Stories that are unheard

During my research trip in December, I visited a Karen village where the people are internally displaced. This means that they are displaced in their own country because of war and fighting which has driven them out of their original homes, and they have to keep moving, looking for somewhere else safe to live in. Promises of ceasefires have not been kept. Innocent lives, as such have been sacrificed. They are trapped, for there is no where else that they can go and no one that they can turn to.

There were about 30-40 households in that village, with the houses spread out in an area which is sparse. There is some planting around the vicinity, but insufficient to feed the people living there. Not only do they face food shortages, medical supplies are scarce and the villagers do not get much medical support. Malaria is a common problem and often times, they do not have the medicine to fight it, often succumbing to diseases such as these.

The school in the village, which effectively is just a hut, was built using donated funds. They have 2 teachers and more than 30 students but only offer 2 standards - upper and lower. The children vary in age, ranging from 4-15 and all of them have had little opportunity for education, having constantly been on the move. Even when they are settled in a location, like this village, it is difficult for them to obtain a proper education because of the lack of trained teachers, proper syllabus and financial support. Many of them are still struggling to read and write.

The village headman said that he felt helpless in these conditions. On his part, he will keep trying to provide for the welfare of the villagers but he is at a loss now because of his limited capacity and the lack of opportunites and support. Few people know about his village and other IDP (Internally Displaced People) villages like his. He thanked us for coming and wanting to find out more and he asked, almost in desparation, that we go home and tell more people about them and their situation. As he said those words, he paused and wiped tears off his eyes.

Such is the situation in many parts of Burma. These stories do not make our newspapers or our television screens. These stories are unheard of in Singapore although we are Southeast Asian neighbours.

This is part of the realities of life for many in Burma. It is a story that is not commonly told but it is a story that needs to be heard. And I am hoping that you would hear it too.