Freedom from Slavery Issue by Friends Without Borders Foundation

Friends Without Borders Magazine No. 11 Vol. 2 FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY ISSUE November-December 2005 Published by Friends Without Borders, a Thai non-governmental organization, established in 1999 to promote all human rights for all.

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4 ÍÂÒ¡ãËŒà¸ÍÍÂ‹Ù´ŒÇÂ Wish You Were Here 6 ·ÑèÇ·ÇÕ» Across the Continents 7 àÃ×èÍ§àÅ‹Ò¨Ò¡¢Íºá´¹ From the Edge of the Margins 10 ËŒÍ§ÃÑºá¢¡ Living Room 12 ¤Ó¹Ñé¹ Those Words 14 ´×èÁªÒ Teashop 17 áÅÐÍ×è¹ æ Etc. 18 ¡ÃÐ´Ô¡ËÒ§ Wag My Tail! 21 à¤ÒÐ»ÃÐμÙ¤ÃÑÇ Knocking on the (Kitchen) Door! 22 áËÇ¡Ç‹ÒÂã¹¸Ñ¹ÇÒÃÒμÃÕ A December Night's Swimmer

      ⌦  ⌫   ⌫                        

     ⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌫        ⌫ ⌫    ⌫  

Editorial Team Pim Koetsawang Supattra Choklarp Wantanee Maneedang English Editors Sabrina Gyorvary, Ferm Tilakamonkul Contributors Phatteka Ratta, Shine Shan, Ekkapob Dust and other friends Art Editor Wantanee Maneedang Marketing and Distribution Supattra Choklarp Printer Wanida Press

⌫  ⌫  ⌫        ⌫⌫⌫    ⌫⌫  ⌫    

⌫    ⌫  ⌫   ⌦ ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫                                                    ⌧                              ⌧                 ⌧                  

We are happy to receive comments, suggestions, and articles from all of you. Please contact, Friends Without Borders P.O.Box 180, Chiang Mai University P.O., Chiang Mai 50202, Thailand Phone & Fax : 053-336-298 E-mail : borders@chmai2.loxinfo.co.th





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Coming back from 11 days and nights with friends at the ThaiBurma border a few days ago, I brought along with me what seems like answers to a complex crossword puzzle. Having been apart for a long time because of the distance and the restrictions on our freedom of movement, each friend brought excess experiences to share; unimaginable brutality of the use of force labor by the Burma army, the threats against the indigenous peoples' right to participate in decision making concerning the mega-dam project, the indifference of community members on the unjust due process against an old Muslim man, the jeers against a divorcee who dared complain about sexual harassment, and so on. One friend said, everyday seeing the barbed wire fence encircling the refugee camp meant, I wondered whether we were chickens in coops waiting to be fed. Another friend mentioned, everyday working to promote human rights, I myself am struggling to escape the cultural entrapment confining women to be nothing but wives and mothers... In all the late nights, our talks went deeper. Not only are those confined and commanded by others are considered slaves, perpetrators and those who live with ignorance are also trapped in mental slavery, as they allow their hearts and minds to be dictated by the misrepresented social standards that class human dignity by ethnicity, religion, legal status or gender ground. Until the last night together, encouraging stories have also been exchanged; the bravery and ingenuity of internally displaced persons who quickly covered all evidence of the ongoing human rights training every time hearing the Burmese patrol came near, the resilience of children in armed conflict who participate in school management and community organizing, the commitment against all odds of the refugee human rights defenders, and so on. Then one friend said, these very few days together have untied the chains of our bodies and souls. Despite all the late nights, we feel so fresh and strong as if it was the first time in our life that we have had enough sleep. I then just realized that if only one of us opened the cage for the freedom birds to come out and sing, other birds around will also recognize the melodies and the power of their wings, and that they will be ready to fly together out of the cultural traps, the black hole of desperation and exhaustion, over the fence of the refugee camps and the wall of double standards. There is a connection between allowing oneself to be slave and made others into it, as the same as between selfliberation and help liberate others. For our society to be free from mental and physical slavery, we would like to invite you all to let our freedom birds sing out loud. Let the wild birds call for the caged-bird to fly. With faith in human dignity Pim Koetsawang

 ⌫   ⌫⌫   ⌦  ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌦ ⌫  ⌫⌫  ⌫⌦ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌦ ⌦ ⌫⌫    ⌦ ⌫        ⌦ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌦  ⌫⌫⌫    ⌫    ⌫⌦⌫   ⌦  ⌫ ⌫    ⌫ ⌫    ⌦    ⌦  ⌫⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  

⌫  ⌫⌦⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌦ ⌫⌦⌫    ⌫   ⌫    ⌦⌦⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫   ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌦ ⌫⌫⌫ ⌦ ⌫⌦⌫  ⌫⌦  ⌦⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌦  ⌫⌫ ⌦   ⌫    ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌦⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌦⌫⌫ ⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫        ⌫⌫ 

⌦    ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌦⌦  ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌦⌫   ⌫    ⌫⌫    ⌫ ⌦ ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌦   ⌫  ⌫  ⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌦⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫ ⌫    ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌫⌦ 

⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫   ⌫   ⌦⌫⌦   ⌫ ⌫  ⌫    ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌦ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫⌫

My Starlight It was you who said that a long trip was a good chance to ponder about our lives. For the past few years, I took several trips along the western border route. You were the one I thought about most, particularly when my eyes were closed in the dark night of those long journeys. Being with my own thoughts too much makes me too obsessed with myself. I kept looking inward and focusing on my solitude, sorrows and weaknesses. I created dreams and waited for them to come true, rather than standing up to make a change. Often times, I told myself to commit to sharing what I have with others, but then I only let myself get lost so that my will became nothing but the na?ve ambitions of a loser. The border route mostly climbs up and down the mountain walls that separate our world from those of our friends of different origins in Burma. The seasonally changing color of the natural beauty there contrasts with the dark and cold scenes of the unfortunate lives on the other side of the mountains - the land where our friends were cruelly chained night and day. To meet and get to know someone is one of million coincidences that spin around our time on earth. The spiritual bond between people is a miracle of life. Even if it usually comes with despair when being apart, with sorrow when sadness is shared, with awkwardness when distrust shrouds, with pain when one unintentionally hurts the other, and with torturous moments when it is the time to cut the ties, to me it is still beautiful. Whenever the bus arrived at the Mae Sarieng station, there wasn't even once that I didn't think of Htoo Klie, a Karen friend who conducted community development programs in the internally displaced persons areas in Karen State. Current news from Burma leads us to no celebration; the stalled constitution drafting, the lingering hopes of national reconciliation, the detention of political prisoners, the worsening inflation, the decaying

education and public health system, the widespread and systematic forced labor, the forced relocation and torture. I have not heard anything about Anthony, my Karenni friend who went back to his homeland a couple of years ago. I pray for his safety, and I pray that he reunited with his long lost mother as he wished. Whenever depression squeezes tears from my heart to drop from my eyes, I see in front of me Pue Meh's tears. Life is so unfair for a woman like her, who has seen her husband shot dead, separates from her family, displaced from where she belongs, and haunted by the fear of rape. Then I think of Ko Myo Tun, my Burmese translator who helped me to communicate with Karenni refugees. He told me that he would always think of me every time he drank from the cup I gave him as a farewell present. He didn't know I bought a similar cup for myself too. We haven't heard from each other since, but I believe that some nights, while each of us are working on the ideas of an education project we used to share together, we both may be drinking from those similar cups. Accumulated and complicated political conflicts in Burma have ruined opportunities for many generations, but it seems to me that the spirits of the people there have never surrendered, while mine has always been drowned in the weakest of thoughts. It's time to be liberated from this weakness and obsession. Do you still remember the stories of these friends? I always shared these memories with you, and that may lead to a bond between you and them as well. You have always been with me, as the starlight that is shining to the lonely dark earth. Perhaps it is time for me to start to trust myself, and to let love lead me to confidence and to the real action of sharing what I have with those in need.

