Background Information

Our independence father of Burma, General Aung San and the former UN. Secretary General, U Thant.

Background Information about Mae Sot which our learning center based on

Almost everyday, people are fleeing from Burma to Thailand because of political, religious, military and racial oppressions committed by SPDC in Burma, not to mention the hundreds of economic migrants fleeing everyday for Thailand. According to the local statistics we found that people, who fled from Burma because of above reasons and discrimination, didn't know the problems and difficulties that they are going to face in Mae Sot as refugees. In fact, most of the people who fled from Burma didn't know anything about the real situation that they are going to live with.

Many new arrivals have no shelter to live in - no advocacy organizations to welcome them warmly - no relatives and no close friends to advice them, but the Thai police trying to arrest them to deport them back. For the political prisoners and deserters, it appears to be a nightmare for them when they are being neglected and denied by their partners who preceded them in Mae Sot. Almost every refugees in Mae Sot is desperately suffering from fear, depression, mental pain, confusion, loneliness and cultural shock under uncertain condition in here. Inability to speak Thai is also a problem for the clients. When around 350 Burmese illegal migrants are being arrested and deported back to Burma, it’s so sure for the Burmese illegal migrants with no documents who can’t speak in Thai to be arrested if they are stopped by Thai police or immigration officers. There are many of Thai authorized groups who can arrest Burmese illegal people in Mae Sot such as Thai police, soldiers, Taw Maw (Immigration officers), Taw Chawdaw (Borderline soldiers).

When there’s no particular CBOs or NGOs for the new arrivals here, they have many difficulties to survive as urban refugees as they, in fear of Thai policemen, dare not go out freely for work. Some are living in the plantation area near Mae Sot to avoid police and are working as daily workers earning 30 B to 60 B a day. Moreover, besides physical needs, mental health and needs are the fundamental issue for the political refugees to solve. In such current condition, some of the Burmese migrants and political exiles are being outraged and beaten or are stabbed by the Thai street men occasionally at night time. Even under those circumstances and situations, the waves of migrants and political exile from Burma in Mae Sot area never seem to dwindle, since SPDC is using more oppressive and brutal dictatorship towards Burma citizens and is worsening the country's economic plight by mismanagement and the corruptions of the high rank army officers.