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Burma
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 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi |
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In 1998, I spent 6 weeks in Northern Thailand as a volunteer, working with refugees from Burma. It was an incredibly rewarding experience.
This process all began when I attended a talk at the University of Colorado given by Inge Sargent in the fall of 1997. She was talking about Burma and her experiences. I knew a little about Burma, but, like many people, didn't have the appropriate perspective and understanding. Clearly, her talk hit a nerve with me. Afterwards, I approached her and basically said, "I'm interested in learning more". She pointed me to some books and eventually put me in contact with a relief organization in Northern Thailand. I contacted them and after a couple of letters back and forth, a plan emerged and I went to volunteer.
Although I've traveled a fair amount and had even been to Thailand before, I had no idea what to expect volunteering for a relief organization in Thailand. The arrangement was very informal; I wasn't sure if someone was going to meet me or how I could help. I didn't know how to build houses or provide medical care or speak Burmese. All I knew was that I wanted to help, and I wanted to learn more about the situation in and around Burma.
I did just that. I ended up working mainly with ethnic minorities from Burma that have been displaced to Thailand. These people are not Burmese refugees, they are refugees from Burma. Burmese refugees are individuals associated with the Burmese ethnicity. The people I worked with were mainly Shan, Palaung, Wa, Lahu, Karen, and Karenni. I learned about the 100,000 official refugees in designated camps on the Thai/Burmese border; I learned about the hundreds of thousands of unofficial refugees that are living in makeshift villages on the Thai/Burmese border; and I learned about the millions of "illegals" from Burma that are actually living and working in Thailand.
There is almost no support for the refugees. The UN's ability to provide support is limited because they haven't officially defined the conflict in Burma as war. Thailand also prefers not to recognize refugees, and their policy has been, at best, tolerance. Thailand prefers not to risk acknowledging the refugees because of the potential financial cost. Thailand also has little interest in stirring things up with their neighbor and confronting them. As a result, refugees are forced to fend for themselves.
Many of the individuals I worked with were illegals in Thailand. Few had appropriate documentation. Most were leaders and representatives of their ethnic groups. All were there because they wanted a better life for their people. They were trying to provide basic support (food, medicine, etc), organize, educate, and push for change in Burma. Most have family and friends back in Burma that are suffering. The suffering I describe is not only poverty and malnutrition but also forced relocation, forced labor, rape, and murder. Almost every refugee I met had seen a friend or family member die from the policies of the Burmese government. Some have no idea where some of the family members are. Many haven't seen their family for years.
I was based in Chiang Mai, but traveled around the countryside. I spent 3 days near Nai Soi, 7 km from the Burmese border in Thailand. At that time, "Camp 4" was nearby. Camp 4 was one of the official refugee camps. Since my visit, I have learned that it has been relocated. In 1998, Camp 4 was full of families and housed several thousand people. On the day I visited, the doctor was also there making his bi-weekly visit. I learned that the doctor (a gentleman from India educated in the West) was part of the informal support provided by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). It turns out, almost all support to the refugees comes from the NGO system. However, even more surprising than the official camp was how most of the refugees in the area were living. Scattered throughout the border area were small villages; refugees living in simple huts, working the land to provide food, with no medical care and no clean water. I lived in one of these villages for 3 days, and I believe I made a difference.
I provided some measurable assistance to the refugees I was working with. I helped with English, set up computers, and provided training on various topics. But probably even more important, I engaged myself in their problems. I was surprised how much energy I provided just by offering to help. The crisis in Burma is often overlooked. Even though the Burmese government denies it, there is an ongoing war in Burma and around the border. Very little news gets out. At best, we hear about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or maybe a little about boycotts or legislation aimed at forcing change in Burma. The ethnic minorities get no press. They are pretty much alone out there fighting for basic human rights and change in Burma with little recognition.
Since my experiences in Northern Thailand in 1998, things have gotten worse for the refugees. Since the late 1990's Asian economic meltdown, Thailand has taken a less tolerant attitude towards the refugees. Some NGOs have even felt pressure to leave. There have also been increased incursions into Thailand by the Burmese military, and many refugee camps have been attacked and set on fire. Many refugees have been deported back to Burma which puts them at serious risk.
I continue to remain in contact with many of my friends in Northern Thailand, and I provide support and help where I can. So long as the military dictatorship is in power in Burma, my heart will be with those people.
Tony Craig is a software engineer in Boulder, Colorado and is a Board of Director on Burma Lifeline. He can be reached via email at tcraig@burmalifeline.org