  

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 

       ⌦  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫    ⌦  ⌦⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫   ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌦ ⌦⌦  ⌫        ⌫         ⌫⌦   ⌦⌫      ⌦ ⌫⌫  ⌫     ⌫⌫⌫     ⌫⌦  ⌫ ⌫⌫    ⌫⌫    ⌫⌫  ⌦  ⌫⌫ ⌫⌦ 06

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Modern slavery The year 2007 will be the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British colonies, which was a key step towards the total ban of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the liberation of all those who had been enslaved across the continents. Yet today, more that 12 million people all over the world are bound by modern forms of chains to live their lives in slavery. In Mauritania, around one million people are still held as 'inheritable property,' slaves to the slave master's family despite the fact that this practice has been prohibited by law for two decades. In Sudan, the Arab militias who are the ruling group continue to raid indigenous villages and take away children and women to work as their slaves. These boys and girls are forced by the slave masters to eat rotten food, sleep with cattle and endure daily beatings. Similar cases are also found in 50 other African nations, and most of the victims are children. Human trafficking is another form of modern-day slavery. Thousands of children and young women are lured and forced into the sex trade or to work as bonded laborers. They have to work unpaid under terrible conditions with little hope of setting themselves free. The problem remains common and increasingly widespread in Eastern Europe, Pakistan, UAE, Thailand, USA, Dominican Republic, Brazil, etc. Two hundred years ago, the anti-slavery movement achieved its goals because of public support from different sections of society, as well as personal acts of resistance from the slaves themselves, which led to moral change and a supporting legal framework. Today people rarely realize that slavery continues to evolve into different forms and exists widely in our own society, even within countries that play leading roles in promoting world freedom and democracy such as the USA. Worse, there are states such as Sudan and Burma, which are themselves perpetrators of forced labor and slave raids. They fail to comply with international commitments to combat slavery, and always assert that reports of modern slavery in their countries are groundless. An ideal that moved the French Revolution was that 'all men are born free and equal.' Even though this refers to the natural law of human rights, freedom and equality to which all human being are entitled, the revolution itself teaches us that throughout history, freedom has never come from the sky. Freedom is the fruit of struggle, and of people's intolerance of injustice. To learn about the brutality of the slave trade in the past and to be aware of modern forms of slavery are pivotal elements to reinforce the movement to make the world free of slavery, as we achieved once in history.

  ⌦ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌦⌫⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫    ⌫ ⌫       ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫  ⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌦  ⌫ ⌦  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌦⌫⌫ ⌦ ⌦ ⌦⌫   ⌦  ⌦⌫  ⌫⌫⌫⌦⌫      ⌫⌫⌫  ⌦   ⌫ ⌫      ⌫    ⌦    ⌦    ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫⌦  ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌦ ⌦⌫   ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫⌫   ⌫⌦  ⌫

⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫⌫⌫   ⌫⌫  ⌫      ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌦⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌦  ⌫⌫     ⌫  ⌫    ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫   ⌦  ⌫  ⌦ ⌫ ⌫   ⌦⌫ ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫  ⌧⌧ ⌫⌫  ⌦  ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫      ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫  ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫  08

⌫⌫⌫   ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫   ⌫    ⌫ ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫     ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌦     ⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫⌫       ⌫   ⌦ ⌫⌫⌦  ⌫  

⌫⌫⌦  ⌫ ⌫⌫   ⌫

Beyond Slavery 1. Muga's (Aunt's) palm was sweating. The applause of hundreds of hands urged her to go onto the stage. She walked up the steps of wooden boxes, smiling widely to hide the beating of her heart, which seemed like it wanted to burst. For the first time, she came out of her house and stood there in front of a lot of people. Th'Blay Paw said hello to her refugee friends, male and female, young and old. Then the story of human trafficking from the refugee camp to a slave house flowed out like a stream. Her voice was clear, loud, sharp, and firm. 2. The truck stopped on a deserted road. Naw Shi Shi and three other refugee women were called down to group together with eight other people who they had never seen before. Then everyone followed a leader, crossing the mountains without knowing where they were going. A Karen guy with a Thai ID card had already left with the truck; he promised Naw Shi Shi a job as a babysitter and no less than 3,000 Baht per month wages. If that was true, the debt of traveling costs would be covered in a short period of time. Her heart beat like mad: she was scared and excited. It was the first time she had left the camp. In just a little while, she would find a new life in the city that, as she had heard, was bright and crowded even at night. From the mountains, they reached another road. She was then transported with lots of cabbages densely packed in a huge truck. Nausea attacked her and she could not breathe. When she was allowed to get out, sunlight pierced her eyes. A stern-faced man called the women over to wait in a small house and led the men over to another place. A woman cried when she was separated from her husband, not knowing where they were going, or when they would meet again. Just wait: that was all they were told. One by one, they were called to follow a destiny determined by others. A door was opened for Naw Shi Shi to walk into it, only to find out two years later that life was about being a slave without seeing any money or any light of the city of the Thais. The owner told her that the agent had already taken her salary in advance, and she was not allowed to go anywhere until she paid back her debt. Learning how to take care of household chores, children and the elderly, and even to cut cloths for a garment factory, was accompanied by various levels of disciplinary action: from being yelled at, physically shaken, accosted with scissors, to even beaten with a steel shovel. 3. Around 20 years ago, when this refugee camp was formed on the ThaiBurma border, its inhabitants, who received basic humanitarian aid, felt that it was their responsibility to go out and find jobs in order to earn money to buy the other necessities that human beings should have. About a decade ago, the measures imposed by the Thai authorities were increasingly tightened: stepping outside the camp's fence was strictly forbidden, and there would be no guarantee for those arrested outside the camp. Since going to find work outside became an underground activity, recruitment agency businesses started to flourish. From being hired on a daily basis in farms and gardens around the camp, the refugees began depend on "transporters" who offered better paying jobs. Stricter regulations on moving and working went against the incoming flow of capital that came with a cost: the so-called free education required more expenses, from uniforms and "cultural dress" - the traditional clothes that the district authority ordered the children to wear every Friday even though the refugees cannot grow cotton themselves - to strange-looking study tools and special courses. In the market, there were new kinds of goods available, from brand-new fashionable clothes, hair dye, skin whitening cream, CDs and karaoke, to electrical appliances for those who could pay the monthly fee for electricity, and mobile phones whose owners had to pay special charges to agents, on top of that of the service provider. The search for work led refugees farther and farther away from the camp, and the businesses had to lay out money for the necessary connections and checkpoint fees. Before long, people began to accept that once they agreed to follow the agents, their lives would suddenly be thrown into the agents' hands, and their fates would entirely depended on the agents' honesty. Many came back with more money, making others jealous; others came back broke and had to try to cover the embarrassment of their failure with a smile. Many more disappeared without a trace, leaving behind anxious families.

