Burmese Refugee Youth Prevent Addiction & Violence

As you likely know, the refugees in the camps on the Thai/Burma border have been there for over 3 decades. So many children have been born in the camps and know neither the homeland of their parents nor the country that hosts them. They are not allowed to leave the refugee camps.

Young people have nothing to do except get married and have children to make meaning in life. Even if they have been through the camp school systems there is nothing on the other end. No job, no higher education available.

The focus in the camps these days is the talk of return to Burma/Myanmar. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Thai Government are directed to returning the refugees. This might be viewed as a positive step, if conditions on the other side were safer and peace had been made. But alas, this is not so. The Burmese Military Regime has taken advantage of Ceasefires to move their troops into the homelands of the refugees. A return to home would mean a return to the people who pushed them out in the first place, using murder and torture in pursuit of ethnic cleansing. It is truly a fearful thought for a refugee, who daily is being told that the time is coming to leave the refugee camps behind and return home. And again, for the young people in the camps this is a home they have never known, except through the terrorized stories of their parents.

What we have largely noticed in the camps is a significant rise in suicides and substance abuse in the camps, since the UN started its Voluntary Repatriation program. This and the deteriorating conditions in the camps since International Donors have withdrawn their funding for basic human needs, such as food and shelter have led to many social and psychological problems among the refugees.

In the face of all this, DARE Network sees its treatment centres full. We are fortunate not to rely on “International Government Donors” but rather foundations, trade unions and small development funds. And of course, most importantly, donors like you.

DARE has taken steps in the suicide crisis to ensure that its camp staff are well trained to recognize signs of potential suicide and to create a supportive environment where clients can detox safely and securely. In the 17 years of treatment, we have lost one client this way. It was sad and hard for the staff to accept this, but it inspired them to redouble their efforts to prevent suicide in the current stressful environment.

We know we don’t always report cheerful news to you. But we are doing our best in a very challenging situation. Thank you for supporting our work.