PRM DAS RYAN VISIT TO THAILAND: NORTH KOREAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANGKOK 001894 SIPDIS SIPDIS GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL TH KN KS SUBJECT: PRM DAS RYAN VISIT TO THAILAND: NORTH KOREAN REFUGEE DISCUSSIONS BANGKOK 00001894 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR SUSAN SUTTON, REASON 1.4 (B,D). ¶1. (C) Summary. During a March 23-26 visit to Bangkok, PRM Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kelly Ryan observed extremely overcrowded conditions for North Koreans in the Bangkok Immigration Detention Center (IDC). She interviewed restless North Korean refugees who have expressed interest in U.S. resettlement and have been residing in the YWCA for up to six months. The RTG did not give a definitive reply to the USG request to permit additional USG processing of North Korean refugees in the short and long-term. Embassy will follow up with the RTG to press for expedited processing of North Korean refugees who have expressed interest in U.S. resettlement. End summary. -------------- -- Partners' Perspective: UNHCR and ROKG Comments -------------- -- ¶2. (C) At the time of DAS Ryan's March 23-26 visit to Bangkok, 68 North Koreans had expressed interest in U.S. resettlement (58 formally registered by UNHCR and 10 new arrivals). Another 300 or more North Koreans were being processed for resettlement in the ROK out of the Bangkok IDC. DAS Ryan thanked ROKG Ambassador Han Tae-kyu for the ROKG's cooperation in U.S. resettlement. Han told Ryan that the ROKG had closed down its North Korean safe houses in Thailand last year after raids by Thai police, So all ROKG-bound North Korean cases in Thailand were being processed out of the IDC. Han said that this actually shortened processing time since the North Koreans would in any event have to serve some time in detention to work off their illegal immigration fine. An ROKG Embassy officer accompanying Ambassador Han expressed surprise that the USG had not made the same decision to process all U.S.-bound cases at the IDC. He also said that NGO reports which had critized conditions in the IDC had led the Thai to tighten access. Acknowledging the limited capacity of the IDC to accomodate North Koreans, Ambassador Han said he expected that the ROKG would not decide to reopen any safe houses for North Koreans until asked to do so by the RTG. When asked if there might be ways the U.S. and ROK could cooperate in Thailand, the ROK side did not offer any suggestions and Han stated that the North Koreans were most interested in departing Thailand as quickly as possible. ¶3. (C) UNHCR Regional Representative Hasim Utkan stated that the North Korean refugee issue is one of several priorities for his office, given pressing protection issues involving the Burmese and Hmong in Thailand. He reviewed recent North Korean refugee developments, including the 400 percent increase in numbers in 2006 compared to 2005 and the RTG closure of ROK shelters. He told Ryan that when the North Korean refugee flows through Thailand increased significantly in 2006, the ROK Embassy in Thailand provided UNHCR with additional staff to interview both ROK- and U.S.-bound cases. Utkan was impressed that the ROKG was processing an average of 100 North Koreans a month in Thailand for resettlement in the ROK (compared to 20 a month a year before). On the other hand, he said that the ROKG still might be holding back its processing speed to steady the flow of North Koreans into South Korea. Utkan opined that the USG made the right choice to pay the RTG immigration fines for recently resettled U.S.-bound cases. With the closing of the ROK shelters, ROK-bound North Koreans were having to spend more time in the overly crowded IDC. Utkan also expressed support for development of the Wat Tham Krabok facility for processing of refugees, including North Koreans, Lao Hmong, and other urban refugees including those for whom UNHCR has done refugee status determination. -------------- Crowded and Unsustainable Living Arrangements -------------- ¶4. (C) Ryan visited the IDC and observed extremely crowded living conditions for the North Korean refugees (the great majority of whom have expressed interest in ROK resettlement). They were located in one room laying or sitting side-by-side. Though fans circulate air somewhat, the crowded conditions and seasonally hot weather results in stifling heat. There is also only one latrine per cell which is used to accommodate 200 plus persons. Country Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Tom Coughlin noted that JRS BANGKOK 00001894 002.2 OF 003 access to the IDC was restricted in the beginning of March to medical screening for two hours a day. Coughlin was also concerned by rumors that the IDC would soon receive additional Hmong refugees which could exacerbate the overcrowding. The senior Thai Immigration official present asked Ryan to press the ROKG to take immediately all of those waiting to be resettled in the ROK. ¶5. (C) North Korean refugees living in the YWCA had no complaints about their care. Some