However, the fences still remain like signs that seem to shout, "Freedom is out there, if you dare!" What worth is life after school if young people have to live in a cage? 4. Ma Naing Naing pondered finding a job outside for several months. No one could give her more information than that uncle, but neither he nor anyone else never explained what it would be like walking beyond those fences. And she did not think she had the right to ask. Ma Naing Naing was not usually familiar with asking herself questions about life: she never asked why it was the task of the eldest daughter to be responsible for the other seven lives in the family. She never asked why her father threw a bowl of hot soup in her mother's face because there was less meat in it than that of other families. She did not know why she wanted to highlight her hair red and wear XXS-sized T-shirts like her friends who had money. And she did not want to know why, in the eyes of the neighbors, it was her fault when her boyfriend who had asked her to sleep with him was now gone. The girl only knew that her life was just like many other girls', and the solution was to step out and find something entirely new. Some friends told her that the outside world would give her the freedom that would enable her to lead her own life. Ma Nai Nai was not sure what that meant: 'freedom' was a word of the well educated, and she could only read a few letters of the alphabet. That was a result of two years in the classroom, before she had to escape from the Burmese Army by wandering through the mountains and finding her way across the border to a safer place. From then on, her life was all about helping her mother at home. School and teenage life was a story she had to hear from othersâ&#x20AC;Ś A girl stood at the edge of the group of refugees who were listening intently to the forum on human trafficking, organized for the first time by a woman's group in the camp. Her skin, bruised from being beaten, was now covered with loose cloth; her terrified heart was concealed by a somber face. 5. Muga Th' Blay Paw spoke her final words before stepping down: "Let all who face this problem speak out, because working as a slave is not shameful. Rather, those who enslave others should be ashamed of themselves! Anybody who knows who the traffickers are should get the information out. And let us question those agents who come to offer jobs, because it's our lives! Let us confirm that we will no longer let our brothers and sisters, daughters and sons, become the slaves of others! We shall overcome!" Muga stepped down, letting out a big sigh. Her first day of being a target of others' eyes had gone pretty well. Friends came to greet her and there was laughter all around. Not too far away, under a tree, her husband waited for her. He who had walked into her life only at this old age made her realize that the darkness of her house and her first marriage were just a nightmare that was all over now. It was he who had spent weeks trying to convince her to get out of the kitchen and work with her friends. It was he who reassured her day and night how untrue it was that the world of community leaders was not for ordinary, illiterate woman like her. "Are you really going to work on this?" Muga turned around. The speaker had a dark complexion and big eyes, and was half in hiding. "If you're really going to work on this, I'll tell everything I know so that other girls will know too. I'll tell who brought me to a place where I was raped over and over. I'll tell how I escaped. And I'll confirm that I'll never tolerate being dragged here and there without being able to ask a question ever againâ&#x20AC;Ś "My name is Ma Naing Naing," her voice was shaking, the palm of her hands sweating, and her heart beating fast. Muga Th'Blay Paw smiled her broad smile as she took the girl's little hand and wiped off the sweat. -----------------------------**Inspired by the work of the Counter-Trafficking Committee of the Karen Women's Organization in Mae La Refugee Camp. Those who would like to support the work of the organization can contact Friends Without Borders.

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 

     ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫⌫  ⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌦⌫ ⌫   ⌫ ⌫       ⌫⌦⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫    ⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫   ⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌦⌫    ⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫⌫    ⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫       10

 ⌫  ⌦  ⌦                     ⌫ ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌦ ⌫⌫  ⌦ ⌫ ⌦⌫   ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌦⌫⌫⌫   ⌫ ⌫⌦ ⌫       ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌦ ⌫⌦ ⌫⌦ ⌫⌫⌦  ⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫         ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫   ⌦

The Obsession With One Version of History A Modern Form of Slavery S. Suwanna

Here are glad tidings to those who may not yet know: Thai society is just a few steps behind the developed Western ones, or even the Korean and Japanese ones. As far as one can see, these East Asian societies, which many Thai teenagers look up to as models, are considered 'modernised'.

If we love freedom all that much, why is there such great reluctance to decentralise the administration? Why does the central government keep saying the locals are not ready for that? If the spirit of freedom has been running in our blood since the Untai days, how can we not be ready?

Now we have a kind of 'dek naew' (trendy kids) amid us and a good many in their 30s don't really get what they are up to, or understand it in very different ways. Thai society has passed through difficult times, weathered the storm and today we are happy, developed and rich. It's a society that provides opportunities to all. It has an 'eua arthorn' (kind) administration that ensures justice to all.

Actually, how much do WE know US? Ask the dek naew who the Thais are and the answer will be pretty much the same that I learnt when I was in primary school. That is, 'The Thais are freedom lovers who left the Untai mountains and migrated south because of the attacks of the Mongols, declared independence from the ruling Khom (now Khmers) and had a Thai Kingdom with Sukhothai as its first capital.'

Then, who is it that dares harm this society? A society which has been zealously guarded since the days of the Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Thonburi monarchs? Now, bombs explode almost everyday in the three Southern provinces. Crimes occur everywhere. The Burmese migrants (Ayutthaya adversaries) are out to sabotage our livelihood and wreck our reputation for human rights. Have we ever asked ourselves what is really happening? Is all that we hear true? Is this the path we've chosen or one we are being compelled to walk on? Is there anybody who realises the pain of the Southern Thais, which has lasted well over a century? Do we ever care about who was here before there was a Thailand? Or how we acquired the trappings of a nation? Is it true that we migrated from the Untai mountains in China because we were lovers of freedom?

It is the obsession with this historical claim that has made us obsess about what constitutes 'Thai-ness'. And isn't it this version of history that sparks the fires of today? In fact, we had probably been living together for hundreds of years before some powerful faction said, you must stay here, act like this, speak like this, dress like this, and then you will be us. If not, you are the other and you are bad. What really happened? Where did the path diverge? Do we hate others because they don't speak and dress as we do? Or pursue another faith and do things differently? Many try creating their version of the 'truth'. But the truth is that there is no way to live together in peace if our hearts are not open to diversity. It's hearts that long for genuine peace that will liberate us and them from slavery. S. Suwanna is regional economic reporter of a Thai language daily newspaper.

