KarenRefugee

11:21 pm: Subject: Appeal For Refugees From Pa’an District, Karen State
Phan Foundation Launches Appeal for Refugees From New Military Attacks

The Phan Foundation has launched an appeal for the four-thousand people in Pa’an District, Karen State, who have fled their homes in the face on a new military offensive by the Burmese dictatorship and its allies. Another four-thousand people living in the area could also be forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives.

Thousands of people are fleeing from a new military offensive in Karen State, Burma. They run with their families, carrying only a few personal belongings, fearing for their lives. Some are hiding in Burma, while others have fled across the river into Thailand. They are camped in the rain on the banks of the river, with no proper shelter, and little food.

Food, shelter, clothing and medical care are urgently needed. It is the rainy season and people do not have proper shelter in heavy rain.

The Phan Foundation is supporting local Karen organisations who are there on the ground delivering life-saving assistance. Please make a donation today to help provide food, shelter and medicine to these vulnerable people. You can donate online, from any country in the world and in any currency, using a credit or debit card at http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.zoyaphan.com.

The majority of those who have fled are children and the elderly. Some of the people now running for their lives have already had to flee their homes several times before. You can view pictures online at: http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.phanfoundation.org/index.php/burma/news-and-reports/news-stories/appeal-for-refugees-from-paan-district-karen-state

“I know from first-hand experience how scared these people will be, and how desperately they need help,” said Bwa Bwa Phan, Founder and Director of the Phan Foundation. “Parents will wonder how they can feed and clothe their children, we can provide them with the basics they need to survive.” Bwa Bwa Phan visited Ler Per Her camp for Internally Displaced People earlier this year. All 1,200 people who were in the camp have been forced to flee.

Donation can be made online at http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.zoyaphan.com, or send a cheque made payable to Phan Foundation to: Paán Appeal, Phan Foundation, 28 Charles Square, London, N1 6HT.

05:48 pm: Nay Moo’s first class at University of technology, Sydney. The next attempt of study that he has s
Hello back to Karen Refugee Journal,

In the duration of 7 months of his residence in Australia, Nay Moo has been through many challenges in the routine of his daily life as well as in his attempt of getting himself educated. Referring to the course that he already mentioned in his last entry, as the time passed by and the year 2008 has flown, he did (I can say that) pretty well in his EAP course which gave him prerequisite knowledge to make an effort in the tertiary study at University.

During the course Nay Moo was taught to go to university’s open days and research the information about universities, the courses available at unis, what the requirements for the entrance are and so on. Interestingly, as he has never been to those institutes he eagerly went out and explored things that his teachers asked him to do. Wow! Every time he was at university’s open day he felt very excited, nervous and was thinking that would he ever dare to join such the solemnly haunting institutes? He was like an ant in the eye of academic environment.

By the time the uni application forms were released he also unintentionally tried and submitted some as if he was playing it safe. The time was silent between uni and him for a while, and then the responses came. Amazingly, he was offered a place at University of Technology, Sydney and he was very surprised!!! He was stunned for a moment and thought…Oh God! What am I going to do now? I am no ready and not yet supposed to go to uni…I am not that smart!! On the other hand, he was also proud to have received the offer but he was unconfident enough to do. Nervous, Nervous, and Nervous! There were always “you can do” and “you can’t do” fighting in his mind that drove him go very crazy. His non-productive thought was always pulling him down by letting him consider himself a coward. However, by recalling the difficulties and challenges that he have experienced and overcome in life and studies, he felt more courageous and eventually he accepted the privilege offered by the university.

To go to uni he had a lot to prepare and adjust himself with the academic environment. Before the classes started at UTS, there were 3 orientation weeks conducted by that university faculty for the new students to mix up with friends and familiarize themselves with the study facilities at uni. Nay Moo made himself available and attended almost all of the orientation and faculty welcome sessions to catch up with the essential information as much as he could.

Then, here it came! After the orientation weeks the classes are commenced. Last night as he was to attend his first lecture, he was very excited and he wondered of what will be going on in the lecture hall tomorrow. He had to get to uni at 9am. It takes him about 2 hours from home to uni. So he had to get up at 6.30am. But he did not know what happened to him last night. He couldn’t sleep until 2am and in the day break at 4.30am there was a rubbish truck picking up the rubbish on his street. Wuu…Noisy! It was really bad. At 6.30am he got out of bed, finished the bathroom stuff, drank a cup of water then ran to the train station. After about 1.45 hours, the lecture started. There were around 340 students in the lecture hall. Nay Moo was also there in the middle of the hall feeling like he was a great man. But in his heart, he was really nervous. As UTS is multi-national and multi-cultural institute, the lectures are kind and understanding, so Nay Moo was feeling more courageous. After 1.30 hours of lecture, there was no class for the rest of the day; we were issued the subject outline, then Nay Moo headed home…

Nay Moo
35 Bell Crescent, Fairfield, SW 2165, Australia
Student of University of Technology, Sydney



Tags: Nay Moo’s first class at University of t, sydney. the next attempt of study that h

11:00 pm: Incessant rain causes Tak reservoir to overfllow
Incessant rain causes Tak reservoir to overflow
FLOOD WATERS SUBMERGE MAE SOT MUNICIPALITY AND NEARBY AREAS

SUPAMART KASEM


>>TAK : Heavy downpours caused a reservoir to overflow into the central area of Mae Sot district yesterday morning.

The business heart of Mae Sot municipality and nearby areas were inundated by waters from the swollen Mae Sot reservoir after heavy rains lashed the town for more than 20 hours.

Many houses, shops and roads were in water of between 50cm and a metre deep. Some roads became impassable.

Tambon Ban Pha Lad was hardest-hit as it was inundated by more than a metre of water.

The flood forced Mae Sot police station to transfer about 100 illegal Burmese migrants to the provincial immigration office.

Scores of jewellery booths at a major gemstone market on Prasatwithi road were damaged as shop owners raced to move their goods to higher ground.

More than 1,000 rai of paddy fields and sugarcane plantations were destroyed in tambons Mae Tao, Phra That Phadaeng and Mae Ku.

Authorities estimated that some 50 million-100 million baht of damage was caused yesterday alone.

Mae Sot deputy mayor Kan Kannil said residents should remain on full alert as heavy rain is expected to continue in the days ahead.

He said rescue teams were sent to the flooded areas to distribute relief supplies and offer other assistance.

Sandbags were also being distributed to help residents erect embankments to stave off rising water.

Later yesterday, the water level showed signs of receding in some areas of the city centre, although it was still measuring around 80cm high near the reservoir's spillway.

However, residents were worried the water level would rise again if there was more heavy rain.

In Nakhon Sawan, two people drowned in Muang district when they were swept away by a strong current of the overflowing Ping river.

Pitsanu Channoi, 33, and Nirun Toikerd, 39, were the two people killed. Pitsanu's body was found in Ban Wang Hin by rescuers, while Nirun's body was found in a bush. Witnesses said the two were building a sandbag wall to prevent flooding, but the wall collapsed and they were swept away.

Flood warnings were issued yesterday in many parts of the upper region of the country due to the influence of the low pressure system.

The provinces which may be affected are Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Nan, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Nong Khai, Loei and Chaiyaphum.

Residents in these provinces have been advised to prepare to move to higher ground in case they are hit by flash floods.

On Friday, several districts of Ayutthaya were swamped by the swollen Chao Phraya and Noi rivers.

More than 1,000 rai of farm areas were also under water in Kamphaeng Phet.

Rice growers were worried the floods could wipe out their crops as the harvesting season approaches.

This new is from bangkok post. I just want to post in blog and now I am also put some picture. This is my house when the water flood . The water flood my house downstairs and I have to move to upstairs. I was busy all day to clean it and my motorbike it not working because water go to inside of engine, but to day I can fit it.

now it is not raining season but the rain is like raining season, not very nice.
I hope every one are well.

thank,
Tha wah.

11:40 am: When I finished to built the playground for Hsa Thoo Lei School
Hi Dear all of my friend,

This week I would like to tell you some part of my job. I am happy to tell your about my job and my experience in Mae Sot. Between in September and October We built a playground for a school. The school name is Hsa Thoo Lei and second biggest high school in Mae Sot. They have two place to building the playground. We build for them two playground, one for the nursery and another one for the middle school. This school is very nice place also. They already had old playground but that is not very good place for the kid to play because it is too small place and too close to the school. All of the student they had more then 500. Most of the teacher are Karen and most of students are Migrants student.

This picture when we celebrated opening playground celebration,




This is small playground view,



This is big playground view,



We had to built this playground about 3 week. We built it with student parents and some volunteer from aboard and some student from especial school in Mae Sot.

After we finished that, they gave us on a goose. This picture is when we killed the goose,



We cooked that with some of our friend and have fun together. The goose is very good taste. I like it and most of my friend are all like it too.

12:19 am: Hello Dear friends
My job and my weekend 5/10/08

My job is building playgrounds for migrant schools. In the Mae Sot area they have more than 50 migrant schools and we just finished building the playgrounds for 3 schools in about three months . Now we are building the playground for Hsa Thoo Lei school. The school is high school and the biggest school in Mae Sot, so the playground is quite big. We are building for them two playgrounds, one playground is for the nursery school and the other one is for the middle school.

Usually we are working with volunteers from abroad, but now we are working with volunteers from a special migrant post-ten school in Mae Sot. They are 24 student volunteers. They came to work with us for a half a day for a week when they have school. They are many ethnic groups from Myanmar and it’s very good we work together. Some of them are my friends from different camps but we haven’t met in a long time, so it’s a good thing for us to have a chance to work together and meet again. When we are finished with our job in the evening and we play volleyball with the students at Hsa Thoo Lei school. It is fun.

Last weekend on Saturday we made three solar hot water systems, but now we haven’t finished them yet. This week we haven’t had time to finish them, so maybe next week. Usually during the weekend we go to play Ultimate Frisbee with people who work for NGOs and some volunteers. We go to play at a Thai school because they have a good football field. We are happy together and play together.

Today I went to Mae La camp with my friends and to visit my brothers because some of my brothers live at the camp. I also went to visit my pastor, but when we went to the camp one of the Thai authorities came and talked to us and said, “You can’t go in the camp. If you want to go, you should go to the office and get permission”. Then we couldn’t go to see my brothers and instead we visited another side of the camp and met some of my old friend there. Then we went back to Mae Sot.

I had a good weekend,

I hope all of my friends had a good weekend too.

