“These Certificates [from the Camp] Are Not Recognised in Burma”: Refugee Interview #7

 

 

The interviewee is a young Karen woman from the Mon State who was interviewed by Burma Link in Mae La refugee camp in January 2015. Out of all the refugees interviewed for this project, she is the only one who did not flee Burma due to conflict or politics. She left Burma to the camps to gain better access to education.This young woman has now graduated from one of the post-ten schools in the camp, but even though she did not flee conflict, going back to Burma is not an option. “These certificates are not recognised in Burma,” she says. “As a result, we worry about repatriation.” The reductions in food rations coupled with increasing restrictions on movement are also prohibiting her and her family members from accessing fields outside the camps, making it impossible to do daily work and make ends meet. She also says that refugees are not included in decision making and planning about the camp; “I never heard them asking our idea or suggestion when they are going to plan and decide anything. We just have to follow what they plan and decide and

[do] what they order.”

 

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BL: Why did you come to the camp?

Before I came here, I went to an orphan school in Rangoon. When I went there, I had to pay a lot for transportation. And also, I didn’t get enough support there. My parents couldn’t send me to school. After that, my mother told me not to go to school anymore. But, I told my mother that I want to continue [going to] the school and I don’t want to stop the school yet. My father also told me to stop the school. He said that ‘we can’t support you anymore, how can you go to school?’ At that time, my uncle, a person who lives in Mae La, came and visited us. Then, he told me that in Mae La refugee camp you can go to school and you will get study materials like books and pens. […] I knew nothing about the camp at that time.

 

BL: Did you come only on foot?

Not only on foot. I came on foot half of the way and by car half of the way.

 

BL: Could you get to the camp in a day?

No, I had to spend a night on the way.                                             

 

BL: Can you tell me again why did you come and live in the camp?

Because of I couldn’t go to school in Burma as we had to pay a lot for school fees. My parents couldn’t afford the school fees. […] So, I came here with my uncle. Yes, I had to get through the corn fields. At that time, I thought that Mae La [is] a city even though my uncle said it is a refugee camp. Because, I had never seen or heard about the refugees. Then, I got to the camp. I started to go to school the day after I got to the camp. On the first day of the school, even I got to the school, I knew nothing about how it worked and the other students thought I was a teacher.

 

BL: So, your parents were left in Burma?

Yes, they all are left in Burma. I came here alone.

 

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

In the last year of my school, my uncle went back to Burma and I didn’t have money. So, I went and worked in the corn fields. I supported myself to go to school.

 

BL: Have you been back to Burma? When was your last visit?

Yes, I have been back to Burma once. It was in the last year of my school. I went and visited my parents.

 

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

Yes, I feel like half is happy and half is not. Because I have to be far from my parents and stay with others. If I look at my education, I can’t use the certificate I got at —- (post-ten school in the camp) in Burma. We can’t work in Burma. If we work here, I will make just a little money. When I went back to Burma, I tried to get a job but it was not ok. Because, I didn’t have much opportunity.

 

BL: Do you feel safe to go outside of the camp?

In the camp, I feel like it is so strict. Sometimes, I want to go outside the camp. In Burma, I could go anywhere I want. But in the camp, I just have to stay in the camp and can’t go anywhere.

 

BL: Has life in the camp changed in recent years? If so, how?

I heard news that people will come and take our photo like register. But, it is not sure. I don’t know what kind of photo they will take. They will come on the 26th, February. But, I don’t know what they will do. And people said that ‘don’t go out and just stay in the camp.’

 

BL: Any other changes?

Now, the camp policy is stricter than before. Before, we could still go out but now we can’t. Before, I could go and work in the cornfields outside the camp. But now, I just have to stay at home. In the camp, now no one can go and work to make money for their family. It is difficult to go to school if you don’t make any money. It would be better if we have some jobs. Another thing is we are not allowed to use candles at night after 8pm. If you use candles, they will catch you and cut out your ration for about two or three months. We also don’t have electric bulb in house. That is really a problem.

 

 

BL: Has life in the camp changed since May 2014? How?

Yes. Before we could use candle at night and we could go outside of the camp. But now, we are not allowed to do that anymore. We don’t have much rights in the camp now. The amount of rations we get also has changed.

 

BL: Do you feel that refugees in the camp receive adequate aid and support?

It is not enough for me. I live with my aunt and I just get half bottle of oil. How can be it enough for one month? I get five kilos of charcoal for one month. It is also not enough. Even though it is not enough for me, I just have manage it.

 

BL: Do you have to buy your ration when you run out of it?

Yes, we have to buy it every month. This aunt’s husband was daily worker and we could buy for food. There is no money from me.

[…] This aunt has chronic illness.   So, she often gets sick and stays in bed. This uncle is taking TB medicine now. They are not healthy.

 

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

If I compare with the situation when I was there and now, Burma is developing. Because, I saw people rebuild bridges and build the road with tarmac. The transportation is getting better. Some of the businesses are also developing but not all. However, the education in my village has not changed yet. Since I was in my village, there is just until grade four in the school. Education and health are still as before. The government doesn’t come and build any clinic in our village. If we get sick, we have to go a clinic which is very far from us. I don’t see development in rural area.

 

BL: Are you worried about repatriation? Why/why not?

I heard that we will be sent back to Burma last two or three years ago, but, it has not happened yet. Yes, I worry about that. Because, if we are back in Burma how can we work and it will not easy for us to find a job in Burma. Also, we can’t use our certificates that we got [in the camp] in Burma. These certificates are not recognised in Burma. As a result, we worry about repatriation.

 

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

No. […] I just heard that the UNHCR is going to register us as refugees and another one is we are not allowed to go outside the camp. If we go, our rations will be cut out. Just see, if we don’t go out, what kind of job can we do in the camp that can earn enough money for our family. It is a problem for daily workers.

 

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

No. I feel only the leaders are included in decision making and planning about the camp.   Because, I never heard them asking our idea or suggestion when they are going to plan and decide anything. We just have to follow what they plan and decide and [do] what they order.

 

BL: If you want to voice your concerns about something in the camp, who do you go to?

I just go to my friend’s house and tell them my feeling. Then, they also come to me when they are in difficulties or feel sad. Then we suggest each other or give idea to each other to solve it.

 

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

If it is ok for me to go back and work in Burma, I would like to. I also want to stay with my family happily. But now, if I go back to Burma I won’t have any opportunity to continue my education or find a good job. So that, I would like to stay here and attend school. […]

 

BL: Any other thing?

Like if we want to go outside the camp, we have to make camp pass and it is just for seven days.   It also costs a lots money. We have to give 200 baht for that*.

*Since June 2015, Mae La camp has been closed off and refugees are currently not able to apply for the camp pass.

 

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