Rotarian in Vietnam... Part 2

Kawthoolei Karen Baptist College – Mae La
Most of the people in the camp are Karen, and they have been seeking their independence ever since the British left Burma in 1948. Many of the Karen are Christian and this was reflected in the part of the camp where I was visiting. Every morning at the KKBC they have a morning service before classes and I was invited to give a small talk. Funny as a 'mick', no priest has ever asked me to get up and preach, but for the second time, the first been some 25 + years ago I was invited by the evangelical community in Taitung (Taiwan) to do so. I had about 15 minutes warning that I had this honour, and as I was about to stand and deliver found I was expected to relate it to the day's gospel or a passage from the Bible. Fortunately the John's Gospel of the day just happened to mention a thing or two that was along the lines of my 'homily'.

KKBC students & ACUSA volunteer teacher
After service the mostly young people went to their classes at KKBC which was basically a theological college but included university level subjects in sociology and other social subjects. One of the subjects is English, which is assuming a higher level of importance for many of the refugees. With the Burmese junta implacably showing no signs of changing it brutal policies, and with the Thai Government becoming increasing frustrated at the refugee problems that have plagued it for so many decades on just about every border, the international society, especially the USA are opening up their refugee programs to allow for resettlement options. So over the next 12 months some 20,000 refugees will be settled in third countries. For many of the students at KKBC most of whom are in their late teens or 20s this will provide an opportunity to start a new life but also face new challenges. This was partly the subject of my little talk.

Primary school provided by a Netherlands NGO
The irony of the resettlement program is that the most educated and capable will be the  first to go which will deplete the camp of its leaders, those who take on administrative tasks, education and provide other social services to the camp.

After lunch I said my good-byes and was driven back to Mae Sot. As we drove past the camp and its barbed wire perimeter, the collection of thatched huts and buildings clumped for several hilly kilometers along the main road in the tropical foliage, watched over by the protective mountains, I could only wonder how much longer the world would largely stand by and allow people to be refugees because of greedy rapacious elements that rule their country.

Mae La camp from Highway.
The trip back was uneventful through the tropical rain forest, the small villages surrounded by their corn and other crops, a few small towns. The most interesting sight was what I have called a 'jumbo tuk tuk' that we passed on the way.

Jumbo tuk tuk
It was thought provoking to spend a night in the camp to share some of the atmosphere of what it is like to be a refugee without any of the hardships and uncertainties that form the bulk of their lives.

Readers are invited to make donation to the ISHRA Mae La Mosquito Net Project

ISHRA
PO Box 168
Thomastown 3074
Victoria, Australia

Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible.
All money donated is used for the project.

John Launder
August 2007