“As Soon As We Got Out, Our Houses Were Burned”: Refugee Interview #2

 

 

The interviewee is a Karen female who was interviewed by Burma Link in Mae La refugee camp in January 2015. She lived in Hlaing Bwe Township, Karen State, until the armed conflict forced her and her family to flee to Thailand. She witnessed fellow villagers being killed, including a pregnant woman, and her village was burned to the ground. On the way to Thailand, she walked together with her family and a group of about 30 people. Some of them stepped on a landmine and died. ”I saw two boys and one girl who stepped on a landmine and died. We walked with fear and we could go through the forest and we got to the border. We can say that we were so lucky at the time,” she says. She now has “nothing in Burma,” and she is happy to live in the camp where, even though rations have been cut and are now not enough for her family, at least she gets some support. For her future, she wants to see her children grow up to be educated and go to university.

 

———————————————

 

BL: How did you come to the camp? Did you have any difficult on the way?

I was afraid of Burmese

[military].          

 

BL: Why were you afraid of Burmese [military] ?

Because they burned our houses.

 

BL: Did have any difficulty on the way?

Yes, it was raining season. The Burmese [military] came to our house at that time. We were afraid of them and we fled from the house. On the way we walked, we had to be afraid of the landmines. We just followed other people. I came with about 30 people. Some stepped on the landmine and died. I saw two boys and one girl stepped on the landmine and died. We walked with fear and we could go through the forest and we got to the border. We can say that we were so lucky at that time. That’s why we escaped from the danger and we got to a safe place. When we got to Thailand side, we were less afraid. We were just afraid in Burma side.

 

BL: Why did you come to the camp?

Because of the conflict. They shot at each other and fought each other. So, we didn’t dare to stay in the village anymore and we came here.

 

BL: Who fought each other?

They are Karen military and Burmese military.

 

BL: Did they fight in your village?

Yes, sometimes they fought around our houses in our village. Then, our houses were shot [at] and our village was burned. And some of the villagers were killed. There was a pregnant woman who was shot and died. That’s why we came here.

 

BL: How did you know about Mae La camp?

My friends told me about the camp that we should go to Mae la. If we live in Mae La, we don’t need to be afraid of anything. We will be safe from the danger of Burmese military. We don’t also need to worry about accommodation and livelihood. We will get support. If we go to another place we would face many problems. If we continue to live in Burma, we will always need to be afraid or frightened. When I lived in my village, the fighting happened and we just had time to get out of our houses. As soon as we got out, our houses were burned. My house was near the mountain. They shot at each other from the mountain so, it was so dangerous to stay at home. So, I moved to Mae La with my husband and three children. Now, I have nothing in Burma.

 

BL: Have you left the camp since arrival? When and where did you go?

No, never. I have never gone out since I arrived, but my husband was a daily worker. He went outside the camp and worked. He went outside the camp for two or three days and came back once. For me, never, and just stay at home.

 

BL: Why did your husband work outside the camp?

Because we need some food and candles for our children. If not, my children won’t be able to use candles to get light at night for their studying.

 

BL: Have you been back to Burma?

No. I never go back to Burma. Since I have arrived here, I never go back to Burma. Because, I don’t have any house and any relatives in Burma. And also, I don’t have enough money for transportation. That’s why I don’t go back to Burma.

 

BL: How do you feel about living in a refugee camp?

I don’t feel anything special. But, I am satisfied to live in the camp because I have food to eat and we have clothes to wear. When I was in Burma, I don’t have enough clothes to wear or enough blankets.

 

BL: How do you feel about your security?

I feel safe and happy here.

 

BL: Has life in the camp changed in recent years? How?

I just stay at home and do not go anywhere. So, I don’t know the changes in the camp. But, I heard people said we are not allowed to go outside the camp anymore. And we are allowed to use candles just until 9 pm. After that, we are not allowed. If we break that rule, we will be taken to the jail for a few days and our rations will be cut out.

 

BL: Has life in the camp changed since last year?

Yes, the policy of the camp is getting stricter than before. For example, before, we were allowed to go outside of the camp but now we are not allowed. It is a problem for some people. Some people said they feel like they are living in a cage. They are suffocating [because] of living in the camp.

 

BL: Do you feel that refugees in the camp receive adequate aid and support? If not, can you explain?

Before we got enough rations but now we don’t. Rice is still enough for us now but oil and fish paste are not enough.

 

BL: How do you feel about the recent developments inside Burma?

I don’t know because I don’t go back to Burma. But, I heard that it is developing and gets peace. I don’t know it exactly because I have not been there for a long time.

 

BL: Are you worried about repatriation?

Yes, I am worried about that because yes, it is ok if the situation in Burma is getting better and safer for us. If not, I am afraid to go back. If everything in Burma is going well, yes I dare to go back. Another thing I worry about is accommodation for us. If we don’t have house to live and job to earn money, it is no way for me to go back to Burma. When we live in Burma if we don’t have money, we all will starve and die.

 

BL: Do you feel like you have access to accurate information about the camp or any other developments for refugees? Can you explain?

I don’t know how to tell that. I just heard that people said we are going to be recognized as refugees and will be sent to third country. I don’t know exactly if it is true information but I am so happy to hear that. Because I really want to go to third country.

 

BL: Do you feel that refugees are included in decision making and planning about the camp? Can you explain?

I don’t think so because I just heard their decision about the camp and I don’t see they call meeting before they make decision or plan about the camp. I don’t really know about that because I just stay at home all the time and no one cares about me.

 

BL: How do you feel about your future? What do you want in your future?

In the future, I want my children go to university and I want them to be successful. As for me, I am getting old, I will just stay at home and look after them. The most important is the education for my children. I have three children and they all are students.

 

BL: Is there anything else you would like to say?

I would like to tell you a little bit about me. When I was in my village which is in Burma, I had struggled a lot for my family livelihood. We grew crops but it was not enough for my family. So, we went to the forest and found some vegetables that we can eat. We didn’t have any good job. We didn’t have enough food to eat but we could manage it.

 

Read the full briefing paper here

Download the press release here