Refugees

As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s State Counsellor, concluded her Canadian tour in Toronto, members of the Karen community claimed she failed to discuss the countries armed conflict, displacement, refugees or the ongoing militarization of the country. Members of the local Burmese community said that official event held at the Toronto City Hall and attended by the Mayor of…

Today, while the peace dialogue in Nay Phyi Daw resumes for its second round, displaced Karen villagers in remote areas of northern Karen State staged a protest over the Burma Army occupying their lands and preventing their safe return. The protest took place at Ei Tu Hta, an internally displaced people camp situated on the Salween River in Papun district.…

The largest refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border experienced a rash of suicide cases last year, mainly among the youth population, according to a doctor and camp resident. In 2016, there were 57 suicide attempts at Mae La refugee camp, 23 of which resulted in death, according to figures provided by a camp member recording the cases. “When we were…

The Karen State government is now making arrangements for the first return of 96 residents – 19 families – who have been living in refugee camps on the Thai border. The families are set to cross the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge tomorrow. Nan Khin Htwe Myint, Chief Minister of Karen State on October 25, visited temporary accommodation for the returning refugees,…

Representatives of the Karen National Union are holding a series of meetings with refugees at the nine Thai border camps to inform them about the peace process taking place inside the country. The KNU team, led by Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, vice chairperson, held a series of public meetings on September 20 and 21 at Mae La refugee camp, the…

Patients from Mae Ra Ma Luang Refugee Camp in the Thai Northern Province of Mae Hong Song were injured when the referral car carrying them was hit by a falling tree on a road, 50 kilometers away from Mae Sariang Town. The accident took place on August 4 as the pickup truck carrying the referred patients was returning from Mae…

The Border Consortium, a coalition of INGO’s that has administered aid to the camps for over three decades, is preparing for a pilot project that uses a card system to deliver food rations to refugee camps residents from the end of July, 2016. The food card system will begin with some households in the Nu Po and Tham Hin refugee…

Health workers in two refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border stopped work over non-payment of compensation and claims that they are treated unfairly by a non-government organization running hospitals in the camp. Camp residents said that on July 5th, health workers employed by Premiere Urgence – Aide Medical Internationale at Mae La and Umpheim Mai refugee camps went on strike…

Thailand’s Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha was reported as saying that Burma’s government refugees needed more time to put in place a process to repatriate its refugees. General Prayut was quoted by The Bangkok Post and before the three-day visit of Aung San Suu Kyi’s, the head of Burma’s National League for Democracy government. General Prayut said discussions between Thailand…

The Karen Women’s Organisation released a statement to commemorate the 2016 World Refugee Day and said that despite recent positive changes in Burma people are still being displaced by Burma Army offensives. “Despite the on-going peace process in Burma today, thousands of ethnic people are fleeing fighting, and many of them are not able to cross international borders to safety.”…