UNHCR to help RP solve remaining refugee problem

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) will cooperate with the Philippine government in its efforts to address the problem of human trafficking and the Vietnamese asylum-seekers in the Philippines.

UNCHR regional representative Robert Ashe made this commitment during a call on Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople last Thursday.

Ople and Ashe discussed the plight of the Vietnamese asylum-seekers who remain in the country and the bill that will grant permanent residency to about 2,000 refugees now held in Palawan that was recently passed on second reading by Congress.

Ashe told the government the UNCHR also supports the voluntary return of the Vietnamese refugees to their homeland.

Ople said the proposal made by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to grant these refugees permanent residency so they may earn an honest living and raise their families here instead of returning to Vietnam is acceptable to the government.

During their meeting, Ople told Ashe that the UNCHR has a crucial role to play in addressing the refugee and human trafficking problems in the region. Ashe is based in Jakarta, Indonesia and his jurisdiction covers Brunei Darussalam, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

"While states have increased their efforts to address these issues, much more can be done with the full cooperation of international organizations like the UNCHR," Ople said.

The foreign affairs chief said he cited "the situation of our people in Sabah, who were sent back to Mindanao, as well as our workers in the Middle East during the use of force in Iraq. Mr. Ashe told me that the UNCHR will be willing to assist us should similar situations arise in the future."

During his call, Ashe expressed the UNCHR’s deep appreciation for the key role the Philippines played during the outflow of Indochinese asylum seekers after the Vietnam War.

On the human trafficking front, Ashe said the Bali Process initiated by Indonesia and Australia has seen very active participation from the Philippines. This program, he said, has helped improve cooperation in the fight against human trafficking.