Best regards,
SAW THA WAH.

12:27 pm: Dear all of my friends,

Today I want to write about my life in the past and about my experiences because I haven’t written my blog in a long time. When I left the camp and got a job in Mae Sot, I was very happy because I didn’t like living in the camp. The job I worked for was very good for my community, but I was very sad to see my countrymen because everyday they have to face problems for their job and their lives. They are very nice and very good workers. Before, I thought that if we are illegal we are not allowed to leave the camp, but after I left the camp I saw many illegal people in Mae Sot. Most of them are poor and uneducated.

The first organization I worked for was about workers’ rights. When I worked for the organization I was very happy, because I had to know about the lives of real workers.

After two months in May, I went to the Irrawaddy area to give some aid to displaced people. When I went there we went to many villages and saw a lot of dead people and most of them Karen. They are a little bit different from East Karen. Most of them I looked like Burmese people, but when I talked to them, they talked to me in Karen. I was very happy, why? Because they talked to me in Karen. Then, they told me about the time when Nargis came and the time when after the cyclone. When they told me about the experience, I was very scared and very sad for them, but I could do nothing because I have nothing. The worst thing is the government because they didn’t care much about the people there. I don’t know why!

The day I came back to Rangoon I made many friends with the Karen people there. They were very nice and most of them were finished with high school, but many didn’t have jobs. But, usually they are happy with friends and when the night time comes they go out and drink coffee or something. Most of them were eating beetlenuts, which is not very nice, but it is their habit. When they met me they asked me for a job and told me that they needed a job. When I heard about that I was very sad because they live in a very big city. Why can’t they find a job? Many of them will have jobs, but the jobs they will have are not educated jobs. For example, taxis drivers, construction workers or selling clothes, ect.......

After I came back to Thailand I tried to find another job. My new job is building play grounds for the Migrant schools in the Mae Sot area. I have built three play grounds. Mostly we work with volunteers who are interested in building play grounds and want to work with us in the Mae Sot area. The migrant community has more than 50 schools. In most of the schools are a lot of students. Some children don’t have a chance to study because their parents have to move jobs and find new places to live. Every year more and more people from Burma come to Thailand. Not only migrants but also camp refugees, because the camps have more and more refugees each year. For this problem I am very sad. I don’t know what will happen with our lives in the future.

Now I have put some pictures in my blog. All of t he pictures are about the play ground I worked with the UK Durham University students to build.

Sorry to some of my friends who I haven’t contacted in a long time. I want to inform you about my problem with my old email address, so if you read my blog, please contact me at wahlove@gmail.com. I hope you will enjoy reading my blog.

Sincerely yours,

Tha Wah.

09:53 am: From the old boring camp to the new challenging world…Nay Moo’s family’s first long journey…
From the old boring camp to the new challenging world…Nay Moo’s family’s long journey to Australia...

The challenging future of Nay Moo has hatched in the new adventurous world of Australia… Sydney!!!!

After coming back from the very exciting trip to Burma by the mid of April, I stayed in the camp hopefully as if I am about to attend the Australia Cultural Orientation training very soon. However, while waiting for the training, I had a chance to teach myself one of computer programming languages, which my friend Andrew introduces it to me. I had learned that for a computer to be able to work properly, it must be programmed by someone timely. So I realized that God will certainly do thing for me timely as I feel like I have been programmed by God’s programming. Therefore, I put my trust in God and accepted all what will happen to me.

As it came to the time, by the first week and second week of May, my family finished attending the Aus CO properly. The course was really valuable for me and it was also like treasure chess of knowledge about situation in Australia, I felt more confident to tread on to the new home with the knowledge I got in the training. The trainer, Bee was also excellent in her active training. We did a lot of fun, practice and exercise. I would like to thank Bee very much for providing us with a very helpful and pragmatic training.

While taking the rest from the training and waiting for the coming step for the flight, it took about a month so my father could finish his school works and hand over the responsibilities to one of the teachers in ESP. I could also hand over the responsibility of administrating the computers to one of the teachers there as well. After everything was handed over and well prepared for the next coming year of ESP, the time of Nay Moo’s family’s departure to Australia had come.

By the end of May, we were told to go to the IOM office to sign our names and do finger print for the departure. Then we certainly knew the date of departure right there. We were also told that we have to stay in Mae Sot for five days. My father was very excited until when the IOM worker simply asked him a question…“Where were you born? He quickly and wittily replied… “I was born in Sydney!!!” you can know that how amusing answer the worker would ever have heard… : )

The departure of Nay Moo’s family...

After several sunsets disappeared on the cliff of Mae La Temporary Karen Refugee Camp, on the 12 of June, in the evening, many ESP students and my brothers’ friends came to our house as if they were quite miserable to miss our presence in the same long boring camp. They spent the night together with us to feel our very last refrain. Everyone might think I am very excited to leave. However, of course, they did not see my heart. I felt really unbreakable and indescribable to leave my fellow students, friends and neighbors tomorrow as we have been very close, touched and friendly. My heart was full of thrill, emptiness and loneliness all through the night until I could not sleep until 2 am. I fell asleep for a while and then the daybreak woke me up and greeted me warmly.

In the morning, 13 of June, everyone woke up and helped preparing the packages for us. I got up, prepared myself, we shouldered up the packages then we stepped down the path to MOI. From my house to the MOI, Nay Moo was thinking of “Oh my wearisome grown up residence Mae La Camp, I must really leave you this morning. I am grateful to you very much. Thank you for every moment I have spent in you”.

When we got to the MOI the IOM’s truck already waited for us. Many fellow students, friends and relatives were with us at the MOI to see our last beautiful faces and say Good Bye to our last waving hands. Only Nay Moo’s family and other one family were leaving this morning. The time was up, the driver got into the truck, the engine started, the wheel turned up then the truck headed to exit to the gate then left behind words and faces disappeared in the air. When the truck got outside the camp and entered the high way, I felt like my entire refugee burdens that I have been shouldered for ages have been released and I felt unspeakably free. When we passed by and looked back at the deserted camp, there was an apathy still touching my heart.

We drove along the road for about 50 minutes then we made it to Pah Wow Hospital again. We were checked the physical exam again, took the X-ray couple times then lifted up to the sixth floor to meet with the doctor. We each had to take three pills and one injection except my parents. It took us to be there for about 8 hours then in the evening at 3, we were sent to the Rujira Hall where all people who are about to leave are collected there. There were about 110 people already arrived here. We took a rest, settled down our temporary beds and took a bath then we went to the dinning place. This evening we ate rice and soup.

The first day in Mae Sot Rujira Hall, 14/6/08

I ate a lot yesterday so this morning I got up a little early for releasing natural waste. When I was around the toilet, the terribly bad smell greeted me and I found it disturbing of the toilets and bathrooms. I thought, not only me; those who had already gone might meet the same sucked situation. At 8 am, we were called to go eat breakfast. We were fed with yesterday’s leftover cold rice and soup. It was stupid… we do not like the leftover cold rice!

After breakfast, we came back to the hall and stayed around. We were not allowed to go anywhere and even go sit in front of the Rujira Hotel. At 9:30 am, about more 70 people from Noe Poe camp arrived, so we had around 180 people staying in the hall. So crowded and so noisy though!! There are only 10 toilets and 5 bathrooms for our 180 people, 5 of 10 toilets are Gawlawah toilets and 4 of 5 Gawlawah toilets are broken, full, and untidy and terribly smell. When you enter the toilet you are always warmly greeted by the high rack sentry in the flush tub. The other 5 toilets are normal toilets but two of them are also full, you can not pour in your holy shits and they also smell terribly bad.

Today as Andrew visited us and he brought us fried chicken and sticky rice, we enjoyed them completely for lunch. There are bunches of graffiti written by those who already left for memory, blame, complain, preach, and everything they might feel about in the Rujira hall. One of the scripts says, “Every seed must fall down on the ground and become rotten, then it can sprout out and develop well. As the same way, everyone has to come and learn the patience, hardship and difficulties so that they can go and settle down in the third country well”.

This is the transition of refugee life to city life, the deepest dark, the worst transitioned-refugee-to-city life five days in Mae sot temporary refugcity hall we last experienced before we leave.

We went eat the rice and soup again for dinner at 6 pm.

The second day in Mae Sot Rujira Hall, 15/6/08

Hummph!!! Could not sleep well… people were talking, children were playing through the night and from mid night to daybreak, the frogs and insects were creaking and trumpeting noisily around the hall. As the time came, we went to eat rice and soup breakfast then came back to the nest and stayed around. At 10 am, the health care taker came and checked us if anything happens to us. We have to stay very well to pass this check for five days though. Today we were fed fried rice for lunch. At night, as you know, there were many people in the hall so I found it really really hard to sleep crowdedly and noisily with the lights on and the fans turning through the night.

The third day in Mae Sot Rujira Hall, 16/6/08

When I was in the camp I used to get up at 7 am, but now I got up a little early… at 6 : ). As the time came, went to eat rice and soup again. Wooo…!! Karens eat a lot!!! Therefore, the food was gone very soon. Then we were fed with yesterday’s leftover food again. But remember every seed has to fall down on the ground and become rotten then it can sprout out and develop well!! I was not quite full so I took one or two more plates… : ). At 10 am, our friends from Noe Poe camp left to United States and about 60 people from our Mae La camp left to Australia. The beds were cleared up and prepared again for another 100 people. At 6 pm, more people from Noe Poe camp arrived.

The fourth day in Mae Sot Rujira Hall, 17/6/08

Ummmmph!!! Still could not sleep well… got up with weary head. The frogs and insects were singing and greeting us every night. Then Nay Moo went to take breakfast as usual. At 9 am, people from Noe Poe camp left us to United States and our remaining Mae La friends left to Australia too. Only two and three families were remaining. The hall was almost empty leading us to loneliness and I was sick off very much. I wanted to leave as soon as possible. The time here in Rujira is very slow! Nevertheless, I was courageous because tomorrow is our turn. At 5 pm, we were issued with the warm clothes and shoes. Tonight we spent the night spaciously, quietly and thrillingly.

The fifth day in Mae Sot Rujira Hall to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, 18/6/08

This exciting morning made us wake up too early at 2 am. We praised God and prayed for our further long journey. Then we got every thing ready. At 4 am, we were fed with coffee and some cakes, waited for a while then we left Rujira sweet Hall at 6 am. We also rode Rujira’s bus to travel to Bangkok. One of the Thai police officers also was with us to guide and guard us through the travel. Thank you Rujira for providing us with beds, food and transportation and thank you Thai police for guiding and guarding us...

