‘Aid still needed for refugees’

Press, 27 March 1980, Page 29

‘Aid still needed for refugees’

Kampuchean refugees may face more tragedy through world neglect, according to the New Zealand director of an international relief agency project among refugees in Thailand. Mr P. McNee, in a report to World Vision of New Zealand, said that the problem was still acute and that substantial outside aid was needed. “The Thai Government announced last week that it is unable to absorb or even sustain the hundreds of thousands of refugees massed on the Thailand border. The onus rests on us,” he said. The executive director of W’orld Vision in New Zealand (Mr G. Renner) said that almost a million Kampucheans were still heavily dependent on the international relief agencies.

Mr J. Calder, the New Zealand-born director of

World Vision’s ‘/Operation Seasweep,” has'called for continuing assistance to Vietnamese refugees.

Mr Calder said the number of boat people landing at World Vision camps in the Anambas Islands in Indonesia had increased noticeably since the monsoons ended last month. World Vision had been told to prepare for “swams” of refugees over the next few months.

In New Zealand, World Vision has announced a “World Hunger Week.” Hundreds of schools and groups have ordered films and materials to learn about Third World needs.

The hunger week will culminate with a voluntary hunger strike for two days to raise money for refugee programmes and community development. More than 50,000 New Zealanders are expected to take part in the 40-hour famine, which has a target of $500,000.