   

Redemption Song Bob Marley

Old pirates yes they rob I Sold I to the merchant ships Minutes after they took I From the bottomless pit But my hand was made strong By the hand of the almighty We forward in this generation Triumphantly Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom Cause all I ever had Redemption songs, Redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds Have no fear for atomic energy Cause none a them can stop the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look Some say it's just a part of it We've got to fulfill the book Won't you help to sing, these songs of freedom Cause all I ever had, Redemption songs These songs of freedom, Songs of freedom

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⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌦ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫⌦     ⌫    ⌫  ⌫   ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫      ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫   ⌫   ⌫⌫   ⌦⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫        ⌫     ⌦    ⌫⌫   ⌫⌫⌫      ⌫     ⌫⌫     ⌫⌫⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫      ⌫⌫   ⌫      ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫   ⌦     ⌫ ⌦   ⌦  ⌫       14

  ⌫⌫     ⌫   ⌫   ⌦    ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫   ⌫   ⌫   ⌫    ⌫     ⌫  ⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫      ⌫⌫  ⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌫     ⌫  

  ⌫⌫    ⌫ ⌦ ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫ ⌫⌫        ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫       ⌫  ⌫  ⌫⌦    ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫       ⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫   ⌫  ⌫      ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫⌦  ⌫   ⌫⌫  ⌫   ⌫  ⌫    ⌫ ⌫ ⌫            ⌫       ⌫  ⌫    ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫   ⌫⌫⌦⌫    ⌫ ⌫    ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫      ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫        ⌦ ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫   ⌫      ⌫⌫ ⌫    

  ⌦   ⌫⌫  ⌫⌦        ⌫⌫    ⌦⌫⌫ ⌫

Mental Liberation "I've never known anything about Burma and its people. I only heard the Burmese were good at English; ordinary people can read The Nation (laughs). That's it. I couldn't even recall having ever seen migrant workers from Burma before." We first met four years ago. At the time Ploy just started working as a legal officer in an NGO. Her duty was to assist asylum seekers who were applying for refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Oh! I've changed a lot since that time. I used to be one of those people whose mind was framed by society. Now I feel liberated… "I still remember the first case I worked on. I believe she was a refugee but UNHCR rejected her. She had relatives in the Karen National Union and had a small stall in the KNU controlled area before the place was attacked. I believed she had 'a well-founded fear of persecution due to the reason of political opinion', but the UNHCR said that the case was too low-profile; the Burmese army had no way of knowing about her and therefore wouldn't target her.

people come here and work, that means they came here for the purpose of working, and therefore they are not refugees. I understand that as hundreds of thousands or millions in Burma face similar problems, there is no country capable of receiving them all. Then I think, well, then, whose responsibility is it? I think eventually we will all need to help solve the problem in Burma so they can go home. It's not a separated world; their world and our world is the same world. "This is what I've learnt. I started to understand that the world is so big and there is not only me here. There are not only us here. I am liberated from my previous bad habits. (Laughs). Previously, when I saw laborers crowded into the back of a truck, I saw them as dirty, rude, and scary. But now when I see them, I think, eh… are they from Burma? What have they experienced there? Who are they? Where are their families? What a life… Just because some people were born in Burma, they have to almost kneel down in front of us no matter how greater and more intelligent they are than us.

"The Refugee Convention identifies those who are in need of international protection as they are not protected by their own States. The definition is quite narrow, so that receiving countries don't have to accept thousands of people. The interpretation is that a refugee needs to be a high-profile person so that he/she is a target, and persecution must be because of the reason of race, religion, political opinion or social group. If you say you are persecuted because you are Karen, then the question would be why other Karen in Burma are not persecuted or are able to live there. "Forced labor is in and of itself a type of persecution. It usually comes with torture, denial of food, beatings, rape, etc. However, because it happens everywhere and to anyone in Burma, it becomes a 'normal thing'; everybody, including those who have had no problems with the government, is treated the same way. I used to try for some cases but failed. I tried to link the case of a Christian who was forced to work on Sunday to religious persecution, but it didn't work because everyone in the village was forced as well, not only the Christians. Previously, rape cases were also rejected. The UNHCR said that all women are 'vulnerable' to rape and sexual harassment anyway. We then had to find evidence from the media and academic reports that the Burmese army uses rape as a weapon of war. But still, the weakness of the status determination is that everything depends on the interviewers. If you don't know how to ask proper and relevant questions, the facts don't come out. If your mind is closed and your questions are influenced by the goal to screen people out, then people will be easily screened out. "But let's think, if it were us, wouldn't we flee? Most people who come to see us really need protection. It's true they can't live in Burma and don't receive protection from the Burmese government. Though they are not targets of persecution per se, they are victims of general violence and human rights violations and therefore can't live dignified and decent lives. If it were me, I would flee for sure. How could I stay being oppressed? It isn't fair that in some places, people can't live ordinary lives on the basis of where they were born. People only need a safe place to live without fear of getting arrested, detained and deported. They don't need to be accepted as citizens, but just want to live ordinary lives so they can work for their own stomachs and families.

"Now I see, I am a lucky person. But still, I desire many things. Why do we demand so much from our lives while refugees only need a place to live with no fear; an ordinary peaceful life? You know, the first year I entered the university, I saw rich friends driving cars and I kept nagging my mother to buy me one. (Laughs). I saw middle-aged people on public buses and I had questions in my mind, hey… at this age you still can't get a car of your own? Anyway, now I travel by bus. I've started seeing humans as humans. I've started to see the value of life. For the first time, I see that my life has a goal: I wish to continue working on refugee and migration issues and develop my capacity for the best of the people. It doesn't need to be refugees from Burma. It can be refugees from anywhere who are humans in this world. "Whatever you think and do, please think that if we were them, how would we feel? When we read stories written by refugees, we may think, hey, why do you demand so much? Why don't you think that Thailand also has limitations? But just think carefully, if it were you, would you want the same? We can ask ourselves… a life on the run, a life in fear, a life with an uncertain future and nowhere to go- if it was you, how would you feel ?

"Those whose refugee claims are rejected have nowhere to go. Life in Thailand isn't that nice. Cases that came to our legal aid program include those related to employment, denial of wages, human trafficking, and cases wherein employers thought that the initial payment to brokers meant that everything was settled. According to the law, you have to pay the workers directly, and not anyone else. There are also cases of physical abuse: beating, burning by irons, etc. Most are women and young girls aged 14-17 working as domestic helpers or in unofficial factories. Many rape cases are reported, but very few are processed as it's up to the consent of the survivors. For example, there was a girl who was kept in a house, working for no pay. When her female employer wasn't home, the husband raped her. She was five-months pregnant when she managed to ran away. The girl was afraid to pursue the case and she didn't want to stay in the State's shelter as required by the law, so we only provided other kinds of assistance. (Silence). Yes… it's like running from a tiger only to come up against a crocodile. They run away from problems there in Burma, and arrive here to face similar situations. "Some rejected cases finally get registered as migrant workers. Some don't because they can't afford the fees, they don't want to see themselves as migrant workers, or they are afraid that their personal information will be shared with Burmese authorities. Many are aware that once they are registered as workers, it will affect their future refugee reclaims. The UNHCR sometimes has the idea that if

Ploy, a woman in her 30s, graduated from the Faculty of Law, Chulalongkorn University. In the 90s, she was a tour guide in Phuket, a legal advisor for a business company, and a marketing officer. After seeing that that type of business life and work was not for her, Ploy took a journey to be an undocumented migrant worker, a waitress, in the US. In 2001, she started her current job, of which she said, 'I had to start from zero as refugee laws and human rights were not taught in university'.