We drove a long the way and when it was about 8 am, we reached the Mae Sot to Bangkok soldier and police check point then we had to stop and wait there for a while for something that I do not know. While waiting and observing on the bus, a big long bus came and stopped near us. One of the soldiers opened the load room door, let a big dog enter to sniff in the room, and I was very scared to see that. When I looked at the other side of the road, there were about 30 illegal Burmese and Karen youngsters coming back from Bangkok captured and checked by the Thai soldiers, their bags and loads were exposed on the road. Then came a check point truck, their bags and loads were uploaded on that truck and they were driven following the first truck to somewhere I do not know. Thank God, I was on the right and safe bus!!

Along the way to Bangkok, there are fantastic and significant infrastructures that I have never seen lying constantly ahead me!!!! Plus passing Bangkok traffics was incredible!!! We were on the bus the whole day and we reached Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport around 3 pm. When we were dropped off the bus, a beautiful Thai lady (heart jumping…) came meet us and sent us to the processes we have to go through the huge airport. Finally, at 4:40 pm we got to our destination gate way, that Thia lady showed us our flight, left us there, she had to go back to arrange for another family, we thanked her then we waited for the flight in the waiting room for a while. All the walls are made up of glasses so you can see through the outside. Many airplanes were taking on and off consequently. The number of the airplanes would be more than the population in the Mae La Refugee Camp...

At 5:30 pm, our flight, BA, British Airways was about to boarding so we were announced to be ready, then the administrator came and opened the gate and then every one walked into the airplane. Children and immigration people were let to go first, so we got in first and looked for our chairs. When every one was well seated and the 5kg bags were put in place, we were told to put the seat belt on then follow by the safety instructions in the plane. It took about 30 minutes to position in the airplane and at 6 pm the airplane shook up, the floor tilted a little for a while then turned level. It was dark and all the windows were closed so I could not see anything outside. When the floor turned level, we were announced to enjoy our journey. At 9 pm we were served with Gawlawah dinner. Food and drink were served several times in the plane though. Nay Moo was very tired all through the day so some time after dinner he positioned up himself then fell asleep. I felt bus sick and air sick as well so I did not sleep well. I was sleep-awake-sleep-awake through the night. At 1 am (Bangkok time), I woke up then could not go to sleep any more. Almost every one woke up as well. Then we were served with Gawlawah breakfast as we were taught in the CO training…chicken or beef? : )

At 2:50 am (Bangkok time) 5:45 am (Sydney time) the airplane started to land. At 6 am, the airplane landed, we all got out, the crews greeted us, we said Goodbye to the crews then we were on our way to the checkpoints. Before we got to the check points, a lovely Gawlawah lady came meet us and took us to where we have to go, then we went down stair, took up our most different and colorful bags, put them on the carts, then we moved to the bags scanning point. After everything was finished, we went out to the exit to the meeting points, which are the terminals of the airport.

Good morning, S.y.d.n.e.y... Nay Moo’s first day in Australia, 19 June 2008
Hey, hey, hey!!! See You Do Need Educating/Encouraging Yourself!!!

Many people were coming in and going out of the terminals, greeting each other, smiling, crying, looking for each other, coming to pick up friends or relatives, and showing up for different purposes. Among them Nay Moo’s family was also looking for some one to show up. But we didn’t see any one we know. Before we came, my uncle said he will come and see us at the airport. We had been looking for him for a while. But he did not show up. What was wrong????? We were trying to phone him many times and in many ways but still could not….We ran in to a BIG trouble…got everything stuck!!!!!! 8(
.....who will help us????

Hey Nay Moo! Remember every time when you are abroad, you have knowledge to think, you have eyes to look and see and you have mouth to ask and say!!!

My father and I walked here and there, and looked around and read the signboards one by one then one of the signboards caught my eye, which is written “Internet Free Access”. I thought my aunty in Singapore would probably be online. I promptly went to the queue, waited for a moment then my turn came. My aunty was not online so I dropped a message to her to call my uncle to come and pick us. And at the same time my father went to the security and asked for help. The security told him how to dial the numbers in Australia. We tried dialing again and again then finally it worked. We got stuck around at the airport for over 3 hours. Around 10 am my uncle came with some one to pick us up to one of his church members’ house. The reason my uncle did not show up when we arrive at the airport is that… he already came to meet us at the airport before we arrive. The flight QF that we were supposed to take is changed to another flight, which is BA. He did not know that. He is also told that the flight QF will be arriving at night. So he went back home... then Nay Moo gets stuck! : )

My uncle has an appointment at the TAFE collage so he drove to the school and brought me and my younger sister Kwah Poe at the same time to meet the teacher and headmaster of the TAFE collage for enrollment. Then the teacher told us to come to sit for test some day when we get a little better, she knows we just take off and have been extremely tired and airsick.

We came back from school then we went to Centrelink to register ourselves, and then went to Bank to open the bank account, and then we made up to the Medicare for health registration. Because our family members were not here all so we were told to come back again tomorrow. We came back to the house where we first stopped, took dinner then moved to the house where my uncle lives in. We got many things done for the first day so that was not so bad though! When we reached the house, some of our Karen friends came to visit us, we praised God together then you can see clearly HOW TIRED WE ARE IN THE WHOLE DAY! Everyone was happy to go to BED.

The second day in Australia… 20 June 2008

Xxxxzzzzz!!!!! Exhausted and weary from the whole yesterday, Nay Moo got up a little late this morning around 8 am. After breakfast, we took a rest and waited for some one to take us to Medicare again, because most of the cars here are 5-sitter. At 9 am we drove to Medicare, then Bank, then at 1 pm we moved to Centrelink to finish our yesterday’s cases. It took us 3 hours to finish registering ourselves. Then we went to Neeta City Shopping Hall to buy some folders for keeping documents properly. Hey, keep in mind!!! If you come here, you have to keep your documents carefully! We were invited to eat dinner at one of my aunties’ house, and then one of my cousins drove us home. We took a rest for the day again!!!

The third day in Australia… 21 June 2008

Fortunately, one of the catholic priests here in Sydney who worked along with my father in running LMC by the name of Father Ron Nissen was willing to drive us to tour the Sydney city. You know how excited our heart is!!! : ) Pu Loe, Nay Moo, Ler Bwe and Tha Moo got in to the car quickly. Hoo hoo!!! We first went to Sydney Harbor. We walked along the Harbor seeing the infrastructures covering the Sydney city. Bunches of cars, buses, trains, boats, ships, ferries, airplanes, and helicopters traveling constantly to and fro. Then we headed to the Opera House. There were many people touring on the harbor. It was cold and windy at the harbor. We walked around the Opera House and we were also playing the Spot to bla…bla…bla… game along the way. It means when you see the spotted thing, you have to say it first. Fr. Ron spotted us the aboriginal. We tried to look for the aboriginal among the crowded moving people. Ha ha! I won the game!! So Fr. Ron gave me a price. The price was; I have two choices to choose if I want to go to the subway or continue walking along the harbor… I have never been to the subway so I chose the subway then every one had to follow my choice. Fr. Ron bought us a ticket each. We entered the subway station, got on the train, and rode along to the Central. We returned to the harbor by bus. If you buy a ticket you can ride the train or bus or ferry for the whole day. By the noon time, he bought us a pack of fish chips each. While Ler Bwe and Fr. Ron went to take the car at the car park, Pu Loe, Tha Moo and Nay Moo were waiting eating the fish chips on the couch at the harbor. When the car arrived, we all got in to the car then drove across the Sydney Harbor Bridge which is the most famous bridge in Australia. We drove ahead to the North Head, Manly harbor and we parked the car somewhere in the car park. Wow! The open sky with airplanes taking on and off, the whole magnificent scenery of Sydney City with Sydney Harbor, Sydney Harbor Bridge and boats and ferries sailing full of the sea, and the deep blue ocean with the huge ships and steamers going in and out were the fantastic views we have ever seen in our eyes face to face. We did lookout for a while then we came back straight to Fr. Ron’s place. We crossed the Qazac Bridge then another two small bridges, turned a few corners and we made it to Marist Mission Center. We took a rest for a second and took a walk in the MMC campus for a moment then Fr. Ron drove us back home.

The fourth day in Australia…Sunday, 22 June 2008

: ) Still got up a little late… Today was Sunday. As you know Nay Moo is usually at home on Sunday. A good Christian!!! I started writing my first long journey to Australia which I wanted to share to my fellow Karens remaining in the camps or living everywhere in the world. In the afternoon, at 1:30 we got ready to go to the church of Seventh Day Adventist, they share the church so for SDA, they go on Saturday, but for Sunday Baptist, they go on Sunday. After the service, at 6 pm, my father and I were invited by Fr. Ron to go and have dinner with him, so he came and picked us then we went to the Dooleys at Silverview Club for dinner. We had some beer and wine, talked for a while then got into the dinning room. Ha.. ha.. Gawlawah dinner!!! A very big piece of pork with steamed potatoes, sauce and some pieces of lettuce. I was a little drunk and asleep and I wanted to come back home very much. But Fr. Ron did not finish talking so we waited until he finished then we drove home around 10 pm.

The fifth day in Australia… Nice Monday, 23 June 2008

Today I had no appointment to go so I thought I would go out and have a walk around the streets and explore the place and observe the nearby environments. After breakfast, my two brothers and I went out and walked along the streets. We saw no one on the street. The houses are like the tombs in the cemetery…quiet and lonely! I wished to see someone and greet them but the situation here is not the same as our home land… hear my say… my fellow friends... you might be surprised when you get here! We walked along the street corner by corner; it was breezy, cold and lonely! After walking for a long distance, we got tired then we sat down at one of the corners, looking around and talking to each other.
As by chance, we saw a man, age about 40, riding a bicycle on the road we were sitting on. We looked at him and smiled at him with our heart saying that, ‘we are happy and excited to be in your country’. Maybe he is happy to see us and could read our heart as well. As this was also our fifth day in Australia, so he replied our smiling faces with his greeting starting with the letter “F” …. What the Fucking are you looking at!!!! You Fucking kids!!!! You idiot!!! …then he murmured along the way as he was cycling. How do you feel if you were me? This is my first greeting I have ever heard on the road in Australia that I cold never forget. We came back home, took a rest and went to sleep.

