Why Burma?

It would be nearly impossible for
me to give you a full understanding of what has been happening in Burma… and if
I did it would be so devastating and gruesome you wouldn’t want to finish
reading it. Instead I will attempt to give you the basic ideas so you’ll have
an idea of what life is like in Burma.

 

Burma is located in Southeast
Asia, near Bangladesh, Laos, China, and Thailand. If you are wondering why
you’ve never heard of Burma it’s probably because in 1989 the corrupt
government changed its name to Myanmar. As a way to show support to the people
and a silent way of taking a stand against the government many people still
call it Burma.

 

The longest running civil war is
still going on in Burma, all the way back to WWII. They are known by every human
rights organization for being at the top of the list of offenders. It is
estimated that Burma has more child soldiers than anyone else in the world.
There are documented accounts of rape, torture, murder, forced labor (slavery),
genocide (the eradication of entire villages through war and land mines),
political prisoners, and so much more.

 

Due to the difficult and
dangerous life inside of Burma the hill tribe people are forced to hide in the
mountains moving constantly in fear of the soldiers or attempt to see asylum as
a refugee. Unfortunately with thousands of people fleeing Burma to ‘temporary’ refugee camps, the camps are overflowing and have entire generations growing up
in the camps (some camps have been around for almost 30 years).

Life in a refugee camp covers
only your basic needs. Space is tight and since they are to be ‘temporary’ camps, homes are made of bamboo and leaves, which need to be replaced yearly.
With the downward economy, funds for camps have dwindled as well, food rations
continue to change and be cut. Refugees are restricted to the camp limiting
their ability to work and earn extra income. Some refugees decide to move to
another country, as wonderful as this sounds the transition to a first world country is difficult physically and emotionally. It is often the educated and
those in leadership that leave the camp for opportunities in other countries,
leaving voids in jobs that need their expertise.  

It seems like most of the dark
and ugly things in the world can be found in Burma. Yet many of the people that
have had to flee their homes desire to return. In the midst of it all they
still have a hope that peace will return to Burma that they will be able to
have the lives that they’ve only dreamed of. They are a people full of joy,
laughter, hope and beauty.