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

Semsikkhalai The word slave may seem outdated and people shy away when they hear this word, but slavery is still a contemporary issue. The ideological domination that controls our education system remains unchanged. Educational reform is still a far distance dream as people become more accustom to the present conditions of slavery. We grew up in an educational system that separates us from social reality, local ideology and cultural and environmental consciousness. The education system that we are familiar with emphasizes that success is only measured by material acquisition and social standings. In order to be successful we viciously compete to climb the social ladder, disregarding the environment and completely exploiting nature. This issue of "Etc." would like to introduce an organization that was born out of the need for change, to break free from the bondage of mental slavery. "Samsikkhalai" is an alternative education organization that stresses students to know oneself, to have confidence in humanity, to be satisfy with the reality of life, to preserve local cultural and knowledge, to be conscious of social justice, and above all, to be aware that we are part of nature. Professor Sulaksana Srivarak, Pipop Thongchai and other colleagues founded Semsikkhalai on 14 February 1996. Students of "Semsikkhalai" will learn things not taught at your average universities. This institution stresses the ability of an individual to ascertain self-knowledge by returning to nature, reflecting one's spirituality, engaging in activities with local communities, meditating, and promoting self-consciousness by being aware of your surroundings. It aims to foster an exchange of ideas in an environment of friendship rather than listening to lecturers. This teaching methodology is holistic in its approach, developing the person as a whole, building mental ability, spirituality, behavior, and skills. In many ways it is similar to Buddhism that teaches that knowledge is obtained through listening, thinking, and doing. To release oneself from slavery is to look within oneself, to learn and understand life as it really is and to comprehend what is happening around us. Drinking two cups of chocolate-favored drinks a day is not the only way to show a mother's love for her child; having a perfect and white complexion is not the only way to define beauty of a 30-year old woman; and building a mega-project airport at the mercy of the rich and powerful is not the only way to showcase the worth of the Thai people. No matter what your religious beliefs are, one should question everything instead of believing in what others tell us to believe. Special thanks to Semsikkhalai, 29/15 Ramkhamhang 21, Wang Tonglang, Bkk 10300.Phone/Fax: 02-3187385-6 www.semsikkha.org E-mail : semsikkha_ram@yahoo.com

      ⌫⌫     ⌦⌫ ⌦  ⌦⌫ ⌦⌫⌫     ⌦⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫   ⌦⌫⌫    ⌫   ⌦⌦ ⌦  ⌫⌫          ⌦ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫ ⌦⌫  ⌫     ⌦   ⌫⌦⌦  ⌫        ⌫  ⌫   ⌫      ⌫⌫  ⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌦ ⌫⌫⌫⌫     ⌫ ⌫      ⌫          

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โ ซ โ ซ โ ซ โ ซ ! " # # $%&' ( ) # * * !#& #) ( "+ , -!#.โ ซ โ ซ % !. ! #! / % * *% % '# $) ) / */ #0 / !#1/ %,*0 2 %3 % 45 ) ! * # !67 /* 8 % % 9 . -% โ ซ* .โ ซ !#& % 9 #% ! / %3 % 4: #$ ! /#' #7& .โ ซ .;! โ ซ <-: 6 # / = !# / %3 % 4 .; * ) , โ ซ !#(-& 1/ %3 % 4) % ! # % 9 ( / / # 7& โ ซ ! #'% 9 ! /.โ ซ โ ซ.โ ซ < * 0 ) / * #& %3> % *& - $ ? โ ซ :&

โ ซ โ ซ ! "# $ %&'โ ฆ )โ ฆ *+& #, - $./. โ ซ +.$ #, . $ .0 $ โ ซ โ ซ #, -.$1$ 23 4 ' 1 "# 4 +2 โ ซ # . 4 $5 โ ซ - 1 , $ -!$ 1 . )โ ฆ -.$ * 23 "#.$ -.$ 4' 1 2 * 1 4 โ ซ โ ซ โ ซ -.$ # *6 27 # +.$ .2 $ .0 ) / โ ซ ' ! 1 $ +2 โ ซ )5 !* )5 ) +2! . 0 ! + -.$ & - * , ! 1. 1$ $ # 0 / -!$ ,+.$.โ ซ" 5&)โ ฆ -.$ -!$ โ ซ , %&1$ -.$ โ ซ -!$ 23 /' โ ซ +& 4 % โ ซ 4- * 4 +& . 1$ * %& 23 8โ ซ $ 9 . ! 2 โ ซ

โ ซ โ ซ โ ซ 0 ) % ' ) .โ ซ ) /%(*) % ' #/ โ ซ#! ) /73/% > - ! /% 9 ( 0 ;7 % > -, -% %, # % . -% โ ซ*# - .@ .โ ซ & ) -( ! % โ ซ*-% > # # 0 % - / %, ) / โ ซ .@ ! #') /%, 7& * / .;) #'%, % 9 ( % > # % !. $ โ ซ <-: 6 # / % 9 % > -) /*< @ #'73/ ! / #'(> -.โ ซ % 9 */ % -* 7 -.โ ซ % 9 */ . - $.โ ซ ) /%, ./ *% ? โ ซ :& โ ซ ! โ ซ 2 * :' โ ซ 23 % .; : * 1 ' , 4 # 2 * 6 < +.$.โ ซ 1 . 23 . 4# - = % #.0 . 1 โ ฆ $ โ ซ %& 0 .0 ,+.$ . % โ ซ 23 $5 ' + $ ' +2 2 โ ซ 60 2 * : 6 !% 6 !%#.& -!$ > % โ ซ 23 $>5 โ ซ โ ซ %&. $* * , 0 / โ ซ โ ซ * 1&. !< $ %& &% ! +& #, 6 $ 23 / โ ซ 23 0 2 !% โ ซ $

!$ 6 !% * /. / % - * # 0 ,' +.$+&

* $ %. # *2? 4 ' @ @ ! โ ซ $ ' โ ซ % .- " 2 %1 โ ซ 2 *6 %2+! โ ซ . +.$ %& 1$ $ A 5.โ ซ 4 5 /& *)5 +& ,1% / โ ซ1โ ซ โ ซ 4"# โ ซ %&1$ ' 23 .!* % & < * .6 !% โ ซ +.$! .โ ซ" ! 4) . -!$- 1 ,+.$ . 1 .+.$ ' $ โ ซ - * % .!* 5& % โ ซ +.$ * * 4"# ! !%& / )5 5 27 # 0 ! +& โ ซ % 51$ +& 5& . . *.โ ซ 1 .#. ' & โ ซ 9 . ! 2 โ ซ

