WORLD BRIDGE BLOG

When will it end?

Senseless cycles of human suffering go unchecked in many parts of the world.  And we all are, I believe, accountable to break them by becoming aware and taking meaningful action.

This summer RI colleague Sean Garcia and I conducted a field visit to Thailand, where for decades the largest numbers of refugees from Burma have sought safety. Because the country remains entrenched in political and armed conflict, forced displacement continues unabated.  Large numbers of refugees have grown up in camps and some of them are now being resettled to third countries, because there is exceedingly little hope of them returning to Burma in the foreseeable future and durable solutions in Thailand continue to be elusive. But moving people, however voluntarily, is a very expensive band-aid. The root of the problem has not been solved, not even diminished.  In fact, it’s getting worse.

In late July, several thousand new arrivals were trying to get back on their feet in Nong Bua area of northern Tak Province.  Four families had just arrived earlier that day.  

When attacks escalated in June triggering renewed movement across the border, people looked for shelter at a local temple but have since vacated the building because there are so many of them and the temple is needed for religious services. Initially, about a thousand people representing some eight or ten villages traveled together safely with no injuries reported.  More than a thousand others came in small groups or individually – and were continuing to arrive two or three times a week.  Some are hiding in the jungles of Burma. A few remain in their villages, though they often sleep away from home and are ready to leave on a moment’s notice.

Refugees arrive with only the clothes on their backs. They don’t even bring household items such as pots, in case they are stopped by soldiers along the way or are questioned about their travel or destination. The Royal Thai Government has graciously permitted the refugees to stay.  International and local organizations provide food. People feel safe. No one has returned.  “We don’t dare to go back,” one refugee said.  “And there are landmines.”  “We want permission to stay until international monitors are in Karen State. We want democracy in Burma.”

A woman said she arrived at the Nong Bua settlement about a month ago. She traveled there with two other families, about 12 people altogether including her husband, her son and his wife.  They walked two days to reach the Thai border. She explained this was not the only time she’d left Burma, though it was the first time this year.  She has not had any contact with her village since leaving, and although she wants to return says she can’t go now. Without this settlement, she says, “If don’t know where I would stay. I’m afraid the Thai government will ask us to go back.”

One family had been paying 5,000-10,000 (US$4-8) kyat every month to avoid military service.  A pregnant woman among them said she was starting to feel better now after the trek during which they had to pay 500 kyat to the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army for each person in the three families.  “We are staying with relatives for right now.  After we get a plastic sheet, we plan to build a shelter for ourselves.  We arrived today and haven’t gotten food rations yet. Our son has a fever so we want to take him to the clinic as soon as we can, now that we are safe in Thailand.”

Another family’s journey from Burma took 2-3 days.  “We can’t go back to Burma,” the young mother explained. Their rice is supplied by the Thai-Burma Border Consortium, they are able to get papayas from local villages, and can collect enough rainwater for household needs because it is rainy season. She’s concerned that there is no school for her children. This worries her because, at age 25, her predicament is the same as her mother suffered over and over during the course of a lifetime.

It is up to every one of us, to ensure the cycle doesn’t continue.