UN Human Rights Envoy Rebuts Thai Concerns on 650,000 Cambodian Refugees, Citing UN Reports

Thomas Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia, has clarified the basis for his figures concerning Cambodian refugees, asserting that they are derived from UN reports, in response to concerns raised by the Thai government. He expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with Thai authorities through his Facebook page and X (formerly Twitter) account. Andrews welcomed the interest in his post-mission press conference statement. He specifically addressed the Thai government's objections to his estimate of approximately 650,000 Cambodians displaced due to border conflicts, noting Thailand's assertion that some of these displaced individuals reside within its territory. While acknowledging Thailand's perspective, Andrews reiterated that the figure of 650,000 displaced persons was drawn from UN reports. He emphasized that his statement was based on human rights concerns, irrespective of any disputed territorial claims. He mentioned that a draft of the relevant section of his statement, concerning border conflicts and displacement, was shared with the Thai government two days prior to its public release in an attempt to solicit their views, though no response has yet been received. Andrews plans to finalize his report on the human rights situation in Cambodia for the UN Human Rights Council in the coming month. He intends to contact the Thai government again during this process, hoping to discuss their perspectives before his report is published. He underscored the critical importance of a swift and peaceful resolution to border disputes, which would enable affected citizens to return to their homes, live in a stable and secure environment, and benefit from economic opportunities presented by cross-border trade. Source: CEN Cambodia