โ ซ โ ซ 0 / #'(-( ) / !#& * -.โ ซ % 9 */ * -# @ 3 4# โ ซ# / ) ) /) โ ซ !#! / 0 / * $ 3โ ซ !# <# #% * % 9 ( -! # 7 H.โ ซ !#) /* 7 0 3 * = ## ,โ ซ ) โ ซ# / ) ! % 9 ( -! #.โ ซ !#) .;7 -.โ ซ * #.;! โ ซ ( =.โ ซ & .; !*/ */ */ -% โ ซ* (> 3 # 0 / 0โ ซ %3 % 4 / ,/ ,/ = # */ ) /% # 0 * -) / ) # โ ซ / % %3 % 47 /# / -!3/ %*' ) *% * #& ! /7& / %3 % 4& ) /6IJ ,โ ฆ โ ซ# 0 # <-: 6 / - / !# #& % โ ซ * $ & ) / ) & -) /& -! ? โ ซ :& 18

โ ซ / ' โ ซ 1$ ! $5 ' 1 . % & ! # 2 * 6 <" $! 1 - 1) 23 &โ ซ ,! - $ 2B 1 . %&C & - โ ซ "#

0 & 1 ! - โ ซ ,1$ โ ซ - 5&=B &5+.$ 1 %&&5 %1$ / +!$ !

.& +2 23 / /D#. ' ' 2 * :+&

-!$ $5 1 โ ฆ - ,#.& 4 !%& / - / '$ ' E $ A 5.โ ซ 4 -!$+.$ ,- & ! 1 23 1โ ซ / /D !$ 5 0 โ ซE +2+& 8 +.$ 5&% 1 . % 0 *+ $* $ โ ซ $* $5 1% : ! <- * #!/A - 1 , 23 2F%2B D< A&, !%& / -!$! โ ซ +&

2 $ ! 1 * $ 5&)โ ฆ -!$ 0 '

1% : ! < โ ซ $ " +.$" $" 1 โ ซ โ ซ 6โ ซ1%! 0 % E ' $ โ ซ +.$ $ - $" 1$ $ 4 2F% 1 . % # 0 - โ ซ % - 1 -# * 1 . % 9 . ! 2 โ ซ

/ =โ ฆ- โ ซ โ ซ !*/! โ ซ 0 % ' 1 # 0 ) & ## % '#0 ;3> %.*4% 4 !&'( .โ ซ / * ; ! /%, = #( %"B ) / #% / โ ซ % 9 , -( , %./ %.*4% 4 # / #%, โ ซ .@ .โ ซ & .โ ซ @ C ! โ ซ %, ) /) * # - +D !(/& / * ;%./ % - ! / * ;%E # ##') / โ ซ% '# $.โ ซ - . -# */ - - 0 % ' # % * / * ;%E 1/ %.*4% 4F <-: 6% ' * / 0 / & ) % 9 * 7 G * ;%E .;! โ ซ # ! / *) ) /) ! / * ;%E ,/ & & -%# โ ซ )66B = 0 % / % > - โ ซ 7 7( 6+- 0 % *) / & .;)- ? โ ซ :&

โ ซ =B - 1 : ! โ ซ 1 2 * 1 "#

' 2 $ ! 1 $ * # โ ซ , / - #& #โ ซ .. ! โ ซ . 1$ 4+. ! 4 โ ซ +.$ 5 - *+.$+& 4 *+ "# , 1 - $ ! - & - *' % E "# $ $ -!$ โ ซ , & !* * &, + - !* -# * , 4"# โ ซ ' " +& 1$ % - 1 4 !$ 5 0 โ ซE - * % โ ซ 1 ' ! G$ , 0 โ ซE ' . 1$ ! 1 โ ซ ' " 1 .#. ' โ ซ6โ ซ 0 โ ซE & 1 ) %H! +2" 2 * 1 , 0 ! 0 โ ซE โ ซ +.$+& 1 -A *! # < < 23 1โ ซ / /D * ' ! 0 โ ซE - 9 . ! 2 โ ซ

⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫         ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫⌫       ⌫ 

⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫  ⌦⌫  ⌫  ⌫    ⌫

⌫⌫   ⌫⌦    ⌫   ⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫     ⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌫  ⌫   ⌫⌦⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌦     ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫  ⌫

⌫⌫ ⌫⌦⌦ ⌫⌦  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫      ⌫  ⌫   ⌫⌦ ⌫  ⌫  ⌫ ⌦      ⌫  ⌫  ⌫

⌫  ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫⌫ ⌦⌫ ⌫     ⌫    ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌦⌫ ⌦⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫

⌫  ⌫       ⌫  



Beyond the Boundary of Time Alabama, US, 1965 Hello Matapari, this morning Aunt Lucille came to drop her seven kids off to stay with grandma and then headed off for her dreams in Hollywood. She told me that she had killed her husband Uncle Chester, as that's the only way she could be free! We'd known for a long time that Uncle Chester was very cruel to her, but it was still shocking to imagine our sweet and kind aunt doing this kind of thing. / P'Joe Republic of …. (similar to) Congo, 1996 Dear P'Joe, guess we need to wait for something to happen, then we'll get a chance to see things in a different light. I myself used to see my mother as a person who cooked for us, ordered us to take baths and go to school, and forbid us from doing certain things. But when time came, Mother became a new person. She led the protesters and gave orders to the crowd. She challenged the soldiers. She pulled the guns out of their hands, and wouldn't let go of the truck that carried my

Crazy in Alabama, 1999 Director : Antonio Banderas

father away. Mother was wounded more than my father and my uncle, but no one mentioned her. Anyway, I think she was just content to do whatever she could rather than trying to be a hero./ Matapari

Matapari, my brother, today I saw something I'd never seen before. Not about Aunt Lucille, though. It was the Black demonstration in our town. They demanded their right to vote. I knew that they didn't have the right but never understood why; they ARE people like us, aren't they? Uncle Dove said it's not fair but that's the way things are. Do we have to accept the way things are even though it's ridiculous?/ P' Joe

