[Terry Evans]

I lived in London for many years and was an active supporter of the Burmese pro democracy movement. I regularly attended and spoke at demonstrations outside the Burmese embassy in  Charles Street.

 Since returning to New Zealand I have become involved in the pro democracy movement here in New Zealand and recently have become involved in trying to stop the deportation of a Burmese pro-democracy activist facing deportation from New Zealand.

 In trying to help this person, I have contacted UNHCR in Australia. Below is an excerpt from an e-mail from UNHCR that you might find interesting.  

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Country of origin information (COI) of Burma

 "It is well documented that the prevailing human rights situation in Myanmar is extremely poor. In the context of return to Myanmar, it must be assumed that individuals will be subject to government scrutiny upon arrival. Persons with a political profile are reasonably likely to be subject to disproportionate punishment, and so the question of whether of not an individual has such a profile must be carefully evaluated as part of the refugee status determination process.

 Even if an individual does not in fact have a political profile, it is reasonable to believe that any person whom the Myanmar Government suspects to have applied for refugee status abroad, and who has the profile of someone who may harbor a political opinion, risks being charged under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act upon his or her return to Myanmar, and subjected to disproportionate punishment. For example, while a rejected asylum-seeker (such as a manual laborer) who has been found to be an economic migrant and is unlikely to have been politically active would probably be questioned by the government upon return to Myanmar and later released, someone who has not been politically active but has the profile of an individual who could have been active (such as an intellectual or a student) risks being charged and disproportionately punished under the Act.

 UNHCR's capacity to monitor returnees to Myanmar is extremely limited. Nonetheless, UNHCR is aware that detention of returnees does occur. A case of particular note is that of a person returned by the Swiss Government accompanied by officials from that country, who was reportedly sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for 'crimes' including leaving Myanmar illegally, 'bringing his country into disrepute" by applying for asylum in Switzerland, and re-entering Myanmar illegally.

 The safety upon return of the individual concerned should be ascertained prior to a removal arrangement.  The utmost care should be taken to avoid raising his individual profile in the eyes of the Myanmar authorities, as this may have the effect of exposing him or her to a risk of the disproportionate punishment discussed above."

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Contact Terry Evans - <evona@ihug.co.nz>