And, for the rest of the days:

I was on the move, on the go almost every day, every day in the train….so now I am very good at riding the train in the city... Maybe... train expert rider!!! : )

In this same week, my sister and I were told to go to the school to sit for the test. My uncle took us there and the teacher already waited for us. When we got there she came to us and put us to the test immediately. The test is for the Migrant Youth Course. My sister is suitable to this course but I am too good to this course. So the teacher appointed me to come and sit for the next higher test.

The test and the enrollment in collage…

On the 30 of June at 11:30am, I went to sit for the test again. Wow! There were a lot of people...over 200 people coming for the test. I was surprised to see a lot of people... They speak excellent English much more than me…I became unconfident with my English. And I thought I wouldn’t have passed this test. Anyway, there was nothing more than to trusting myself and be of good courage. The test process was; we take the test today, tomorrow if we are successful with our test we will be called for the interviews and the day after tomorrow will be the selection for those who are successful with their interviews. I was very doubtful in this competitive test. There were about 30 people were interviewed and only 16 or 17 people were selected. Because of God’s grace, I was also selected among the 16 or 17 people. On the 3rd of July, I was told to go to school for enrollment. Wow! There were thousands of students coming for enrollment. We had to queue up in very long lines. So it took a long time to finish my enrollment. I have never seen the enrollment like this before!! The people here speak very fast so it took me a big effort to cope with them as I am a new arrival here myself. Before I came here I was confident with my English but when I get here I would almost lose my confidence. Thank God, every thing worked well!

The excursions with the TAFE collage students on their school holiday...

I am also a very blessed and fortunate lad. Since I arrived here I went immediately to the school, got to know with some teachers and they are very nice and helpful to me. My arrival here is the time of school vacation and the school also has the excursions. I have got a chance to go to the last day…the closing celebration of the first semester of the Migrant Youth Course so I have heard some information about the vacation. Hey… they have three trips during the holiday… it is absolutely free!! I was very interested to be part of them so I asked the teacher to accept me in the trips. As the teachers are very kind to me, they did not hesitate to accept me, they welcomed me warmly. On the 2nd of June my sister and I went to school to fill up the forms for the trips.

As the time has come for the trips, on the 7 of July we went to the Blue Mountains which is the very attractive place for the tourists around the world and it is also the most popular place in Australia. The weather was cold and windy. We have got to ride the railway and the cableway which are very exciting for me… And on the 9 of July we made it to the Jenolan Caves. Along the way to Jenolan Caves it was raining and snowing so how gleeful to see the snow in my eyes face to face. There are many caves at the Jenolan Caves. Our trip leader Peter bought us the Imperial tickets so at 11:45 am, the cave tour guide took us into the cave. He explained us about the cave while we were in the cave and there are something I remember…the Imperial cave is about 430 million years old. And the cave was discovered in the 1879 by Jeremiah Wilson… And on the 11 of July, we made it again to Canberra which is the new capital of Nay Moo. We toured in the Parliament House. We have got to see the Conference Hall of president and governments. How perfect to feel my dignity in the Parliament House as I have been the resident of Australia now! The House is open to all... the citizen, the migrants and the tourists!! And you are welcome as well!! We also toured to art gallery, museum and some other popular places...Nay Moo always shows up at least one of the Karen features everywhere he goes in the big city, so our Karen friends could recognize him as a Karen and could make friend with him well... want to see some pix?, please visit: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/sawnaymoodohtaw.

The next step after holiday...

After the holiday, as I was already enrolled to the school for the next semester which will be starting on the 23rd of July, I will be attending the Certificate IV in English for Academic Purposes at Graville TAFE Collage for six months. If I am qualified I will be continuing to the university after this course because this course is recognized to enter the university. Come on; let’s light up our future as bright as we can!!!


Now what are the benefits of being the resident of Australia?

•Have chances to travel to wherever you want
•Have got the equal right/freedom as a human being
•Have got the recognition from the government
•Have a bank account
•Have full opportunity to work and study further
•Have got the necessary assistances from the government
•Have got a very nice house that does not need to renovate it annually
•Have got a higher standard of living in the city
•And have got many other things that I still do not know right now…

Who was I before I came here?

•jungle boy and displaced boy since born
•hungry for freedom and recognition
•a refugee living in the refugee camp which is barbed with barbed wires for about 13 years (if you are barbed with barbed wires your heart is also barbed)
•like an unable bird living in the long boring and timid cage
•But hopeful and visionary for the bright future shall come someday….

What are the positives and negatives of being in my homeland and new land?

Being in my homeland...

* have a lot of friends who are very friendly and fun
* have nice and helpful neighbors and relatives
* enjoy the same activities and funs with close friends and neighbors
*speak the same language and enjoy the same culture
* have wonderful time to spend and play games with friends
* have large and familiar community
* satisfied with less money
but...
* don’t have identification or recognition
* don’t see the developing infrastructures of the world or don’t see the very wide horizons of the world
*discouraged with lack of freedom and low/poor living standard
* don’t have opportunity to study higher educations
* don’t have the chances to travel as you want

Being in the new land...

•have got identification and recognition
•have got good and higher education system
•understand the living system in the city
•see the wide horizons around us
•have got full opportunities as a citizen
but...
•don’t have many close friends and touching neighbors
•lonely, isolated and less fun
•everything is expensive and everything needs hard effort
•need self-confidence and self-responsibility

What shall I do for my future?

Now as I have been settling and adapting myself to the new home and have been a resident of Sydney, everything I have to do is… “See, You Do Need Encouraging/Educating Yourself”... Now I have got a chance, but the chance is not like you are given a fish to eat... I myself have to build up the hook, find my own baits, and explore the best spot to do fishing….. Cos’ the world I step on now is very wide, huge, adventurous, challenging and currently unfamiliar with my just hatched out paradigm...

Thank God, our journey was safe, sound, and smooth!

"In the worst situation, endure and excel; from the best progress, adapt to be adept."

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
1/32 Strickland St.
Bass Hill NSW 2197
Sydney, Australia
Website: www.karenvoice.net

Tags: from the old boring camp to the new chal

05:00 pm: A sense of HOME and IDENTITY! A journey to the Capital of Karen State… Hpa’ ah City
A sense of HOME and IDENTITY! A journey to the Capital of Karen State… Hpa’ ah City

Hi every one! Haven't talked to you for a while... miss you very much!!

On this summer holiday, some of my friends and I made a amazing trip to Burma. Before I have been to Hpa’ ah, I thought in my heart… will I ever be at Hpa’ ah City (Karen’s Capital) in my life as I am also a child of the Karen State? I strongly felt that I must have been to our ancestor’s grave and sense home and identity!

Hopefully, by the end of March, I went to visit a friend’s house at Shwe Ko Koh village on Karen site. While I was on Karen-Thai border, I visited many places and I was very happy to see my people bravely living in the harsh conditions in their small villages. I was very proud of them! I love them very much!!

On the 13th to 15the of April, we traveled to Hpa' ah City, which is the Capital of our Karen State. Since I was born and knew myself as a human, I heard that Karen also has their own city. I was longing for reaching and seeing it very much, sometimes I dreamed of it – I dreamed that I was flying blissfully above the City of Hpa’ ah… how delightful my soul is!... but all I could do is to flee and to hide in the jungle and came into the camp. Now I was satisfied to be in our Karen’s Capital and as a nation, I felt like the journey of my life is complete. The disappointment was over!

Besides, we have also been deeper inside Burma. We have been to Mawlamyine, which is the Capital of Mon, visited Kyaikkami (you can google earth the places by typing the name of the places) and Set Se beach. Ha... ha... before, I did not believe that the water in the ocean is salty. Now I really believed it without doubt!

Along the way from Hpa’ ah to Mawlamyine, as it was the time of Water Festival, there were lots of bunches of people travelling, dancing, pouring and sprinkling water, greeting, teasing with the maximum point of merriment. I’ve never felt the most exciting journey and seen such a significant number of people like this in my life. It seemed like all the people in Burma were heading the same place that we were supposed to go. We were getting wet-dry-wet-dry all along the way. It was extremely hot that when we reached the beach, my face was turning reddish-black like it was burning on fire. When my first arrival on the beach, the first thing I was interested to do is – to taste the ocean water… Humph… REALLY! …the ocean water…really salty as I learned in my high school! I remembered my friend said… a child followed his mother to the beach, went swimming, suddenly when he swallowed a mouthful of water, he cried out…Hey Mom! Who is silly to pour the salt into the whole ocean?

We met with our Karen from other part in Burma, they spoke differently, first we did not understand each other. They introduced themselves that they are Karen, we also did introducing ourselves. We spoke slower then we could understand each other and got along well.

We spent the time sleeping in one of my friend's aunt's houses in Hpa’ ah City for two nights. We went out to eat dinner in the city. I hoped to see the beauty of Hpa’ ah City at night, but unfortunately, as it has been under the control of the dark Burmese Government, the city went dim at both nights. I could only see the city dimly under the peaceful natural light of the sweet moon…

I was earnestly pleased to take a rest in my home as I was weary in the long journey of my displacing life.

The time was short as I have to hurry up to be back on time for the unpredictable date of my Australia Cultural Orientation training. On the 15th of April, in the morning when we left Hpa' ah, there was a tear dropping in my heart saying Goodbye to Hpa' ah city and Kwe Ka Baw mountain. I felt solemnly in my mind, when will I see my lovely country again as I have to tread down my feet to the third country... (please also see the fourth paragraph of http://www.karenvoice.net/e_theFirstLongJourney_1.html)

Thank God I came back well, safe, sound and satisfied!!

After the deep dark, the dawn has come. My family already got the visa and my father, mother, youngest sister and brother already attended the training and now there are still on the training. Me, my younger sister and a younger brother will have to attend the training the next week. After we all attended the training, I am sure that the flight is shaking and the soar may take place very soon!

Without hope we can only sit paralyzed in the gloom and darkness of despair over our past failures!

Saw Nay Moo
Engineering Study Program
Temporary Mae La Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border
Website: www.karenvoice.net

Tags: a sense of home and identity! a journey

04:06 pm: Mae Wei Hydro-power

I went to Mae Wei village to setup Hydro-power with my friend. We started on January 28th and finished February 7th. We had 7 of Engineering Study Program student to go there and worked. This project is very cool for us because we got experiences with job. We was very pleased to have the chance to setup the Hydro-power..