My brother P'Joe, when our country was colonized, there was no justice for black Africans. But one day, twenty years before I was born, the indigenous people couldn't accept the way things were any longer. They drove the colonizers out, and changed the country's name, national anthem, and flag. Anyway, 'the way things were' during my 15 years of life was another story. It was an era in which no one could pray, read, think or travel without permission from the state. When my father distributed leaflets demanding democracy, I was shocked. I never thought the most powerful person could be challenged. Since I was born, radios, TV, newspapers, and schools all made me believe that the guy was an unquestionable eternity, akin to Nature. But then people just couldn't continue living in that ridiculous situation any longer. They started to shout out words they'd never dared to - words that could make them jobless, imprisoned, and dead. Well, I found out how freedom of expression really matters. /Matapari Dear Matapari, I guess Aunt Lucille came to the conclusion that she shouldn't continue accepting what seemed to be eternal nature any longer. Now it's the first time in 13 years that she hasn't allowed any man to undermine and oppress her, and the first time she has done what she wants and has the ability to do. The only thing I'm worried about is that she said Uncle Chester's ghosts continue to mock her. I haven't told you that she cut his head off, put it in a tupperware container, and carried it around with her! We are very worried that she has lost her mind as it seems she doesn't know what's reality anymore./ P'Joe P'Joe, my uncle said people should live in the real world, so we must look out for ourselves whenever we can. Initially I thought this sounded right; my uncle lifted himself up from being an ordinary villager to be the No. 2 man in the country, didn't he? However, one day he just fell down and was imprisoned. Then he knelt down to beg forgiveness from the No.1, but as soon as the wind changed, he presented himself as a freedom fighter. Well, I really don't know what the real world is. My father lives in the world of science and reason and he was imprisoned for acting against the dictator. But when he got out, it seemed that the only thing that mattered to him was news about scientific findings. He didn't even ask about those who risked their lives for his freedom. I wasn't sure whether Father denied the world of reality, or whether that was actually the very reality he was living in./ Matapari. Urgent to Matapari! This is real terrible! I witnessed a murder. I got to know a black boy name Taylor Jackson at the swimming pool, but then the guard drove him away, saying the pool was for whites only. Taylor insisted the black boys have the right to be there, and that none of them wanted trouble. They only wanted to swim. But then the sheriff and his men started beating the kids who were sitting in protest peacefully. I saw with my own eyes how the sheriff killed Taylor. Uncle Dove agreed that I should testify in court because we needed to stop the sheriff - this wasn't the first time he did this. But the sheriff threatened to send Aunt Lucille to the electric chair. I don't know what to do. / P'Joe Dear P'Joe, it's sad to hear all this. When we demanded freedom for my father, the authorities also attacked us brutally. At the time I was so angry. How could they do this even though they didn't know us and we didn't do anything to them? We only wanted to express our opinions. We only wanted freedom for my father. But then I was kicked down, and that kick made me see clearly that we were fighting for freedom! And what they wanted to kill was our freedom, not us. I started to understand how we could die for freedom. If we happened to get killed there, then we died for freedom, though that wasn't our plan. I think Taylor is a hero. He died for freedom/ Matapari

My brother, you're right. Things became more serious. Taylor's funeral became a demonstration for freedom. Taylor's father led the group to break into the swimming pool and walk into the pool. Then the sheriff's gang attacked them brutally. I saw it with my own eyes. They didn't do anything wrong. They only sang songs and walked into the 'River of Freedom' for Taylor. Now demonstrations and campaigns for Black peoples' civil rights are everywhere, and I try to participate in them all. I even had a chance to hear the speeches of Martin Luther King./ P'Joe P'Joe, as we were marching towards the prison, more and more people joined us. Then I heard the Bandonian sound of our Old Bidieh, and I almost cried. You see, the old man came out of hiding to play the music to challenge the state's power! The young students shouted, 'Free our teacher!' And by teacher, they meant my father! Finally we've proven that we can make our thoughts into real action. People's participation is real power, and there's no way to stop us./ Matapari. Urgent to Matapari again! Aunt Lucille was caught. When the reporter asked whether she was insane, she said, 'I was insane to live with him for 13 years!' The problem now is that Uncle Dove has changed his mind about me testifying against the sheriff. He wants the sheriff to help make Aunt Lucille's case. However, Aunt Lucille insisted she wanted to prove herself not guilty even though she isn't insane. I can't just let the sheriff live with impunity, but I love my aunt so much. / P'Joe. Dear P'Joe, your Aunt Lucille reminds me of my mother. While my father's acts are based on rationales and philosophy, Mother is usually careful that her acts won't disrupt what's supposed to be peaceful. During the demonstrations, mother didn't forget to help the poor and the wounded. For her, the villagers who followed her since the first battle were equally important as those political prisoners whose every word became headline news. Aunt Lucille may not want to disrupt the way things are supposed to be, I guess./ Matapari Dear Matapari, your guess is half correct. The other half is that Aunt Lucille really wants justice rather than security. I have just started to comprehend how painful it must have been to be gradually killed over a period of 13 years. This is the year that everyone in Alabama has gone crazy, and it's a year that I've learnt a lot. Justice and law are not the same things. I'm braver than I thought, and life and death is only temporary. Freedom is eternal. You may bury freedom, but you can't kill it. Taylor Jackson died for freedom. Aunt Lucille has lost her mind for it. And there will always be ways out for life./ P'Joe P'Joe, my grandfather taught me that life is a story of scattered dark clouds in a bright sky, and we have to try to drive the clouds away so that the sky becomes clear. I hadn't known that humans have a talent for killing and torturing before until I saw in Hollywood film those different methods of killing: with bare hands, machine guns, bombs, chemicals, electric saws; whatever humans can imagine. However, all those methods can't kill freedom. My grandfather was the one who fought for freedom for all his life. His freedom lives even after he dies. It lives with me./ Matapari

Someone sent these letters from across time between P'Joe, a 13-yearold American boy who lived in 1965 and Matapari, a 15-year-old boy of 1996 to me. My tail wagged as I felt so impressed. No matter the time or the place, slavery and the fight for liberation continues around us, so that we can learn and grow up. Matapari's grandfather said the world is full of puzzles, and humans keep on trying to find answers. Therefore, humans write and humans read. If you are interested in a kind of comingof-age liberation story, how about reading or watching P'Joe's and Matapari's stories? Mulan Little Boys from the Stars (Les Petits Garcons Naissent aussi des E'toiles) Written in French by Emmanuel Dongala Translated into English Joel Rejouis and Val Vinokurov Crazy in Alabama, 1999 Director: Antonio Banderas Starring: Melanie Griffith, Lucas Black, David Morse. Script by Mark Childress, written from his own book

       

Hawyui Yawkhu Hteekung (Stir Fried Jungle Curry and Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce) Have you ever wondered what kind of world it would be if everyone ate the very same kind of food? Food is for survival, but cooking means much more. Each of the dishes we cook reflects our culture and way of life. These dishes from an Akha kitchen may seem plain, but actually they are very special, as they are prepared only for rituals, weddings, festivals, or to welcome guests. Usually the Akha, like other ethnic groups, have vegetables as their main dish, so a meat dish not only provides a great taste but also a lively and special atmosphere.

Instructions - Slice the meat about one inch long. Slice the galingale. Chop the lemongrass, garlic and parsley. - Heat the wok with oil, deep fry half of the galingale, garlic and lemongrass together until yellow. Leave it to be cool and mix with turmeric powder and dried chili. - Stir-fry the meat until well cooked. Reduce the heat and add the fried ingredients. Stir well and add the rest of the galingale, garlic and lemongrass, followed by the parsley. Mix well.

