From: doky@uda.dgcd.doc.ca (Hien Doky)
Subject: [Refugees] Please help stop inhuman policy, for Canadian netters
Originator: daemon@media-lab.media.mit.edu
Reply-To: doky@uda.dgcd.doc.ca
Organization: SCV Relay
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 20:02:12 GMT


	Dear friends,

	If you are living in Canada, you can send this letter to 
MP David Kilgour and the Hon. Barbara McDougall, Secretary of
State for External Affairs, at the following addresses. Mr. Kilgour
will address this issue to the House of Commons and, hopefully,
will convince Ms. McDougall to act appropriately. Please help
out your fellow country people.

	Mr. David Kilgour
	Room 363
	House of Commons
	Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
	Canada
	Tel: (613) 995 8695
	FAX: (613) 995 6465

	Hon. Barbara McDougall
	Secretary of State for External Affairs
	Room 231, West Block
	House of Commons
	Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
	Canada
	Tel: (613) 995 1851
	FAX: (613) 996 3443

	In you letter/fax to Mr. Kilgour, please specify that you
would like to see the issue addressed in the House of Commons, and
would like see Ms. McDougall protest to the UNHCR, on behalf of
all Canadians, on the UNHCR'S inhumane policy (starving boat people
to force them to participate in the forced repatriation program).

	Hie^?n

	PS. Do send also the news attached so that they know that
the information is genuine. Mr. Kilgour has accepted my FAX and
has promised to act immediately. If he gets more requests, he'll 
be in a better position in the House of Commons to defend boat
people's interests. Also, if Ms. McDougall gets these letters, she
must respond to our just demands.

**** the letter to David Kilgour and Barbara McDougall,
     please send two separate letters ****

Mr. David Kilgour
Room 363
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Canada
Tel: (613) 995 8695
FAX: (613) 995 6465


Dear Sir:

I would like to express my very grave concern about UNHCR's policy
towards Vietnamese boat people in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.
This policy has caused much suffering and even death to many of the
asylum seekers whose desire is only a decent life free from
persecution.

Yesterday, a boat person in Galang, Indonesia, immolated himself in
front of the UNHCR's office after being denied refugee status. This
is not the first suicide and, I am afraid, will not be the last. In 
August of last year, another boat person in Galang also burned 
herself to death after receiving a negative decision from the UNHCR. 
Similar suicides have been reported in Malaysia and Hong Kong in 
the past year. The screening conducted by UNHCR (as in Indonesia) or
monitored by UNHCR (as in Hong Kong) has been consistently
denounced as flawed by human rights organizations like Amnesty
International, Asia Watch, and Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

In Galang, the distress of facing unfair screening is aggravated by
UNHCR's starvation policy which denies boat people of the minimum
food ration to survive in an attempt to coerce them to go back to
Vietnam. The food rations given to boat people in Galang are well
below the minimum recommended by UNHCR/WFP and WHO. The food
rations in Thailand are even lower. Cuts have been reported in
Sungei Besi Camp, Malaysia, as well. This policy has been publicly
protested by other united nation organizations such as UNICEF.

I call upon your good office to protest immediately the UNHCR's 
practice of using food as weapons against boat people.
I also urge you to investigate the screening procedure being
conducted or monitored by the UNHCR. 

Your prompt action on these two issues will show that Canada is
living up to her name as the protector of human rights.

Respectfully,

signed,
address:



Hon. Barbara McDougall
Secretary of State for External Affairs
Room 231, West Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Canada
Tel: (613) 995 1851
FAX: (613) 996 3443

Dear Madam:

I would like to express my very grave concern about UNHCR's policy
towards Vietnamese boat people in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.
This policy has caused much suffering and even death to many of the
asylum seekers whose desire is only a decent life free from
persecution.

Yesterday, a boat person in Galang, Indonesia, immolated himself in
front of the UNHCR's office after being denied refugee status. This
is not the first suicide and, I am afraid, will not be the last. In 
August of last year, another boat person in Galang also burned 
herself to death after receiving a negative decision from the UNHCR. 
Similar suicides have been reported in Malaysia and Hong Kong in 
the past year. The screening conducted by UNHCR (as in Indonesia) or
monitored by UNHCR (as in Hong Kong) has been consistently
denounced as flawed by human rights organizations like Amnesty
International, Asia Watch, and Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

In Galang, the distress of facing unfair screening is aggravated by
UNHCR's starvation policy which denies boat people of the minimum
food ration to survive in an attempt to coerce them to go back to
Vietnam. The food rations given to boat people in Galang are well
below the minimum recommended by UNHCR/WFP and WHO. The food
rations in Thailand are even lower. Cuts have been reported in
Sungei Besi Camp, Malaysia, as well. This policy has been publicly
protested by other united nation organizations such as UNICEF.

