We were told that we had strictly one hour for our meeting with the Thai-Burma Border Consortium, or TBBC, because Chris, the regional field coordinator, was a very busy man. We showed up promptly at 10am.
He is indeed a very busy man, along with only a handful of other people overseeing the food delivery, shelter upkeep, and nutrition program of the Thai/Burma Border's nine refugee camps and 150,000 refugees. The TBBC's main job is to count the people in the refugee camps, order the food, and then deliver it to the camps, where it is distributed by the camp commitee. To take the action that affects tens of thousands of people, the TBBC must deal with the constant beareaucratic weights of meeting UNHCR standards (which are not present at all the camps), bribe the Thai government, and answer to the beck and call of the global aid community that funds the program.
The TBBC is also responsible for preparing refugees for resettlement in North America or Europe. Chris presented the group with a different perspective of the impact that resettlement has on both the camp and the people themselves. Resettlement results in a "brain drain"--relocation of the more skilled and professional workers, mainly teachers, medics, and people with managerial skills, which often leads to a devastation of the camps infrastructure. The refugees who do make it to a different country are often inadequately prepared for life in a more advanced country, which leaves many to struggle.
This struggle, however, is not lost because there is still an undying hope. The restablishment of the Burmese people reflects the same struggle that many immigrants faced in the United States, paving the way for the success of their children and future generations down the line. I relate this hard work for a livelihood to the hardships the Burmese democrmacy movement is facing against the junta. They witness limited success in the present, but it may well create an opportunity of success and prosperity for future generations of Burmese when (and the people of Burma believe it is when, not if) a democratic government is established.
Action Steps
- Contact the US Campaign for Burma and lobby for funding for TBCC. The United States does not fund the organization and it is currently facing budget cuts while dealing with an increasing number of refugees.
- Help Burmese refugees resettled in the United States to adjust to American life.
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