did, however, express disbelief that the USG, such a strong country, could not persuade the RTG to allow more North Koreans to be processed for U.S. resettlement. The refugees noted that the cost for coming to Thailand was about USD 3000 and this had to be pre-paid to those who moved the refugees. The refugees had chosen Thailand as their destination because brokers had said there were opportunities for both U.S. and ROK resettlement in Thailand. Some of the brokers were church associations who were motivated by a desire to assist the refugees. Others were engaged solely for commercial reasons. ¶6. (C) Just prior to DAS Ryan's visit, the Embassy learned that two of the North Korean refugees at the YWCA appear to have been helping other North Koreans cross into Thailand. When asked about their activities, one of the refugees said she had only assisted her nephew to come down from China. The other refugee stated that he has never taken any money for the work he does and his interest is only in helping other people. During the interviews with the North Koreans and subsequent discussions with UNHCR, it was found that UNHCR had only been orally paraphrasing from the short information sheet about the U.S. resettlement program prepared for the North Koreans in its interviews with North Koreans expressing interest in U.S. resettlement. Embassy will ensure that all refugees stating interest in U.S. resettlement are given copies of the form by UNHCR as well as copies of the PRM frequently asked questions fact sheet. -------------- No Permission to Process, Yet -------------- ¶7. (C) DAS Ryan discussed the North Korean refugee issue in separate meetings with the RTG Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Intetnational Organization Department Deputy Director-General Peerasak Chantavarin, NSC Secretary General Prakit Prachonpachanuk, and Ministry of Interior Deputy Permanent Secretary Surraud Thongniramol. She thanked all three for the RTG's cooperation in allowing the USG to resettle 21 North Koreans out of Thailand, noted steps the USG had taken to ensure that such processing was kept discreet and pointed out that the USG would like to work with the RTG to prosecute smugglers involved in sexually abusing or exploiting North Koreans in Thailand. The main issue was not the pull factor, but the push factor in North Korea of government repression. Ryan said that there were currently 68 North Koreans in Bangkok who had expressed interest in U.S. resettlement. She asked the RTG to permit U.S. resettlement of these persons and noted that the USG was ready to moved quietly and quickly to process their cases. The U.S. had no quota on the number of North Korean refugees it could take. She stated that the U.S. has resettled North Koreans out of another country in the region and hoped to resettle out of two additional countries in the near future. ¶8. (C) The MFA's Peerasak expressed concern that the numbers of North Koreans passing through Thailand had significantly increased since the RTG had allowed the USG to process North Koreans on humanitarian grounds. He repeated several times that the RTG did not want Thailand to be a "routine route" for this population. He said that conditions in the IDC were overcrowded. He noted the issue also involved other countries in the region. For its part, MFA had to work with other RTG agencies which were focused on security concerns. Peerasak closed by noting that the RTG would continue to do its part on the North Korean refugee issue. DAS Ryan responded that the number of North Koreans heading to the U.S. were modest; nevertheless, USG officials in the executive and legislative branches care a great deal about this population and greatly appreciated the RTG's cooperation to date. NSC Secretary General Prakit echoed the comments made by his MFA counterpart. He noted that Thailand had to enforce its immigration law and North Koreans who entered Thailand illegally were subject to that law. The RTG was BANGKOK 00001894 003.2 OF 003 worried about the pull factor; there might be as many as 100,000 North Koreans currently in China who could seek resettlement, and Thailand seemed to be the preferred route at this point. Once the North Koreans arrived in Thailand, however, they could be resettled. ¶9. (C) DAS Ryan also asked her RTG interlocutors to consider the possibility of using the Wat Tham Krabok site, where the USG is winding up a large-scale Hmong resettlement project, for resettlement processing of North Koreans and other small refugee groups such as urban Burmese, Hmong, and nationals from outside the Asian region. Ryan stated that such an arrangement would help reduce the chances for exploitation of North Korean refugees. The Thai response was non-committal on this idea. -------------- Next Steps -------------- ¶10. (C) Embassy will follow up with the RTG to press for additional processing of North Koreans who have stated their interest in U.S. resettlement. Department will encourage the ROKG to expedite outprocessing of North Koreans from Bangkok. ¶11. (U) DAS Ryan approved this cable. ARVIZU