On the first day, we drive the car to go to the Mae Wei village. We had to drive the car 5 ours trip. At that time it was raining, so we were all got wet and cool. When we was there the rain is stop, then we go to visit to the Waterfall but some of my friend sick car so they can’t go with us. The Waterfall is very high and very nice. There is a little big far to the village. That far is about 1.5Km.

On the second day, we start to work our job. The villager also works with us so that is very funning to work together. We also work with some valentine from foreigner. We stop to work 5pm and then we play football together with the villagers. They play football
very well. We had dinner at 7 pm after that we play many game when the night time.
We have to work and play the same time every day.

I like the village because there is a very nice view and very nice environment. One of river flow in the village and in the village they also keep fish for pretty. The out side village they keep one of place for animal live. There place like the zoo but you can’t see the animal but no one can’t go to fine animal to the place. They are Thai Karen and all Christian family. They have a very good school and house but some people they didn’t have a good house. All of the villagers are about more 300 people. They are all very friendly.

We are all fun to the village to work. We also got a good experience with the job. Some
of USA high school student came to work. That is very happy to work together.
We can happy together but we can’t speck much English to tell them about my Karen situation all happen in Burma. We can share knowledge as we have and make friend.

After we finished to setup the Hydro, we take arrived one day in the village. Then I has to visit to the another village with one of my friend from Canada. We went a village and a waterfall. We can see another village but we didn’t have time to visit. There are many waterfall so very good view. I also can see the Burma side. There is also near border.

The next day on January 8 ,we have to came back to Mae La Cam. At that time we have to leave our friend from foreigner but we can contact them by email. They are all friendly for me and very good friends. When I came back in camp I gad to stay 3 day in camp and then I got a job in Mae Sot, so I have to came back to Mae Sot again. I have to work one
year in Mae Sot and then I don’t know for the next year, because we are refugee, we can’t decide to learn one subject and can’t to do only one job. We should work and learn every we have. I am always looking forward to tell your more about me as soon as I can. I hope you like to learn it.

Tha Wah.

10:17 am: Puppet in the refugee camp; in the door of heaven – a servant… “Inevitable through unpredictable”
Puppet in the refugee camp; in the door of heaven – a servant…
“Inevitable through unpredictable”

Thinking of myself day by day, it seems like I am a puppet which is played by my fate to act humorously as a model of my Karen community in the Karen refugee camp. Try to stay calm but still feel obliged to speak for my people. Sometimes my inner exceeding passion drives me to shout out loud. Having a glance at the daily work, it also seems like a servant perseveringly serving a small great thing in the door of the heaven. Today’s hesitation is inevitable, though tomorrow’s favor is unpredictable!

Many sunrises and sunsets flew reluctantly bypassing us. The heaven showered the drought in the desert of our mind, setting us to mindless anticipators. As the years passing by, the greens melancholily turn gray and shed, the sky bursts opened and gets hotter, the ground we step on cracks, the roots we eat show up, Karen is almost bared to the teeth, shaved to the skull and stripped to the marrow.

Standing on the half way on my life journey, I hear a tragic call from the jungle when I look back beyond the thorny way I grew up. I wanted to die today for the devotion of my needy people who innocently are still under the cruel oppression and unreasonable displacement that I already experienced (see Karen displaced people sorrow video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zaidqwq9Y0 ). Sometimes the traumatic picture of my life in the past hauntingly casts a nightmare in my dream when I think about it… But all I can do is to “endure and excel”.

Looking ahead for the future to the enormous high way that I have to tread upon, there are giants of modern technology massively waiting as a trophy. As I am a fighter for opportunity and my own fate, I am obliged to overtake them by any means. The simplest thing I can do now is “adapt to be dept”.
-“In the worst situation, endure and excel; from the best progress, adapt to be adept”

While standing on my crossroad, my instinct sends me to research the current confusing situation happening to our Karen people. Thinking deeply and comparatively, these following four excellent questions summon up the solution in my opinion.

1.Why Karens have to become refugees?

One of the most likely things is that to fulfill our forefather’s prophecies. (See entry February 18th, 2007 in this blog). When I was a child I heard one of our old high rank Karen soldiers said, when I was in charge to move to another location with my fellow soldiers, all of my soldiers and I equipped and started our march to the determined place through the forest. The place was pretty far so we had to sleep in the forest for several nights. Unexpectedly, one night, after the evening meal and setting out the sentries, and when it was nearly dark, I saw a very old man appearing dimly from a far, called me, and solemnly told me…

“Hear my say; there are two beetles, a Burmese beetle and a Karen beetle. They are put to gore each other in a sieve. While they are goring, as the Burmese beetle is bigger and stronger, it clamps up the Karen beetle and marginalizes it to the edge of the sieve. Woundingly and exhaustively, the Karen beetle tries to get up on the sieve but still defeated. Arrogantly, the Burmese beetle reinforces itself and attacks the Karen beetle viciously. The Karen beetle almost throws itself outside the sieve. But there is still a branch of its leg hanging it holding the edge of the sieve that the Burmese beetle could not kick out anymore. And there will be a time that the Karen beetle will get up on the sieve and will have clamped the neck of the Burmese beetle and it will never release it until the Burmese beetle draws back to the center of the sieve.”

After telling me the story he said it was time for him to leave. Then he turned back, walked out four or five steps and disappeared, (it is believed that there is a kind of Karen fairy supernatural tribe who wear the same Karen costume living invisibly in the forest in the Karen state. They show up some time to help and warn whenever Karens are in the sad situation). I was surprised and could not sleep through that night. As I am a soldier I thought I would fight until Karen has won an independent country.

So now we can clearly see that that story came true, Karen had to get out to the edge of Burma, hanging tenaciously in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border.

Another reason I can say without doubt that Karens were hated by the Burmese since the British came into Burma. Karens developed and become educated under the British control. The Burmese hated the British colonialists because they were defeated by the British and having lost their monarch. Karens were the backbone in supporting the British. After the British gave Burma her independence and left, Karen leader Saw Ba U Gyi went to Burmese general U Nu to proclaim that we Karens also have to rule our own land. Aggressively U Nu replied, “I won’t give the Karens an inch of this land. If you want, you must fight for it”. It was so clear that the Karens have to prepare themselves for the worst if they wish to get the best. Finally, during the 60 years of civil war, the Karens were inevitably pushed into the refugee camps.

Being a Karen I definitely feel that I love peace very much. When I went to eat Pakapau (a Thai rice dish with some vegetable and meat) at Saw To’s restaurant (a very popular restaurant in Mae La Karen refugee camp), several Burmese came in, including children, old women, young women and man. They proudly talked and teased loudly as if this restaurant is their mother’s house. The room was full of noise. I felt offensively disturbed then I got out immediately. So I could say that Karens are peace lover. But because of the political situation and globalization effect, Karens become suspicious of other and in turn are misunderstood. When the Burmese troops come to attack and destroy the village, the Karens regret losing their belongings, but peacefully abandon their village to hide-out places in the jungle. They do not want to face with this kind of unreasonable attack. Even though the Karens hide poorly and harshly in the jungle, the monsters are not still satisfied. They still add their cruelty by trying to get rid of the pitiful orphan chicken. Even the jungle is not quite a safe place. Eventually, the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border become a temporary safe haven for the Karens.

Even though most of the Karen people have been leaving and coming into the camps, there are still some planks in the eye of the watchful oppressive regime. One of the Burmese leaders Maung Hla said, “I will make until Karens become extinct in the world. If you want to see Karen, you have to go and see them in the museum”. On the other hand, as we have been living in the refugee camp for many years, and fed by the United Nations, it is like that we have been living in the museum. If some foreigner wants to see Karen, Karens are most available in Karen refugee camps.

2.Why Karens have to live in the camp so long?

After long long years of struggling for the freedom and self-government, the Karens are tired and exhausted until they find no place to take a rest as stable as a rock. So before the RIP (Rest In Peace) which everyone has to take when they are at the end of their breath, God prepares a temporary place for our Karen people to receive RIC which means Rest In Camp. If the camp exists only in a few years, the Karen might not be relaxed enough to rise up and survive the odds again.

Another reason might be, we are sharpening the saw. If you look at the book titled “The seven habits of highly effective teen/people”, you will be convinced that sharpening the saw is very important for one’s struggle. If you blunt your saw, how hard you may work, you can not cut the big tree down easily. Referring to the entry February 18th, 2007 of this blog, we have to sharpen our saw to escape from the spells of boa. So education is the sharpest saw we have to pierce through everything. As a metonymic saying said, “The pen is mightier than the sword”. Studying education for just a few years won’t give us good enough knowledge at all.

And because the current leadership of the Karen people doesn’t have specific plan and wise decision to lead us straightly to our own political destiny, most of the Karen refugees have to live longer in the camps.

3.Why Karens have to go to third countries or take resettlement?

Regarding to the blog entry February 18th, 2007 the Karens with no doubt are fulfilling their forefather’s prophecy in going to the third countries. “The eagle will come and seize up the corners of the mat to carry and drop it to the ocean or giant’s lands”.

One of the popular animal fables worth taking an example described...

“There is an owl who becomes a god to its fellow creatures. Because the owl can see in the dark and can answer questions with a few phrases, the other animals decide it is the wisest creature in the world. They follow in the owl’s foots steps and mimic its every action. When it bumps in to a tree, they do the same.
And when it staggers down the middle of the high way, they follow the owl’s lead. They do not realize that their idol can not see during the day time. Because the owl fails to see a truck that is approaching, it marches straight ahead and the other animals follow behind it, thinking that it is very brave, and that it will protect them from harm.

Naturally, the owl is no help to them when they are in the path of a fast-moving truck. The truck proves beyond question that the owl is not a god. But this lesson comes too late. The foolish animals are all killed by the truck. They follow their leader without question.”
-“When there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18”.

Willing to avoid the conflict again, another reason might be, Karens choose the alternative ways to find peace, freedom and self-determination in different lands. They don’t want be dominated by the mean and selfish government of Burma anymore. Full of vision, to keep their new generation alive and more educated, and to be citizen anywhere in the world, in order to get equal human right, the Karens determine bravely to resettle to a safer place, - “The lean liberty is better than the fat slavery”.

And some people might complain that living in the camp is like the pigs living in their sty, so to experience real beautiful life as a human who has to work and possess needs and wants, many Karen already left and resettled to the third countries.
Hey, not so bad! Some of my overseas friends say, “Have to work hard but already bought a car”. I do not neither work hard here in the camp nor even have a penny in my pocket. Ha… Ha…!

4.Will Karens come back again to their homeland?

