Refugees can come from anywhere they feel like they can no longer be safe in. Refugees and Migrants have a crucial difference. A migrant is someone who is moving in search of a better life elsewhere, while a refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country.
The UNHCR defines a refugee as ‘someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence.’ In today’s society, most of the refugees come from Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia. According to info.arte.tv, ‘More than half of the refugees on the planet come from one of these three countries plagues and undermined by years of war and violence.’ Most refugees tend to flee to neighbouring countries, and then some decide to flee to Europe and developed countries hoping for a better future. While the biggest refugees crises are known by the world and has many countries involved, there are some slightly smaller, less newsworthy, but still equally important and dreadful crises, ones such as the Burma conflict, also known as the Internal Conflict in Myanmar. Worldwithoutgenocide.org calls the government of Myanmar, ‘one of the world’s most oppressive and abusive.’ This ‘conflict’ is a war between the Myanmar’s military and the ethnic group, the Karen. It has often been described as ‘the world’s longest Civil War’, being that it has been a total 67 years and counting. Although the Karen are the main targets of the Burmese military, they are also targeting most of the ethnic groups in Burma, slowly killing them out, known as ‘slow genocide’. Many civilians were forced to become refugees due to religious persecution, race persecution, ethnic discrimination and the incredible amount of violence, escaping mostly to Bangladesh and Thailand. According to the U.S. Department of State, there are roughly 150,000 Burmese refugees, spread out in nine official camps on the Thai-Burma border, and more than 2,000,000 (2 Million) Burmese migrants currently living in the urban areas of Thailand. Even after the refugee’s escape, it does not necessarily mean that the grass is greener in their new camp lives. …show more content…
‘It is so strict to live here. There is nothing to do. I am not allowed to go outside the camp. There is no job, no work. So much stress and depression, I feel that I am going crazy here.’ (Burmese refugee, Nu Po camp, Tak province, January 2012; Human Rights Watch, 2012e, p.18) This was said by a Burmese refugee currently residing in one of the many refugee camps in Thailand. The education opportunities in the refugee camps are very limited, and they have no way of earning an income for themselves. Some camps do have better educational opportunities, but at the end of the day, the chance of getting any higher education is very unlikely. Burmalink.org states that, ‘Many schools, especially in less remote camps in Tak Province, have foreign teachers and volunteers, majority of whom stay illegally in the camps as permits remain largely unattainable. These foreigners teach refugees English and other subjects while hiding from Thai authorities, risking fines or even deportation.’ It is truly heartening to see that people are helping those that are in need, even in the most remote locations, even if their help might cause them a lot of trouble. While the Burmese government denies the fact of any problems with refugees, as they gave out a statement saying, ‘As Myanmar is not engaged in any war with other countries, there is no problem of refugees. The armed insurrection groups also have come back into the legal fold and there is peace in the country.’ Many governments and aid agencies have lent out a helping hand. While the camps are under the Thai government control, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) closely administer the camps. The refugees have been allowed to register with the UNHCR during 2004 and 2005, by the Thai government, giving them a chance to resettle in other countries. TBC recorded that in June 2014, a total of 96,206 refugees have been resettled, with the majority (75%) of them to the U.S., which is then followed by Australia, Canada, Finland, and Norway. Another organization that came to the aid of the refugees is The Border Consortium (TBC). To quote their website, ‘TBC is the main provider of food, shelter and other forms of support to approximately
The UNHCR defines a refugee as ‘someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence.’ In today’s society, most of the refugees come from Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia. According to info.arte.tv, ‘More than half of the refugees on the planet come from one of these three countries plagues and undermined by years of war and violence.’ Most refugees tend to flee to neighbouring countries, and then some decide to flee to Europe and developed countries hoping for a better future. While the biggest refugees crises are known by the world and has many countries involved, there are some slightly smaller, less newsworthy, but still equally important and dreadful crises, ones such as the Burma conflict, also known as the Internal Conflict in Myanmar. Worldwithoutgenocide.org calls the government of Myanmar, ‘one of the world’s most oppressive and abusive.’ This ‘conflict’ is a war between the Myanmar’s military and the ethnic group, the Karen. It has often been described as ‘the world’s longest Civil War’, being that it has been a total 67 years and counting. Although the Karen are the main targets of the Burmese military, they are also targeting most of the ethnic groups in Burma, slowly killing them out, known as ‘slow genocide’. Many civilians were forced to become refugees due to religious persecution, race persecution, ethnic discrimination and the incredible amount of violence, escaping mostly to Bangladesh and Thailand. According to the U.S. Department of State, there are roughly 150,000 Burmese refugees, spread out in nine official camps on the Thai-Burma border, and more than 2,000,000 (2 Million) Burmese migrants currently living in the urban areas of Thailand. Even after the refugee’s escape, it does not necessarily mean that the grass is greener in their new camp lives. …show more content…
‘It is so strict to live here. There is nothing to do. I am not allowed to go outside the camp. There is no job, no work. So much stress and depression, I feel that I am going crazy here.’ (Burmese refugee, Nu Po camp, Tak province, January 2012; Human Rights Watch, 2012e, p.18) This was said by a Burmese refugee currently residing in one of the many refugee camps in Thailand. The education opportunities in the refugee camps are very limited, and they have no way of earning an income for themselves. Some camps do have better educational opportunities, but at the end of the day, the chance of getting any higher education is very unlikely. Burmalink.org states that, ‘Many schools, especially in less remote camps in Tak Province, have foreign teachers and volunteers, majority of whom stay illegally in the camps as permits remain largely unattainable. These foreigners teach refugees English and other subjects while hiding from Thai authorities, risking fines or even deportation.’ It is truly heartening to see that people are helping those that are in need, even in the most remote locations, even if their help might cause them a lot of trouble. While the Burmese government denies the fact of any problems with refugees, as they gave out a statement saying, ‘As Myanmar is not engaged in any war with other countries, there is no problem of refugees. The armed insurrection groups also have come back into the legal fold and there is peace in the country.’ Many governments and aid agencies have lent out a helping hand. While the camps are under the Thai government control, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) closely administer the camps. The refugees have been allowed to register with the UNHCR during 2004 and 2005, by the Thai government, giving them a chance to resettle in other countries. TBC recorded that in June 2014, a total of 96,206 refugees have been resettled, with the majority (75%) of them to the U.S., which is then followed by Australia, Canada, Finland, and Norway. Another organization that came to the aid of the refugees is The Border Consortium (TBC). To quote their website, ‘TBC is the main provider of food, shelter and other forms of support to approximately