C.O.R.S.O. Told Of Use Of Its Funds

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30143, 29 May 1963, Page 16

C.O.R.S.O. Told Of Use Of Its Funds

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 28. The visiting United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (Mr Felix Schnyder) this evening presented a report to C.OJRJS.O. in Wellington showing how £162349 raised during World Refugee Year appeals organised by C.0.R.5.0. had helped bring assistance to 11,700 refugees from Europe to Hong Kong.

Of this amount £90.599 was allocated to the High Commissioner's office for its own programmes and £71.750 was contributed to him for giving to other bodies. In his address. Mr Schnydtr paid a tribute to the organisation as being “in the very first rank on a worldwide basis in terms of what i.t has accomplished in favour of refugees" Tn New Zeetond the amount raised during World Refugee Year, counting public and Governmental contributions came to £464.230. which worked out to 4s for every man, woman and child In the country This was the second highest per capita figure among the 97 countries participating in World Refugee Year It was surpassed only by Norway.

Referring to the funds given tor his own programmes, Mr Schnyder said £47.500 had been used to settle 268 refugees living in three camps in Europe

The second major programme of assistance which benefited from CO R S.O’s financial support was the care and maintenance of refugees of European origin from the mainland of China An amount of £33.099 was spent in this programme and some 7000 persons received help A final amount of £lO.OOO was still being used to assist more than 1000 refugees in need living outside camps in Austria.

Mr Schnyder said that of the £71.750 which had been channelled through his office to other organisations' the

largest amount. £37.500. went for Chinese refugees in Hong Kong Noting New Zealand’s effort during World Refugee Year, he praised the role of the Government in having been the first overaeas country to accept handicapped refugees and their dependents without requiring individual sponsors who would guarantee that the refugees would not become liabilities to the State. “New Zealand's humanitarian action took on an international significance far beyond that of this particular scheme.” he said. “In fact, it set off a whole chain reaction which saw a succession of overseas countries follow suit with sirqilar pilot programmes. Thus, tn the same way that C.0.R.5.0 proved a pace-setter in raising funds for refugees, the New Zealand Government merits recognition as a trail-blazer in the field of migration " Decline in Numbers

Mr Schnyder said the most striking result of World Refugee Year was the decline of the number of refugees in camps from more than 30,000 in 1959 to a little more than 4000 now

Most of the present occupants were relatively new arrivals. The long-time camp dwellers, those who had spent as long as 10 or 15 years in barracks were already settled or were now moving into new homes financed through the proceeds >f World Refugee Year. Mr Schnyder said, however that, although 70.000 persons

had been settled under his programmes, there were still 30.000 refugees in Europe who required help- from international sourcea.

In some cases, he said, the material circumstances of these refugees were even worse than most of the camp dwellers. "We are definitely in the home stretch as regards Europe, but to conclude this Work will require a concerted international effort as is shown by the fact that at the beginning of this year, the office faced a financial gap of £1,428,400." Describing the outbreak of new large-scale refugee problems in Africa Involving some 300.000 refugees since World Refugee Year. Mr Schnyder cited 150.000 persons from Angola who crossed into the Congo, and about the same number from Rwanda who took refuge in the neighbouring areas of Burundi, the Congo, Tanganyika and Uganda. The High Commissioner said the aim was to achieve permanent solutions that led to the firm settlement of the refugees. Lacking the resources to cope with such large problems alone, he said, the High Commissioner’s office acted as a catalyst, bringing to bear help from all possible sources.

He underlined the need to assure that projects for refugees in Africa were brought within the framework of programmes intended to further the economic and social -. development of the country of asylum.

"The people of New Zealand have consistently shown an outstanding awareness of the need for concerted international action to deal with refugee problems,” he said. "I am sure that in the future, as in the past, we can count on your understanding and support.” New Zealand had been given the files of 22 severely handicapped European refugees to see if they could be settled here. Mr Schnyder said earlier today. He said a new method of complete human files on such refugees had met with miraculous success among member Governments of the United Nations.