I call upon your good office to protest immediately the UNHCR's 
practice of using food as weapons against boat people.
I also urge you to investigate the screening procedure being
conducted or monitored by the UNHCR. 

Your prompt action on these two issues will show that Canada is
living up to her name as the protector of human rights.

Respectfully,


Signed:
Your address;


**** attacted news and material from anh Tha('ng **** 

			      DRAFT

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE

August 28, 1992

	     VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKER SELF-IMMOLATED
	     IN PROTEST OF UNHCR'S SCREENING POLICY

GALANG, INDONESIA -- Yesterday, August 27, Trinh Anh Huy, a 20 year
old boat person, doused himself with kerosene and burned himself to
death in front of the UNHCR's office after being denied refugee
status, in the presence of several international lawyers.

Huy is described by several non-governmental organizations as an
"active and productive" volunteer, teaching English and repairing
typewriters at a vocational school. Huy is survived by his father,
Trinh Anh Diep, who is still in Galang.

A large demonstration is being planned by the 18,000 boat people in
Galang in protest of UNHCR's screening policy [the UNHCR does the
actual screening in Galang despite their claim to the contrary]. 

The tension is described to be dangerously high in Galang at the
moment. The situation is made worse by UNHCR's food policy, dubbed
by many boat people the "starvation policy". Starting in February
of this year, the UNHCR has made a number of cuts in the already
meager food rations in Galang. According to the latest figures
available and confirmed, the average caloric intake in Galang for
the month of June stood at less than 50% of the minimum recommended
by World Health Organization and World Food Program. Before the
cuts, it was at 85%. The Government of Indonesia has constantly
opposed UNHCR's food policy. 

Several other suicides and suicide attempts have been reported from
Galang in past years. On August 30 of last year, Ms. Trinh Kim
Huong, 28, burned herself to death after being denied refugee
status. There is fear among camp workers that, if UNHCR's food
policy is not immediately stopeed and screening not improved, the
explosive situation in Galang will incur more suicides and mass
violence in the next few days.

                LETTERS FROM GALANG, INDONESIA

San Diego, Saturday 15 August, 1992

Dear Editor:

I am a boat person from Galang, Indonesia, resettled in the USA on
June 24, 1992, as a refugee.

I was an officer in the Military Police of the Army of the Republic
of Vietnam with 8 years in re-education camps. I escaped by boat on
September 9, 1989 and arrived on Indonesian territory on October 3,
1989...

... I would like to limit this letter to the food rations
distributed by the UNHCR in Galang. There are other disturbing
issues of which I was an witness; I have been asked by the
Vietnamese community in Galang to speak up on their behalf...

Food distribution is carried out by UNHCR's Procurement Unit  in
coordination with the Procurement Office of the Vietnamese Camp
Committee. There are two types of distribution:

1. Monthly rations for each person consist of: 1 liter of cooking
oil (vegetable oil), 1/3 of a bottle of soy sauce (equivalent to
0.25 liter), 100 g of table salt, and 9 cans of sardines in water
donated by Norway. Sardines are usually past expiration date in
swollen containers and therefore not consumable. The net weight of
each can is 100 g. In average 1 kg of green vegetables (water
cress, cabbage, egg plants, papaya, lettuce, cucumber, pumpkin, or
gourd... depending on the Indonesian contractor) were distributed
per  month. Soy sauce and green vegetables have been cut since the
beginning of this year. As for sardines, in May and June, we
received only 2 instead of 9 cans. UNHCR said that they would make
up for the missing rations later but that never happened. Similar
promises had been regularly broken in the past.

2. Weekly rations for each person consist of: about 2.5 kg of rice
(there were weeks when we received only 2/3 of that ration); 3 bags
of instant noodles (since March 92, instant noodles have been cut
from the food rations); 150 g of wet brown sugar (as compared to
white sugar in the past); 150 g of mung beans and 150 g of soya
beans (these three items were listed at 150 g on paper but the
actual amount received by boat people was less than 100 g each;
oftentimes they were skipped altogether); and 1 liter of kerosene.

My son and I did not have any relative overseas to support us and
therefore had to eat as sparingly as possible. However, the food
provided by the UNHCR could last only 10 days for us (except for
kerosene and cooking oil which we did not know what to use for
since there was not enough food to cook.) As for the remaining 20
days we had to make do and this was reminiscent of my days in re-
education camp.

...From time to time there were delegations of the Government of
Indonesia from Jakarta, or of resettlement countries, including the
USA, who came and visited the camp. The [Vietnamese] Camp Committee
always brought up the issue of insufficient food and some other
issues, in writing. We had always been promised that they would
recommend improvements but nothing ever happened...