Absolutely, the answer is YES. As a scripture says, “Where your possessions are, you heart is there”. So here I am saying that, “The place of birth your homeland, really you will never forget”. All Karens love their homeland but now because of the unstable political situation, they inevitably have to leave their homeland. But after dispersing widely like the hair roots spreading under the ground to support the trunk standing firmly and absorbing good enough nutrients, there will be a day that the Karens will certainly come back to their homeland and rebuild their country as the Israel who were once had been displaced to many countries and finally came back and rebuilt their capital Jerusalem. This determination might unpredictably come true….

“Though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great. Job 8:7”

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Temporary Mae La Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border
www.karenvoice.net



Tags: “Inevitable through unpredictable”

03:37 pm: Happy Karen New Year in Mae La Karen Refugee Camp – 2747 Anniversary
Happy Karen New Year in Mae La Karen Refugee Camp – 2747 Anniversary

May our 2747 Karen New Year bring great peace, prosperity, unity and effort to all our Karen people as well as everyone in the world!

Hopefully, I thought I would go to some different places to celebrate the Karen New Year which fell on the last 8th January with different friends and environments.

Since the new calendars with our Karen calendar were not available, I did not know when our Karen New Year is. I got one from a friend around the end of December and I looked at on the calendar, the date of our Karen New Year is the 8th of January. I was motivated to find ways possible take me to the distance. The time drew near and near but it seemed like the weather did not sympathetically care about my plan. I tried to set up the ways but all of the ways were impossible. So I remained calm and decided to go nowhere. I had to be satisfied with my enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, on the 2nd of January, we unhappily heard that the beloved sister of His Majesty already took a rest in peace so it was the great mourning for the residents of Thailand. As we are also the residents in Thailand, we kept mourning together in respect with our host country. So on the Karen New Year day, there were no ceremonies and celebrations held in Pu Ko Plaw (Mae La football field). But in the evening, there were final football, volleyball, and caneball (takrowt) matches vying for the first awards.

I reluctantly thought I would just stay home and play with my computer because I am voluntarily busy working to developing my newborn website. But unexpectedly, one of the beautiful girls kindly invited me to go and cheer her at her final volleyball match. Oh, how sweet the sound is to cheer her! The exciting promptness drove my decisive heart to leave my reluctance away then I headed to the crowded field blissfully. When I was there, there were already a lot of excited and cheery spectators taking their places around the field. Soon, the games started but the crowds were still coming. The loud cheering soared in the sky when the ball rolled near the goals. I look at the football match for a while and then turned to volleyball which I was specially invited to cheer and pay attention at. As I am short, I saw nothing. I just could see the backs, the heads and the floating ball.

I tried to clear up the direction between her and me but my sight was blocked. The space was dusty and noisy; I could not pay attention on the game much, for I could hardly breathe. It happened once that we could see each other well for a moment, I showed up my cheering face to her and she replied me with her lovely and touching smile that I could never forget in my memory. Then I turned home with her sweet smile in my sight…

However, all of the Karens seemed always happy to see and greet each other when we were on our New Year. Considerably, as we were a blessed people to survive the world changes and came up to be alive to the year 2747, and as the life of our Karen people increases year by year, shall the Karen still have to suffer the persisted persecution? Or what do we live for...?

"Do not add years to your life, but add life to your years"

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Temporary Mea La Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border
www.karenvoice.net








Tags: happy karen new year in mae la karen ref

02:26 pm: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Merry Christmas and a Joyous and a Prosperous New Year

Hello Everyone,

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to you all. May the Christmas and New Year bring you wise and abudant happiness, blessing, peace and prosperity.
The time of desperation, the time of loneliness, the time of excitement and the time of tiredness passed and faded away beyond the past. The present gives preparation for tomorrow and tomorrow is brighter and brighter.
As I said before I wished to be in a new world before New Year but now I realized that every trifle of time is in God’s hand and He arranges every single thing for me in every possible source and every possible opportunity.
By the end of November, I’ve got a gratis web space kindly donated by Day, Azimuth Internet. So I took care creating the web pages. At first, I understood nothing about building a website. So my friend Andrew came to help me and taught me the basics about that and I continued work on it as the same time I learn it by working. It took effort to build up a website at the first time and it was tricky because I did not understand much about HTML. As I was triumphant and curious I tried and worked as hard as I am so now I could manage it well. The website that I work on is about our Karen voice. Our Karen used to be silent since our forefather times until now so if my thought was not wrong it is wise to give voice rather than to stay calm. I work together with my father. My father works on writing and researching the information of our Karen people and I work on computer part. I hope this website is useful and informative to those who are interested and want to know and read our Karen people. Now the information is not quite perfect but we will continue to update it timely. The name of the website is www.karenvoice.net.

Throughout the month of December, I just kept my mind on designing the webpage so I didn’t have time to spend with my family so much. But I always stay with my family so I think I do not need to worry about family life. My family and my eldest sister’s husband’s family celebrated the Christmas on the 23rd night in a comfortable spot under a very green tree between our two houses. My mother, sisters and brothers did cooking the food which is frying Ma Mah (instant noodle) and they also mixed the coffee-milk for our two families. My eldest sister’s mother-in-law cooked the sticky rice with frying chicken. I cook very good but at this time I didn’t have time to participate in cooking with my family. At night when the engine started, we had a service then enjoyed the good food together. Then one of my younger brothers and I took a walk to Baw Naw church, looked around there for a while and came back home at midnight.

We ESP and LMC also celebrated the Christmas together on the 21st. we joined breakfast together and started the final matches of volleyball, badminton, and cane-ball that were already competed up to semi-final before the 21st. after the matches we were given the prizes then and we were on our way.

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Mae La Temporary Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border



Tags: merry christmas and a happy new year

12:37 pm: Karen village in the past
We lived a simple life. It was a good life. We worked hard together. Everybody helped each other we grew rice and build houses together. We celebrated New Year, weddings, and funerals together. Everybody brought food to share at the celebration.

We ate rice that we grew. We ate vegetables from our gardens. We ate meat because we raised animals like chickens, pigs, and ducks. We also caught fish in the streams. We also collected fresh vegetables from the forest. Everybody was healthy because we ate good food.

We didn’t have money, but we didn’t need it. We shared everything with own neighbors. We grew cotton and women wave our clothes. Every girl learned how to weave. They made wedding clothes for themselves and for their husbands.

We didn’t have modern medicine. We used our Karen traditional medicine. Our grandparents taught us how to use plants for medicine. We grew some plants in our gardens and collected other plants in the forest. Every village had a traditional doctor to take care of people who they sick.

Today, many Karen still live in this way. They have a lot of traditional knowledge. They live a good, simple life. We should learn from them before we forget about Karen culture.

Tha Wah.

03:53 pm: The happy life in dormitory but the boring life in camp
The happy life in dormitory but the boring life in camp

I have been in dormitory five year. The dormitory name is IRC (internal relief committee). We have 96 of
student in dormitory and we are all Karen student. We have managed by Pastor Arther and clasper. They
are missionary.

We have some Christian family and some Buddies with other relation. We have divided two dormitories for the girl and the boy. We also have special one of kitchen and dinning room to eat. We have breakfasts at 8 o’clock and dinner at 5 o’clock. All food have prepare by student because we have divided six groups to work with duty. If we done our duty we must to go study room to ready sometime if they have confuse on their duty they going to get the punish.

We have different problem in Burma and came to stay in camp. Sometime we have to talk together about our problem and explain our situation. Some students are orphan and some are poor life on their bad situation. We didn’t go back to our village easily and if we go to our village we afraid for our-self because the Burmese troop and Karen National Union have control the place all the time and sometime it’s has batter so that is not good for us. We could not meet our parent easily and get information to them. Sometime for myself I have to face problem then no body can care us like our parent because I had bad feeling when we have problem. Likewise sometime, they also have problem so they will get the bad feeling like me.

What ever we can happy to living in dormitory because we are all living like brother and sister who have a big family. If we have holiday we play together and work together then sometime we did not have curry but we could eat tasty. When we did not have good curry I got bad feeling but I should happy because we didn’t need to work for food. Some of foreigner say to me you life is very easy so, that is very good for your but I said to them, ‘that is right but can you change to living with me’ because if we livig in camp we are like stupid.

Sometime I have feeling on my own and on all our Karen student who live in dormitory because we have to depend on who have mercy on our so, if no body don’t have mercy on our how we will eat and what we will do. Some people they have mercy on our and they try to do any kind for our education but they also have problem on their job. The camp situation is safe but not good for living long life. I did not want to living more in camp but I can do nothing. I was very boring in camp because if we want to study, we can study free but non-government did not recommend for us so not good for study. Likewise, we had to work hard to go to school because not good part for work especial during raining season also we do get food any time when we felled hungry because our mother could not pay money for us. Sometime if we get 1 Bath of money, we were very happy.
For myself sometime stay like beggar because if I need something I couldn’t get by my own salary. Also some of teacher said, we are the high beggar because we have to ask for you any thing you need but no body see our sit on road to ask money like beggar. Then they suggest our student don’t lazy for study and keep to study hard because we did not want your will become like us.
I did not know really, why we have a different life in this world. Sometime I have to ask to GOD, Oh GOD you are creation and YOU can do anything what you want. Why you didn’t keep our like other people especial why YOU did not give our peace. What our people have wrong on YOU? We are all human in this world. I don’t know what GOD plan for us. I believe HIM but I was very tired to pray and ask HIM.

Mission from many country they came to visit to us and make us happy with them for told story, sing the song and teach the song for us. Then they show their love on their praying for us and they got very magnificent by our life and our situation. Moreover they explain for us by they own country people have prayed on us. I could happy with them and thank their for had mercy on us but we just still on trouble and have problem. Many refugee in camp they go to thirst country and got relief but some people no relief because if the Burma don’t have freedom we will have to face this troubles because we have to afraid Burmese troop all the time. if we living in camp we have to living like prison. Oh! How will we happy for our life?

Saw Tha Wah.

Tags: the happy life in dormitory but the bori

11:37 am: A journey to physical examination at Pa Wow Hospital in Mae Sot city, same time – pre-departure
A journey to physical examination at Pa Wow Hospital in Mae Sot city, as the same time – pre-departure…..
Last week Monday, the 5th of November, my family drove to Physical Examination at Pa Wow Hospital in Mae Sot city.

After we went to interview, there had been silent for a while until the second of November. On the second of November the dove of informing paper brought the excitement again. On November 5, Monday morning, we those who have to go to physical examination collected and waited the IOM transporters in front of the MOI office near No.1 high school of Mae La camp.

