a More Effective Response to Internal Displacement Refugees International's Recommendations --------------- Acknowledgements Glossary Notes |
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Ending the Waiting Game: Refugees International's Recommendations
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