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  ⌫⌦



⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌦⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫    ⌫⌫⌫ ⌦    ⌫ ⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫⌦

Stir fried jungle curry

Ingredients Red meat according to your preference Galingale, lemongrass, garlic, dried chili, salt, red onion, parsley, turmeric powder

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Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce Ingredients Chili (bird pepper), tomatoes, red onions, salt, spring onions, local parsley Instructions Grill the chili and tomatoes until soft. Pound them together and add salt and red onions. Pound to mix well. Sprinkle the chopped spring onions and local parley on top before serving. Side vegetables Any of the fresh vegetables you like. For the Akha, local lettuce, ma-khu-proh (small egg plants), rak-q, koh, waw goh, and loh shah are favorites.

       ⌫ ⌫    ⌫   ⌫      ⌫ ⌫     ⌫ ⌦⌦    ⌫  ⌫  ⌫⌫  

 ⌫     ⌫ ⌫       ⌫ ⌫  ⌫     

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 ⌫   ⌫   ⌦⌦  ⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫         ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫   ⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌦ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫   ⌫  ⌦⌫⌫ ⌦ ⌫⌦  ⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫⌦ ⌫   ⌫  ⌫     ⌫ ⌫⌦   ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌦⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫ whisper in the wind. What can she do? The face of ⌦⌦⌫ her son is only one in the eight hundred thousand    faces that disappear in the waves of migration to the US each year. If death has taken him, nobody cares. ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫ The experience of being a Mexican citizen under NAFTA overcomes her everyday. She looks down at  ⌫ ⌫ the seeds again and does not understand how she    ⌫⌦⌦ has become their slave. They should be her food, vice versa. If freedom is the ideal, why does free  ⌫ ⌫ not trade imprison others? If this state is called ⌫ "freedom", then it is an expensive and bloodstained ⌫ http://www.ftawatch.org

freedom. If maintaining freedom in one place deprives other places of it, then it cannot be freedom, can it?

Enslaved by "Free" Trade

Of late, she cannot sleep well. The self, forced onto her by someone who claims to be her representative in dealing with international trade, seeps into her consciousness and tries to hold its place ferociously. Even in dreams, she cannot dismiss it and it takes the form of depression and nightmares. Over this past period of her life, she cannot sleep at all and can never taste the taste of freedom, whether sleeping or awake. When the colors under the light of the moon or the sun touch her eyes, she cannot be sure if what she sees is a reality or a dream. The disease of insomnia swiftly spreads to others in her village, and before she knows, it is contagious across villages, states, and all over Mexico, like it used to happen in a village in South America. Under the Free Trade Agreement, she and Mexico cannot distinguish life from death anymore…

In dreams, the self is set free. Visions after visions, as many as the stars in the sky over an open sea, appear randomly in the mind, in the hazy fog-bounded self. "I" languidly jump from one universe to another and another. Time and space have no meaning, just like at the beginning of the universe before the big crush and bang, and long before the separation of human from everything else.

Just before opening the eyes to wake up, something resembling depression attacks us. "Self" jumps onto people and sticks here and there. At dawn, it sticks on her hand that holds a number of hard yellow seeds. The golden ray of light encircling the horizon shines upon her face, which is looking down at those seeds without any emotion. Over the past ten years, she would have seriously broken the law if she had kept the original grains for next-year's cultivation - the seeds that had lived with her, her father and mother, and her ancestors. Instead, she has had to buy genetically modified grains from American companies while the price of tortilla - something that is made out of what she grows with her own hands skyrocketed a hundred-fold. Her son has escaped from such hardship and embarked on a boat of hope to the land of freedom since last year but she has heard nothing from him, not even a

Stop FTA : http://www.ftawatch.org/

FRIENDS... without borders ⌫⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫⌦   This is a space for all the readers who wish to share your thoughts. We are happy to receive letters by post, e-mails, or fax. The owner of all published letters will receive a small souvenir from us.

⌫⌫⌦⌫  ⌦⌫⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫ ⌫  ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫⌫⌫ ⌫   ⌦⌫⌦  ⌫⌫⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫ ⌫⌫⌫⌫ ⌫⌫   ⌫⌫  ⌫ I've gotten a chance to see the other side of this world from your magazine and your website. I am one of those who had a chance to get to know the brothers and sisters in refugee camps. It was only a short time, but the experience gave me strength to continue struggling when I got back to where I am. The refugees and I are so similar; we have Karen blood, we speak Karen, our traditions and culture are Karen. But the difference is our rights; they don't have the right to choose what they want to do, while I have the right to live my life the way I want and to do what I think because I'm a Thai citizen. I usually feel so warm among them, but I don't have a chance to help them even though I have all these rights. If I have a chance, I want to be proud of myself that once I was born a Karen, and I can help the Karen people. I admire those who aren't Karen but choose to work like this. My heart claps louder than the cheers for celebrities. Thanks for helping to raise our voice. If you think I can be of a little help, please let me know. May God bless you. Kn'yaw Klie.

⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫   ⌫⌦ ⌫ ⌦⌦ ⌫ ⌫ It'd be great if you could write more to share your experiences there. The initial and easy thing that all of us can do is to share the stories of refugees and convey our friendship to other people's hearts. Friends Without Borders, as a part of humanity, only wishes to work for all humans regardless of nationality and ethnicity. Thank you for your insight into the value of what we are trying to do.

 ⌫    ⌫⌦ ⌦ ⌫  ⌦ ⌫ ⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌦⌫   ⌫ 

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âÃ§¾ÔÁ¾ Ç¹Ô´Ò à¾ÃÊ ÃÑº¾ÔÁ¾ §Ò¹·Ø¡ª¹Ô´ 053-408-969, 01-7838-569 13-09-2548, Udorn Thani. Both the magazine and the book 'Internal Displacement' are very rich in contents. Different kinds of feelings come up in me after reading them. I see the lives of those who were forced to leave their homes while not knowing their future and fate. The rest of the world should realize that these things are happening. Nevertheless, there is a group of people who care for refugees and encourage them. I'd like to thank and encourage Friends Without Borders to continue these activities for humanity and to be strong in your ideology of no human boundaries forever. Best wishes and highest respect. Anan P.

⌫⌫   ⌫⌫⌫  ⌫ ⌫ ⌫  Thanks for your poem. We'd like to ask your permission to share it with other readers in the New Year's issue. We appreciate your best wishes sent from the ISaan region, far away from the Thai-Burma border. The moral support that we give to one another shall destroy the walls and boundaries that divide us.

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind. Bob Marley

»Å´»Å‹ÍÂμÑÇ·‹Ò¹¨Ò¡¡ÒÃà»š¹·ÒÊ·Ò§¤ÇÒÁ¤Ô´ ã¤ÃàÅ‹Ò¨Ñ¡»Å´»Å‹ÍÂ¨Ôμã¨àÃÒä´Œ ¹Í¡¨Ò¡μÑÇàÃÒàÍ§ º Íº ÁÒÃ àÅÂ