Many people were already there as they were dated. I thought they were only the people who applied for Australia as the same as me, of course, there were also people who applied for the United States. However I was very happy to be together with them. We waited for a moment walking around and talking about how excited the physical examination is as we waited for a long time.

Around 7.30 am, three IOM transporters showed up, the crowd drew closer to the car then names were called and people got on the car one by one. Our names were called and we got on the car too. After name calling, we three transporters departed toward Mae Sot.

Along the way under the cover of the IOM car, when we passed the camp I felt like now I have left the camp and free from the burden of being refugee life. I was full of thinking when I looked back at Mae La camp. I fell drifting in my thinking for a moment and when I woke up I realized that this was just only the pre-departure.

We were on the road for about 45 minutes then we entered Mae Sot city. We turned a lot of lefts and rights in the city then we finally arrived to a very tall-six-floor-white-building Pa Wow Hospital. We got off the car and we were told to take the seat. Australia and the States had to sit apart from each other as we were to instruct differently.

As we arrived, many people wanted to go to WC. I also wanted to go too. When I go to the WC, I saw many people already waiting for the WC like the flowers longing for the sun in the depths of winter. I turned back and waited until the WC was clear enough.

When all of the people arrived, the examination process started. We were issued the personal examination cards one each family by family. First we had to measure our height and weight (unhappy... very short!!!). Second we moved to the eye testing then BP measuring. We those who are over 15, did signing on our application paper. We were asked about our health personally and then we had to wait for the calling to wear the patient suit.

After waiting for a moment, our names were called then we went to wear the blue patient suit then we had to go into the blood and urine testing room. I was very nervous to have my blood ejected because injection is the one that I am afraid of the most.

My parents and my siblings had only one injection but when I saw the syringe and the needle, my blood sank up, I had to take two injections on both of my hands, I felt as if I was half dying. Then we went to x-ray room and came back and waited outside. It was noon time and we were shared one pack of Pa Ka Paul to us each.

The next step was, we had to meet with doctor at the sixth floor. I was excited to be on the sixth floor as I have never been to the building like this before. This was my first time I've been to such a very high building. And the most excited thing for me was we shall have to climb up with elevator. I saw people travelling by elevator on movie but now it was my real time.

Around 1 pm, the process restarted, names were called, family by family went into the building, climbed up to the sixth floor, after meeting with doctor, and they came out with giggle and some people- ashamed and silent. The fact was that we had to expose our body to the doctor.

The time had come to our turn; we went into the building to the entrance of elevator. A man waited for us there in the elevator. He did transporting people up and down the building. I happily got in into the elevator, when the room was full, he just pushed the button and the room shook up then became stable for a while, the number on the top panel counted 1.2.3 up to 6, the room shook up again, the door opened and we went out, it seemed like I went out at the same place I entered. Hum... that was that!! We turned a corner and I saw people already waited in front of the doctor’s rooms. Looking out through the window, the distant view and the plan view of the city attracted my eyes, I wanted to stay there for more than just I expected. When I looked down the foot of the building I was very nervous. Wow… that was scary!!
We were told to sit and wait in range on the bench outside the room. I didn’t have enough time to spend viewing the scenes. People went into the room with excited face and came out with giggle and calm face.

Our turn had come, our family entered into the room, we were asked and checked personally by the doctor. Before I came in, I thought people were kidding, but now it was my turn and it was real. The doctor said “take off your suit”, I did it. She tested me with her testing instrument all over my body. I thought that was enough. And she added “take off your underpants”, I was surprised but I did it. She looked around me for a second then she said “that’s OK, you may go out”. I went out, came down to the first floor and waited my family outside the building.

After the process when it was around 3.30 pm we all were driven back into camp. When we arrived home we talked joking about our physical examination to our neighboring friends. I exaggerated my story and my friends did laughing aloud, after a while the night drew over. With hope we could just pass the gloom and darkness of the past and tomorrow has dawned brighter.

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Mae La Temporary Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border





Tags: a journey to physical examination at pa, as the same time – pre-departure…..

12:27 pm: My Pretty School
My Pretty school

I am one of an engineering student from Mae La Camp. My name is saw tha wah and I was study engineering three year. My headmarster name is Saw Loh Doh. My school location is Mae La Camp, Zone B, and Section 04.

When I finished ten standart in camp, I have many chances to choise for study because we have many posten schools in camp. That school are Further study program, Engineering study program, Teacher Prearation center, Agriulture Traning course, Leadership Menagement technologe course, and Senion School. If we finish ten standards, we can study free to every school if we pass exam. Then we have examination on March so I have to choose two schools for exam. It is Engineering School and Further study program school. Aftre one mounth I got information for I have to pass exam both school. That time I was very happy for I pass this exam because this both school are my Favorate School but I can choose to study only one of Enginnering School.

I start to study my prety school on 2005 and I have 23 classmake. We have two kind of certificate. Those are certificate 1, 2 and 3 or 4. If we pass exam two year we cat get certifficate 1 and then we can get a certiffiate 2 and 3 a year by a year when we pass final exam.

We also divide step for study class. In first year, we study Mathermatic, English grammar, Automotic engineering subject, Drawing, Disel engine, Computer and workshop. This is all subject names.

In second year, we have to study Mathermatic, Thermodynemic, Apply, Computer, Drawing and Workshop class. I am very lucky when I study second year becausewe have a teacher from USA. His name is Sean. He is very cleaver to teaching on our student and very smuch because he teaches for our student not only Mathermatic but also Electronic too. That is very funing to study.

Moreover, we also have a good teacher from BGET and they are all vovlunteer. They were very nice and happy with our student and shear knowledge and teaching for our many kind of education. Usually they train our student with theory and pratical because they gave workshop traing and then they plan our students go out to check solar and hydropower and work with them to the Thai-Karen Village. Last year they have install solar design to every camp and make one of hydro power to Thai-Karen village, every time if they have project they call our student for train and get experience about the job. Last year we also have to install Bio-digester to the Thai-Karen Village. That is very big system to install also other kind like solar cooking, hydro pump, solar pump and installation system and many computer skill and they help our student some of computer for study. Especially Mr. blag he help our about system for search information what we want to learn and some computer.

After few weeks we also have Karen teacher form Bangkok university, that university name is (Assumption University of Thailand) he came to teach for our about AutoCAD skill and ketchup skill on his holiday. That time we also have holiday so we have complete time to study and we can study that easy because we were all interesting to study it.

That why I want to say my Engineering school name to my pretty School because I have many education and experience with my pretty school so I can say my life have to pretty with this school. Especially I want to say my headmaster.

I am also very happy to have chance to write this blog but I was very sad for myself because I got this chance along time to write blog but I never write it. Now I will try to write as soon as I can.
Thank you for who read my essay.

Than wash.

02:37 pm: Hello everyone,


My name is SAW THA WAH. I'm 21 years old. I have 7 brothers and one sister. I'm the second son. I live in Tee Poe Than village, which is located in the South-East of Kaw Ka Reit township in Karen state, Burma. My parent’s name are Saw Min La and Naw Chit Nay, and they are farmers.

My father is a Karen and my mother is a Shan. They remained in the village and now they are old. When I was young, the situation in my village was very bad, because of the civil wars. When the battle happened in our area, we had to leave our home, moving from village to village and hiding in safe places.

I went to school up to three standards in my village and then my parents sent me to study in Kaw Ka Reit province. I studied there in school time and came back home on some holidays. When I came back home I tried to help my parents in any necessary job.

If the situation became bad alongside our village I could not come back to my village. In some year if the situation was extremely bad I had to study one standard for two years. Even though the situation was not stable I tried to go to school until 9 standards. I wanted to continue my school but my parents didn't have enough money to support me to go to school any more. I also didn't have any relatives in Kaw Ka Reit to stay with.

I was very unhappy for not having a chance to go to school. I loved studying very much. When I was in school my teachers always encouraged me to study hard so that I will have education to support myself in my life as well as my family. I also would like to become a great teacher but when I left school I lost almost all my hope because I didn't think that I would have a chance to go to school again. I had to stay with my parents and help them do farming.

I came back and stayed in my village for a couple of months and I got a job to teach in my village. I also helped my parents in cultivating paddy field and growing the plants. I was also a teacher in my village but I was not happy of being a teacher because the SPDC troops always came into my village to check and ask many unanswerable questions.

The battles always happened around my village between Karen soldiers and Burmese soldiers. I could not stay to teach in my village any more. We didn't have the time to spend with our family happily. We just had to worry day to day. Because of many problems my parents didn't want us to stay together with them.

My family is a big family, and most of my siblings are boys. This was troublesome for my parents, if Burmese troops saw us living together. I didn’t want to live with fear and worry so I left my village and my family, and then I came to camp with my two younger brothers and one younger sister.

I stayed in Mae La Camp for 5 years. Now I finished the second year of engineering study program and this year I study in third year. We also have a big problem in the camp because many people stated to resettle to third country like USA, Australia, UK, Norway, Canada and Sweden. Some of our good teachers and friends have left too. I am also want to continue study and make my life improve more and more.

Some of my friend in thirst country they say to me about the situation in there and they well very happy in their. I for myself hope to happy like my friend but I can not have chance so I must enjoin in camp.

Thank you everyone those who love to read my story.
Saw thawah.

11:42 am: Learning Architecture on school holiday…
Learning Architecture on school holiday…

Last two weeks we some ESP students and teachers were learning Architecture on mid-term school holiday.

We usually have the mid-term school holiday on October 15 to 29. The students and teachers were on their way taking break as they might be tired in learning and teaching. Some students went outside the camp to the nearby villages to go hunting to refresh their mind, breath fresh air in the jungle and on the high mountain. We did different things for recreation as we were meant to be. Some students attended the trainings held during holiday.
Before holiday, some of our Karen students who went to the Assumption University of Thailand in Bangkok came and visited us ESP and LMC schools. They shared with us their experiences, their studying, and they encouraged and inspired us to try hard even though we live in refugee camp, for there will be some day that our dreams come true. After the sharing, my father requested them to come and share their knowledge with us when they have time. It was a blessing that their holiday and ours were at the same time so one of them was willing to volunteer to come and share what he learns at university. He studies Architecture.

On 18th October, he arrived at our school and we started the class that day as we were ready and already waited for him enthusiastically at school. We spent the precious time learning Architecture for 8 days. It seemed like we have got a light in our head to light our feet to step on the future land. We were very happy to absorb the knowledge from the outsider.

