The people were very dirty and their clothes were dirty and shabby. There still were no usable wells and no medical facilities. The CORDS refugee advisor informed us that there were no plans to improve the living conditions of this site. On the basis of our inspection of this site. we believe that these people have little opportunity to be" selfsupporting. and there is little economic potential for this site. 2. My TrangApproximately 800 unrecognized refugees are located in this hamlet. These people were relocated by military activity from a GVNpaclfied area. The CORDS refugee advisor stated that these people could not be recognized as refugees because GVN policy specifies that refugees cannot originate from pacified areas. Because of the lack of time. we did not attempt to inspect all facilities at the site. It was apparent. however. that these people were living in substandard. conditions. The refugee advisor stated that the GVNs assistance to these people consisted of some rolled oats in January 1970 and nothing since then. We also visited 10 refugee sites in three provinces in IV Corps. The refugees were living in markedly different conditions than those in the other regions where they generally lived in normal refugee camps and resettlement sites. In the delta the refugees are scattered along canals and roads. These people are (1) integrated with the local inhabitants. (2) living in shelters they constructed. or (3) living with friends and relatives. Accordingly. we were unable to determine the exact number of refugees residing in the sites visited. The geographical and social conditions existing in the delta preclude our comparing the refugees living conditions in IV Corps with. the conditions in the other three regions. During our Inspections of the sites. we observed that most of the refugees (1) appeared to be economically selfsufficient. (2) were living in sites where there appeared to be economic potential. and (3) were living in homes that. in most instances. were comparable to or better than the homes of some nonrefugees. Our observations at two ofthe sites visited in Kien Giang Province are described as follows: Dong That and Dong HoaWe found it difficult to identify all refugees in Dong Thai because some were merged with the nonrefugees. All the homes were located along the banks of the canal and were not clustered together. We observed that some of the refugee homes appeared to be bigger and better than some of the nonrefugee homes. Behind some of the refugee homes. plenty of land was available for farming. We were informed by a CORDS official that the land was being farmed by refugees. Food appeared to be plentiful. and no evidence of starvation or malnutrition existed among the inhabitants. Further down the canal. in Dong Hoa where some unrecognized refugees were living. the homes were smaller and closer together but the people were not living in crowded conditions. We were informed that these people had received no benefits and would not receive any. because the Ministry of Social Welfare stated that. instead of moving to GVNcontrolled areas. these people initially had moved to Viet Congcontrolled areas. Subsequently they returned to their former homes but they are not considered by the GVN as refugees returning to their villages. We observed no shortage of water and there appeared to be adequate sanitation facilities. However. there was no dispensary in Dong Hoa. There were classrooms available but no teachers. As of March 20. 1970. the monthly refugee report for 402 occupied sites in Vietnam showed that 176 sites (42 percent) were overcrowded and 87 sites (21 percent) were deficient in medical support. In addition. 833 classrooms were needed and an undetermined number of sites had inadequate water supplies. Of the 382 sites for which ratings were assigned by Ministry of Social Welfare personnel. 91 of the sites (24 percent) were rated substandard. Furthermore. the Minister of Social Welfare In March 1970 stated that many refugee sites. although secure and in existence for a long time. lacked necessary facilities for education. public health. sanitation. and water and that many refugees were poor and not selfsupporting. In June 1970 it was reported that. in 133 camp sites in I Corps. 224.963 people could not support themselves and that 213.718 of these 224.963 people were living in sites where there is no economic potential. No similar data was available for the other regions. Although no detailed statistics were available In Vietnam pertaining to the conditions and deficiencies prevailing in hamlets or villages which are being reoccupied by returning refugees. it has been recognized- by AID and the GVN that the overall living conditions are not adequate. In February 1970 the Minister of Social Welfare stated that returntovillage sites were in need of facilities for health. education. sanitation. water. and marketing.
Keywords matched
refugee refugees