Bangkok, Dec. 29 (CNA) Taiwan has
donated a fund to a charity program aimed at feeding nutritious lunches
to preschool children in refugee camps along Thailand-Myanmar border,
Taiwan's representative office in Thailand said Friday.
Henry Chen, head of the office -- Taiwan's de facto embassy in Thailand in the absence of diplomatic ties, signed a cooperation agreement on Friday with Sally Thompson, the appointed executive director of the Thailand Burmese Border Consortium (TBC), on behalf of the Republic of China government, the office said.
In the agreement, the ROC government promised US$160,000 for the two-year program in 2013-2014, which will be jointly carried out by the TBC and the Taipei Overseas Peace Service operated by the Taiwan-based Chinese Association for Human Rights.
Around 3,800 children at more than 40 preschool centers in three refugee camps in Tak Province of Thailand will benefit from the free lunch program, the office said.
Expressing thanks for the donation, Thompson said the ROC government is the only country in Asia that supports TBC-initiated programs. Refugees along the border were very thankful, she said.
Apart from the government aid, Taiwanese businesses in Thailand have also donated money and supplements to the Thailand-Myanmar border refugee camps, Chen said.
The donations, however, were still not enough, said Kevin Lee, head of the Taipei Overseas Peace Service team stationed in Thailand. He told CNA he wished there were civil organizations that can regularly provide financial aid to support the refugee camp preschools.
Meanwhile, Thompson said that although the military regime in Myanmar has promised and begun promoting political reforms, the Burmese refugees must still stay in the refugee camps until there is true and lasting peace.
It is now still not certain when they will be able to return to their homeland, Thompson said.
If they do go back in the future, she said she hopes the ROC government can continue its support for the people so they can rebuild their homes.
Henry Chen, head of the office -- Taiwan's de facto embassy in Thailand in the absence of diplomatic ties, signed a cooperation agreement on Friday with Sally Thompson, the appointed executive director of the Thailand Burmese Border Consortium (TBC), on behalf of the Republic of China government, the office said.
In the agreement, the ROC government promised US$160,000 for the two-year program in 2013-2014, which will be jointly carried out by the TBC and the Taipei Overseas Peace Service operated by the Taiwan-based Chinese Association for Human Rights.
Around 3,800 children at more than 40 preschool centers in three refugee camps in Tak Province of Thailand will benefit from the free lunch program, the office said.
Expressing thanks for the donation, Thompson said the ROC government is the only country in Asia that supports TBC-initiated programs. Refugees along the border were very thankful, she said.
Apart from the government aid, Taiwanese businesses in Thailand have also donated money and supplements to the Thailand-Myanmar border refugee camps, Chen said.
The donations, however, were still not enough, said Kevin Lee, head of the Taipei Overseas Peace Service team stationed in Thailand. He told CNA he wished there were civil organizations that can regularly provide financial aid to support the refugee camp preschools.
Meanwhile, Thompson said that although the military regime in Myanmar has promised and begun promoting political reforms, the Burmese refugees must still stay in the refugee camps until there is true and lasting peace.
It is now still not certain when they will be able to return to their homeland, Thompson said.
If they do go back in the future, she said she hopes the ROC government can continue its support for the people so they can rebuild their homes.
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