PRM ADMISSIONS OFFICE DIRECTOR MEETINGS IN BANGKOK

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 007437

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: PREF PREL TH KN
SUBJECT: PRM ADMISSIONS OFFICE DIRECTOR MEETINGS IN BANGKOK


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN SUTTON, REASON 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary. In a meeting with the Thai Ministry of
Interior, visiting PRM Office of Admissions Director Terry
Rusch stated U.S. interest in resettling North Korean
refugees from Thailand, outlined USG plans for large-scale
Burmese resettlement during the current fiscal year and
pressed for a streamlined RTG procedure for issuance of
exit permits for U.S. refugee family reunification cases.
MOI said it would work on the family reunification issue.
Rusch also visited two facilities that house North Korean
refugees and provided information about the U.S. refugee
program. End summary.


2. (C) During a December 4-8 visit to Bangkok, PRM Office
of Admissions Director Terry Rusch met with DHS, UNHCR,
CDC, IOM, and ROK Embassy officials to discuss refugee
issues. She discussed current refugee processing with
Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) staff and toured the OPE
facility. She also met with the Thai Ministry of Interior
and with North Korean refugees at two facilities.

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Meeting with Ministry of Interior
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3. (U) In a December 7 meeting with Ministry of Interior
(MOI) Deputy Permanent Secretary Priraphol Tritasavit,
Rusch described how large-scale U.S. refugee resettlement
processing in Asia was now focused on Thailand. She
expressed appreciation for RTG assistance on Burmese
refugee processing and said that the USG hoped to resettle
about 15,000 refugees from Thailand during the current
fiscal year. She provided the current state of play on the
material support issue. Rusch requested that the RTG
create a streamlined and predictable mechanism for the
issuance of exit permits for U.S. refugee family
reunification cases (Visas 93 and P3 cases). She noted
that the U.S. had a backlog of such cases that numbered
about 50 persons. This number would only grow larger in
the future as U.S refugee processing of Burmese
accelerated.


4. (C) Rusch stated that the U.S. wanted to process the
small number of North Korean refugees in Thailand who
indicated interest in U.S. resettlement. She said the USG
hoped the RTG would allow processing of additional North
Korean cases. The USG was committed to discreet handling
of such cases though it could not control all the actors,
such as NGOs, involved in the North Korea refugee issue.
The USG believed that the estimates of large numbers
(100,000 or more) of North Koreans in southern China poised
to enter Thailand were exaggerated. Rusch said that it
was important that North Korean refugees have accurate
information about the U.S. refugee program. To this end,
she said she had met with two groups of North Korean
refugees in Bangkok.


5. (C) Priraphol noted the points about North Korean
refugees but did not respond substantively. He said that
the MOI was limited in what it could do on exit permits for
family reunification cases. The Thai National Security
Council set guidelines that MOI had to work within. While
it was possible to get exit permits for special
humanitarian cases in certain instances, the number of such
cases would be limited. It was important, therefore, to
put in place a formal mechanism for the handling of such
cases. Priraphol recommended that lists of family
reunification cases be presented to MOI in Bangkok. MOI
would then work with provincial governors to set up
meetings of the local Provincial Admissions Boards (PABs).
The PABs would screen the cases, and if they were approved,
this would open the way for exit permits and departures of
the family reunification cases.

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Meetings with North Korean Refugees
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6. (C) Rusch visited the Thai immigration detention Center
(IDC) on December 6 with the local head of the Jesuit
Refugee Service (JRS) Tom Coughlin to observe conditions
for North Korean refugees at the Immigration Detention
Center (IDC). JRS is the only NGO with RTG permission to
provide detainees at the IDC with medical assistance. JRS
reported overcrowding almost three times IDC,s normal
capacity. With recent Thai police raids on the South
Korean shelter for North Koreans, there are currently 207
North Koreans detained at the center, of which 25 have
expressed interest in resettlement to the U.S. Although
each room was at maximum capacity, it was observed that the
North Koreans had access to toilet and shower facilities.
In general the North Koreans appeared to be adequately
cared for by JRS.


7. (C) Rusch met with the North Koreans at the IDC and at
the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) who are
interested in U.S. resettlement to clarify
misunderstandings about the U.S. refugee program. In both
town-hall-like meetings, the refugees asked for absolute
guarantees that they will be accepted into the USG program
and repeatedly asked about the speed of USG processing.
One woman at the IDC reported her understanding from
various media articles that the USG is obligated to accept
every North Korean refugee. Rusch stated that the USG is
committed to assisting North Korean refugees but the Act
does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Rusch then
described the current state of USG processing of North
Koreans in Thailand and reiterated the uncertainty re timing
for receiving RTG permission to process additional
cases.


8. (C) Comment. It was evident from meetings at the IDC
and YWCA that there exist many misconceptions and
misunderstandings regarding the U.S. resettlement program
among the North Korean refugees. Some factors contributing
to this include misinformation in the media and among NGOs
and missionary groups with interests in moving North
Koreans to the U.S. More information outreach regarding
the U.S. refugee program is required to reduce North Korean
misconceptions and assist them in making an informed
decision regarding resettlement in the ROK or U.S.

ARVIZU