World Refugee Day 2017: “We’re Stuck in a Hard Place – We Can’t Go Home… and Service Cuts Make it Hard for Us to Live in the Camps…”

[political] situation in Burma doesn’t create a strong inclination for us to go back. At this time we still have great concerns for the safety and security of our lives if we return to our villages. Safety and security is very important for us. There wouldn’t be a problem to go back if there was a genuine peace. What we want is a genuine peace, not some sham peace…we really need real peace [before we go home].”

Over the last 65 years tens of thousands of Karen villagers from South Eastern Burma were forced from their homes by Burma Army offensives. Their memories and experiences of running and avoiding the army and landmines are grim reminders that it is still not safe for them to return to their old villages.

Naw Si, a resident from Mae Rama Luang refugee camp recalled how she fled leaving everything she owned behind.

“When I was forced to flee, I could only carry a water bottle. The Burmese army killed my siblings…I’m willing to return to my homeland, but only if there is real peace. Right now I am still afraid to go back if there is no genuine peace”

Naw Way Thaw, a resident from Mae Rama Luang camp shared what she experienced.

“When we lived in our country, the Burma Army tortured, tormented and oppressed us. They burned down our rice barns and houses. This created great difficulty for the maintenance of our livelihoods. When the Burma Army came, they carried out cruel mass killings. These were the kinds of experiences that we went through. These experiences of loss, danger and displacement, we could not bear anymore and that was what forced us to take refuge in the camp.”

The fledgling political reforms and the conferences on the peace process in Burma may be seen by the international community, investors and tourists as a development opportunity, but for refugees in the camp, it has created another level of anxiety for them. Rice rations have been reduced from 15kg a month to as low as 8kg, schools have suffered and health services have been with reduced to life threatening levels. Refugees spoken to by Karen News feel that the service cuts are intended to force them from the camps.

Naw Htee T’Blay Paw said that since the Burma government and Karen National Union began engaging in peace talks, the refugees have been subjected to various new pressures.

“We have faced cuts in the supply of medicines, education and food rations. Naw Htee T’Blay Paw said; “We feel like these cuts are intended to create pressure for refugees to return to their homeland…”

Saw Lu Shwe, a resident from Mae Rama Luang told Karen News that the reasons they were given for the reduction in services is that there is ‘peace now in Burma’. Saw Lu Shwe said that the donor community has a mistaken perception of refugees.

“We are told that there is peace in Burma. If there was still distribution of food rations in the amounts like in the past, (they) think we wouldn’t want to go home. (They) think that we love living in these refugee camps. No one, starting from infants to elders, wants to live in a refugee camp…we don’t want to live here but we have no choice…”

Naw Baw Mu Paw, a student living in Umphiem refugee camp said that there is now lack of support for every sector of services provided in the camp, of particularly concern for her is the withdrawal of educational support.

“Food ration distribution is not like it was in the past. There is also a decrease in educational support. In the past there was adequate provision of learning materials like notebooks, but that doesn’t happen anymore. Throughout the camp there is a lack of aid and support.”

Saw Htoo Saw, a high school teacher in Mae La Oo refugee camp experienced the same situation.

“In our Number One High School, we have 19 teachers, but we don’t receive salaries for all 19 teachers. Their funding is based on a student- teacher ratio of 36, so that means that 10 teachers will receive salaries if we have 360 students. Thus, the school has to struggle to solicit funding for the remaining teachers, which becomes a huge challenge for the school administration. We didn’t receive funds for school building materials such as wood and bamboo this year. It has been very challenging for us. We had to repair our school buildings with old materials.”

Naw Ker Gaw Paw, a resident from Tham Hin refugee camp said that health service cuts are life threatening.

“There was adequate support in the past. The hospital was in good condition. Nowadays, we notice that patients who need emergency aid won’t be transported to (a nearby town for further treatment) because of this funding shortage for refugees to be admitted to (Thai) hospitals. There have been cases where patients have died.”

Tee Kue, a Mae La refugee camp resident said that there are different [violent] incidents now happening in the camp, which have resulted from the gradual increase of substance abuse. These incidents include the increased rate of murder, suicides and homicides. In a one particular case, a refugee suffering from severe depression resorted to hanging themselves.

Speaking to Karen News, Tee Kue said.

“With the food ration cuts being a big challenge for refugees and the difficulty for them to find other employment options, it is like this is the end. Hopelessness has forced them to engage in substance abuse and to commit suicide.”

It has been over five years since the ceasefire agreement was signed in January 2012 between the Myanmar government and the Karen National Union. Although it has brought the best opportunity of possible return for refugee, this has also brought new and different pressures on them.

Saw Pla Paw, a refugee community leader from Umphiem refugee camp said that the talks of return have caused great anxiety among refugee communities.

“…The UNHCR and the NGOs who had meetings with us only asked about our preparedness for return. They asked us “are you prepared yet?” They only asked that particular question. Although we have visited and have been to some possible return sites as part of preparedness, the reality is that return is a big challenge for refugees. This create great concern for them.”

Aye Aye New from Ban Don Yang refugee camp, adjacent to the Burma southern Tanintharyi region, said that she still has fear for her security and is doubtful off Burma Army’s future intentions.

“I have big concerns that if there is no security for us in the resettlement sites that our leaders from the KNU have arranged for us. If they don’t provide effective security for us, personally I dare not to go back, because I can’t trust the Burmese military.”

Saw Kyi Oo, a Umphiem Refugee Camp resident who had been injured by landmines said that these landmines issue is another massive concern for refugees.

“It is still not certain whether the fighting has stopped. I have no home. I have no land. There are lots of concerns, like the landmines that are still in the ground.”

Refugees and the displaced communities inside the country are concerned that their voices and worries about their future are not been listened to by the international NGO’s or the UNHCR. Refugees told Karen News that they still need the support to continue living until a genuine peace is guaranteed in Burma.

Naw Moo Soe, from Mae Rama Luang camp hopes that support will continue until the problems they faced are solved.

“I really hope that those who are responsible for taking care of us will still support us until there is real peace in Burma. There is a need to resolve issues including landmines, the withdrawal of the Burmese army, and other land issues effectively and successfully in order for us to return to our homeland freely, and to live there freely. I hope that they will still support us until these issues are successfully resolved”

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This article originally appeared on Karen News on June 21, 2017.