Duong Van Giao
San Diego, CA 92105
                 
AFFIDAVIT OF NGUYEN MANH HUNGFOOD RATIONS IN GALANG, INDONESIA
(based on letters from Galang and affirmations from new arrivals to
the US and Canada)                

ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
3                             3 1991 3         1992          3
3                             3      CDDDDDBDDDDDBDDDDDBDDDDD4
3Time Period                  3      3 Feb 3 May 3 Jun 3 Jul 3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3Daily Caloric Intake         3 2170 32040 31973 31235 31973 3
3                             3      3     3     3     3     3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3Percent of minimum           3      3     3     3     3     3
3recommended by WHO and WFP   3  89% 3 84% 3 81% 3 51% 3 81% 3 
3                             3      3     3     3     3     3
CDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Sardines   3   9  3  9  3  2  3  2  3  2  3
3        3      3   (cans)    3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Soy Sauce  3 0.25 3  0  3  0  3  0  3  0  3
3        3 Per  3   (liter)   3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3 Month3  Salt       3 150  3  0  3  0  3  0  3  0  3
3        3      3   (g)       3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Cooking Oil3  1   3  1  3  1  3  1  3  1  3
3        3      3   (liter)   3      3     3     3     3     3
3        CDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Rice       3 2.8  3 2.8 3 2.8 3 1.4 3 2.8 3
3        3      3   (kg)      3      3     3     3     3     3
3RATIONS 3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Sugar      3 140  3 140 3 140 3 140 3 140 3
3        3      3   (g)       3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Mung Beans 3 140  3 140 3 140 3 140 3 140 3
3        3 Per  3   (g)       3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3 Week 3  Soya Beans 3 140  3 140 3 140 3 140 3 140 3
3        3      3   (g)       3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Instant    3  3   3  0  3  0  3  0  3  0  3
3        3      3Noodles(bags)3      3     3     3     3     3
3        3      CDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDDEDDDDD4
3        3      3  Vegetables 3 280  3  0  3  0  3  0  3  0  3
3        3      3   (g)       3      3     3     3     3     3
@DDDDDDDDADDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDADDDDDADDDDDADDDDDADDDDDY
								
Note: The above numbers are official rations announced to the boat
people. Sugar, mung beans and soya beans actually received by the
boat people are considerably less than the amount announced.
Portions of the food distributed are also moldy and not consumable.
See sample letters from Galang for details.

     The minimum average daily caloric intake used in the above
table is 2420 kcal/day, a very conservative estimate. A more
realistic number would be 2600 kcal/day. Please see following page
for details.

    Calculation of Energy Requirement using Demographic Information
		(based on UNHCR/WFP Guideline)  

 ZDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDD?
 3       3       MALE         3   FEMALE           3         3
 CDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDD4
 3  Age  3Percent 3Energy     3Percent 3Energy     3  Total  3
 3(Years)3camp po-3requirement3camp po-3requirement3 kcal/day3
 3       3pulation3(kcal/day) 3pulation3(kcal/day) 3 for 100 3
 3       3        3           3        3           3 persons 3
 CDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDD4
 3  0-4  3  7.22  3   1,200   3  7.22  3   1,200   3  17,326 3
 3       3        3           3        3           3         3
 3  5-15 3  2.94  3   2,500   3  2.94  3   2,200   3  13,824 3
 3       3        3           3        3           3         3
 3  15+  3 39.84  3   2,800   3 39.84  3   2,500   3 211,150 3
 @DDDDDDDADDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDY
						     242,299
							 
					 242,299
    MINIMUM AVERAGE DAILY REQUIRMENT:   --------- =  2,420
					   100

    The above demographic information is partly based on available
    statistics and conservative estimates of unavailable
    statistics. See explanation below.

    Available statistics:

    Total population:    18,700 (as of March 92)

    0-4  (years old)      1,100 (based on birth statistics)
    
    4-15 (years old)      2,700
    
    15+  (years old)     14,900

    Assumption:  In the above table, the population is evenly     
		 assumed to be evenly distributed with respect 
		 to gender across all age groups.
		 This is a very conservative estimate. The actual
		 male/female ratio is more likely to be at 3/1, if 
		 demographic statistics of voluntary returnees are 
		 representative of the entire population. These
		 statistics are reported in UNHCR's "Operations
		 Profile in Respect of Refugees and Asylum Seekers
		 in Indonesia" Asylum Seekers in Galang,
		 Indonesia", dated January 1, 1992. 

		 For a population with male/female ratio of 3/1,
		 the minimum average daily requirement computed
		 according to the above method stands at 2580
		 kcal/day.

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