refugees keep coming from Burma

Source: TBBC - Thailand Burma Border Consortium newsletter August/ September 2008

New arrivals continue to enter Thailand – some forced to return

On July 17th, a group of 75 new arrivals including students from Mae La Oon and Mae Ra Ma Luang camps were sent back to Burma by Thai authorities.
Currently, there is no system in place to determine refugee status in Thailand.

The father of one of the families that was sent back explained why they had to leave their home in Karen state to seek shelter in Mae Ra Ma Luang camp.

“Our village was surrounded by different armed forces and there were often skirmishes near the village. The armed groups often harassed the villagers: they had to work for the soldiers and if the villagers couldn’t work they had to pay money. Beatings of villagers were common as well as destruction and theft of food.
In December 2007 during one skirmish between armed groups bullets were fired in to the village and one child was shot and killed. A girl aged about 12-13 years was raped the same year”.
The violent situation became unsustainable for the family; both Burmese and Karen armed forces recruited soldiers and the family was asked for their oldest son. The father had to pay them for not taking the son.

The family says that they understand the Thai Authorities position in not wanting more people to come into Thailand. “But right now, it is very difficult to go back” the man says.
The family was put on a boat on the Salween River back to Burma on July 17th.
No further forced deportations have been reported since July.

Links to keep informed

Keep informed and get inspired with these great sites:

Irrawaddy Magazine - News Burma and South east Asia

TBBC Thailand Burma Border Consortiom - Aid to refugees camps

Human Rights Watch - Report Burma 2008

Partners ! NGO provides assistence in Burma

Free Burma Rangers ! NGO provides emergency assistance in Burma

Shanland News agency about Shan State

Moringa Tree

My new occupation will be growing Moringa Trees! These trees are amazing rich of nutrition and most parts can be either used for healthy food or medicine.
Tum and Aree have given us permission to use their vacant land and we will start with 50 trees.The trees are growing extremely fast and in six months we will harvest for the first time.
The main idea is to dry the leaves and than give it to the kids in schools who suffer chronic malnutrition and also I want to bring it to Burma where it is most needed.
The Dutchies can check out the nutrition values below:
First picture is about the nutrition values in fresh leaves and the next about dried leaves:

Mothers Day I

A few weeks ago it was Mothersday and the temple school had a special day in the main temple. Mothers came from far to school to receive the wishes of their son when they would pay respect to them. But many boys are orphan and so I had to play mother that day. It was a lovely day and Som happen to be in town as well which made it an even more special morning.
















Many Palong women came from far. Joy's mother even spoke in front of the big group.




After the ceremonial part we shared lunch together.

Mothers Day II

Land for Moringa Tree

Today six Lahu came to work on the land to prepare the ground so we can plant Moringa trees. One day work it was going to be but it quickly became likely five!



















Phi Tum and his dad own the land and let us use it for free. They are happy to help us with the project.
blood foundation thailand

Birthday in temple

The boys from the temple school organised a special lunch for my birthday! It was so nice of them and I even got nice presents!

What an amazing birthday cake this was eh? All those roses of cream...









The boys had a meeting to discuss how to arrange the lunch. There was special food and even cola with ice. When they went shopping for that in the morning before school started, they left the boy with the ice at the shops and than he had to walk a long way with a massive sack of ice in his arms! He was shivering when he got to school, we all had to laugh a lot.

Birthday!

This year I became 28 on the 28th of the 8 month of the year 2008!

My brother AJ was still with us (was giong to stay for only 2 weeks but we were happy he stayed longer!) and Wilbert and Malfrid from Fang and Brennan also stayed longer in Fang. Fang seems to so that to people.... ;)






And a real birthday cake! mmm with ice cream and homemade blackberry sause..





























This Toekejh was inside the house. At first I was happy because in Thailand they say it brings luck but than I really wanted him to go outside so he can eat bigger insects and not die. Wasn't easy to catch him but he is slower than the small lizards. The ladies who came that day mannaged to catch him quickly.

Doilang

Thai-Burma Relations:

Shan Herald Agency forNews

Regional Border Committee (RBC) #25 fails to settle the Doilang border dispute. The Committee decides to forward the issue to their respective governments.

The two sides deploy their troops in 32-square km area at 20 outposts, some of which are just a few meters apart. (Bangkok Post)

Maj-Gen Kyaw Phyoe, who was appointed to his new post in June, succeeding the outgoing Min Aung Hlaing, added, “Just as they (Thailand) have unilaterally taken possession of the Cambodian territory, they are doing the same at Loilang (the 32 square kilometer disputed area between Burma’s Monghsat and Thailand’s Mae Ai).
The time will come when we’ll have to deal with the issue properly.”

The Burmese side, which included Kyaw Phyoe, had demanded “full rights” over the disputed territory.