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Simon Holt

About 4,000 police and soldiers moved into a Vietnamese refugee camp in the northeast yesterday to prevent rioting, a day after dozens of asylum seekers stabbed themselves.

  The 57 Vietnamese had cut and slashed themselves to avoid being forcibly returned to Vietnam.

   A total of 44 were still in hospital yesterday. A United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman said no refugees were in a 'life-threatening position'.

   But 13 on an original repatriation list had to be left behind because of their medical condition.

  Asylum seekers were told on Wednesday that they would be flown to Ho Chi Minh City from the Sikhiu holding camp in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 250 kilometres northeast of Bangkok.

  Some had yesterday threatened to burn the holding camp or commit suicide.

  Medical units, fire engines and 12 lorries were on stand-by near the camp in case of violence.

  Security, including police and soldiers from surrounding districts and provinces, was strengthened to 4,000 at dawn yesterday.

  Originally, 200 refugees were to be repatriated, but two flights yesterday carried 187 people to Ho Chi Minh City - 80 at 7.30 am and 107 at 8.30 am.

  'Some 13 of those who imposed self-inflicted wounds were on the original list of 200 [to return to Vietnam], but some were not,' said the spokesman.

  Wounded Vietnamese were sent to two hospitals in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Officials at one hospital claimed four women were in a serious condition.

  After yesterday's repatriation, 2,119 Vietnamese remained in the camp and were considered as 'economic migrants' by authorities. This means the UNHCR considers their fear of political persecution in Vietnam is unfounded.

  'We started the screening process in Sikhiu in 1989 and it was found that there were no grounds to fear persecution.

  'They were simply looking for a better life and standard of living in Thailand,' the spokesman said.

  Self-inflicted wounding is common during 'orderly repatriation programmes' and he said Thai authorities were making efforts to stop any suicide attempts.

  Two previous repatriations involved attempted suicide but on a smaller scale.

  'We are acting as mediators on the issue of refugees. But the repatriation is a bilateral agreement between Thailand and Vietnam,' he said.

  'Our people in the camp worked very hard with the help of the police and soldiers as reinforcements.

  'Thailand for years has sought to help asylum seekers providing their cause fits the criteria set by the UNHCR.'    After the two flight loads left the camp yesterday, there were no further reports of violence or threats. Two more repatriation flights will leave on Monday.

    It would now be a matter of 'wait-and-see' over the completion date of the programme, the spokesman said.



Viet refugees in stabbing frenzy over forced return