Turning back to the resettlement process, it is now November, some of my friends who went to interview together with me now receive the informing paper to go and wait the car at MOI gate for their medical check on the dated day. They have to go to the hospital in Mae Sot. My family also has to go to medical check on the fifth of November. Now we know for sure that our application was successful. After the night, the dawn has drawn near us….

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Temporary Mae La Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border



---------------------------------
(This is taken from the Karen University Students' Group Journal, Volume 3, November 2007)

The Promise Home

“Pa Pa, would you buy some timber to build this house?” a 18 years old Karen refugee boy prinks his father and pointed his house design plan. He is studying his first year in Engineering Study Programme in Mae La Refugee camp. “OK! Promise!” responded by the Karen father with smile. Then all students were started to laugh. They laugh, because they might think it is a joke. Of course, it is impossible to build a dreamed house as a refugee who doesn’t have privilege to live in this world. I could see the picture of hope that emerges in each of the students’ face and suddenly a tear dropped from my heart.

It was a semester brake, studying architecture in Assumption University. Me and my colleagues went to visit refugee students in Mae La camp.

We visited four vocational schools including Engineering Study Programme. After the visit, I decided to volunteer for 10 days, teaching Computer Aided Design such as AutoCAD for 2D and SketchUp for 3D drawing. I also contribute some knowledge about basic housing design technique. They learnt how to use the software at the same time they were designing a house for a family. I brought some material for model making. They had chance to learn how to make model. Finally they complete their won design drawing and model of their won house.

“What the use of this short training for them?” I was asked by a person who lives in Bangkok. Suddenly, I don’t know how to reply. Then I said, “They can use when the time need them”. I have learnt something that, the students have never complained their situation, studying in the harsh condition. Using old laptop with very low speed was never make them bore. When they draw 3D, the computer could not work properly and they were very patient to wait the slow mood. The students were very excited when they see the progress of their work. I was very glad seeing the students’ smiling face but there is only one question that I could not answer, “When they can build their won house in Karen land?”




Tags: Learning Architecture on school holiday…

01:52 am: It seems like I still have to conclude my 2007 year here in Mae La Karen Refugee camp.
It seems like I still have to conclude my 2007 year here in Mae La Karen Refugee camp.

After a long time waiting in perseverance for the application of resettlement to Australia, my family went for interview again on last two weeks Wednesday, 12th September.

At the end of August, we were informed to go for interview on 12th September, so we were all excited and happy as though we would have left tomorrow. We always talked about the application, mentioned it while we were eating and even when we went to bed. My younger brothers and sisters wanted to leave the camp as they preferred to see the developing in the city more than constantly viewing the discouraging surroundings in the camp. When the day had come, we got up and prepared ourselves then went down to the UN’s office happily along the way. It takes 30 minutes to travel to the UN’s office so my parents and my youngest sister went first and then we went after them. When we arrived at the office, we saw no one at the office. We waited for a while then a car approached, the interviewers got out, opened the office’s gate, entered into the office, and prepared their places for interview. I thought I would see many people today, but I just saw a few families coming to the office. Before the process started, we were announced that we have to answer the questions honestly and if we answered dishonestly we will be rejected, and even if we arrived in Australia, we will be brought back.

Names were called family by family. I was excited to hear the questions that we have to answer honestly. After a moment, our turn had come. My family entered the interviewing room, and we saw two people waiting for us. The interviewer was an Australian woman and a Karen translator sat beside her. She was surprised to see our big family but she kindly greeted us and welcomed us to be seated. She interviewed us one by one from my father to my youngest sister. We answered her directly in English and she was very happy to talk to us. The translator also was happy to take a rest as we did not need translating. I wondered she was very kind and talked to us happily with her face always smile. I felt as though our application would be over approved and we would have to leave tomorrow.

The process went step by step smoothly and at the end, she asked us whether we have any questions or comments. Excitedly and curiously I asked her when we have to go medical check. She smiled and simply replied me, “After the interviews, I have to go back to Bangkok UN’s office and discuss the applications. It will take two months and if your application is successful you will be informed by the next two months, you will have to go medical check at that time and wait two more months for approval. So if your application is successful, the overall process may take four or five months”. I was surprised to hear that and faint to ask more questions. The interview was over; we thanked her, greeted each other and left.

Along the way came back home, her smile was always in my sight and her words were always in my ears. Of course, I was always dreaming of a new world and wanted to be in a new world before 2008. But now it seemed like I still have to conclude my breathless 2007 year in this hell and shoulder the burden of my being Refugee life. However, human is impossible!!!
I am unhappy to see friends timely leaving one by one and leaving the untreatable loneliness to pierce the leaf of my desperate heart.

As I am interested in computer, Mr. Blake introduced me to study Ubuntu Linux operating system. He bought me a laptop and brought me Ubuntu book so that I could study it by myself. Nothing in the camp can encourage me more than my self motivation in studying Ubuntu. I have got many challenges in studying Ubuntu but I love them very much. Those challenges drive me in the sky and make me forget my unhappiness on the ground. I always have to face with challenges in my life to become a better man. While others sit down and eat, for me, I have to cook then eat. While others cook and eat, for me, I have to plant then cook and eat.

If I had to say more, this year I am busy sending friends to the departure place to leave. Like a candle lights others and consumes itself, I am a guiding holy spirit to send Mae La residents to the Promised Land and break my own heart.

Last 23rd, I went and sent one of my friends to the football ground. She has to go to California. The departure place was changed to football ground because it was too crowded to hold the process at morning market.

In the morning I got up, and stepped my feet on the way to United States with some friends. Along the way I saw people carrying the bags, heading to the place that I will go. Around the camp, there were mists on the mountains, so I could only focus my sight on the way that I walk on. When we were in the football ground, only a few people already arrived. We were looking around for a while then more people coming with their bags. Those whose friends have motorbike, their friends came and carried them on the motorbike. Those whose friends have car, they were carried on the car. Then the IOM transporting cars arrived.

The big long blue buses did not come to the amp any more. Those who are leaving now will have to go and stay at monastery in Mae Sot for three or four days because of the Cholera issue. Today not many people came to send their friends. Friends’ friends, relatives’ relatives, girl/boyfriends’ girl/boyfriends already left the camp and the departure is now becoming the common sense for the residents of Mae La camp. I felt so sorry that when it is my turn, maybe I will have to go one person in one car, nobody’s around me, and how can I keep my face to say good bye to my Mae La Karen Refugee camp.

Names were called one by one. When one car was full, it was driven forward a little bit. When every car was full and the process was over, the engines started and the three transporters reluctantly left along one another. The other people followed them and scattered at the cross roads.

Anyhow, I also hope that my dream will come true. If there is nobody to be with me when the day I leave, I believe that God will be with me from my start to my end.

Saw Nay Moo Doh Taw
Engineering Study Program
Temporary Mae La Karen Refugee Camp
Thai-Burma Border




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10:56 am: Prophetic poetries of the Karen people
Prophetic poetries of the Karen people

Every nation has their history originated in folklores, legends and myths; the Karen was not exempted. These were handed down to generation after generation in diverse styles forming the core of civilization. To name but a few are prose and verse, ode and oracle, proverbs and poetry. These were all appreciated and valued as a whole to become our heritage. It linked the present progress and destiny of a nation to the past. It also enriches arts, cultures and literatures of a nation. The Karen people lacked nothing to be considered a nation, worthy to build a nation-state of their own. The Karen spoken language preceded the written language for nearly a thousand year, so most of this precious heritage were passed down orally until last two centuries when the Karen were blessed with written language through western missionaries mostly British and American. Some Karen historians and scholars did research and compiled the lost heritage and put them to words and lines. Therefore, there is always slight variation in their presentations. One of the most remarkable heritages the Karen received is called “Htar” (Poetry). Most of the Karen people believed that their lives and destinies were shaped by “Htar” which distinguished them from other nations or races. These prophetic “Htar” presaged events decades or centuries earlier and surprisingly experienced by the Karen people in due time. There are many prophetic “Htars” to be researched and compiled. I would like to share with my fellow Karen the following Htar as well as with those who are interested. Because the “Htars” speak not for the Karen alone. The following “Htar” was compiled by one of a Karen scholar with his own variation. It was in Karen language and for your convenience it was translated into English as best as possible.

Ocean floor, the safest Haven

1.Great grandparents told us once,
Never think it can come up;
Great grandparents talked deep things,
We said they were just joking;
Their saying seemed now not fake,
It really becomes our present fate;
Running wild to every corner,
Take cradled kids and sacks on shoulders;
Kids and babes wobbling upon,
Leaving lot of pigs and fowls.

2.Great grandparents told again,
To “Yoh Kaw” my people will land;
The early birds had enough worms,
Laugh the way with lots of fun;
Daring spirit will first try,
Only tears and sobs for late guys;
About turn when the buttock warm,
To feed again on “three-stone oven”;
What must be the three-stone pod?
Restore our land which once was lost.

3.Great grandparent said, if true,
Yoh Kaw won’t be in good mood;
When Yoh Kaw is like iron pot,
Babes in cradle missed to be brought;
A day comes when “Yoh Poe” demands,
Back to the land we left behind;
If Yoh Poe command us to leave,
No excuses come to heed;
All day, all night petitions,
Yoh Poe pays no attention.

4.Great grandparents “said it more”,
Troops from the west needn’t fear;
More formidable one will come,
Form the east marching downward;
What is the army of the east?
Never able to guess a bit;
Just think how fearful if might be,
In sorrow and silence feign to sleep;
If this prophecy seems to be near,
Gird up your loin and run fast.

5.What great grandparents “spoke of true”,
Heaven explodes with sparkling white;
Lime and brimstone dance on high,
Death rings her toll everywhere;
Stinks of corpses scatter and spread,
Bring the bad smells to every height;
To be spared and to be saved,
Need best advice from the sage;
All that I can counsel you more,
Make your shelter on ocean floor.

By – Pu Mahn Thein

Note:
1.Yoh Kaw (v2) – Thailand
2.Three-stone oven (v2) – The Karen cook their food on oven made up of three convenient stones.
3.Yoh Poe (v3) – Thai
4.Said it more (v4) – including regional nations
5.spoke of true (v5) – global event


Translated by Saw Loh Doh, Headmaster of ESP, Mae La Temporary Karen Refugee Camp



Tags: prophetic poetries of the karen people