June 2, 2008

Urgent Appeal: The lives of over 140,000 refugees from Burma at stake

We are appealing to the international community to immediately grant necessary funding to enable the Thailand Burma Border Consortium to continue providing sufficient food rations to refugees along the border.   

We are deeply grateful to international donors for their continuous humanitarian support over the years to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by SPDC military offensives in Burma. This support is currently enabling over 140,000 refugees to live in dignity as communities in camps, and maintain hopes of returning to their homes inside Burma. 

The present funding crisis is now sparking new fears and uncertainty among the refugees. Having already endured unspeakable abuses by SPDC troops, they are facing the threat of starvation, community disruption, and possible loss of refuge. 

The world has been witnessing the regime’s inhuman treatment of those affected by Cyclone Nargis. Tens of thousands have died in the cyclone aftermath due to the blockage of aid and aid workers, and the regime’s prioritization of their sham referendum over the catastrophe. Now, with cyclone refugees being forced out of their temporary shelters and ordered back to their devastated villages without support, many more will die unnecessarily.

This is precisely the brutality that has been forcing refugees to flee to camps in Thailand, except that there is no international media access to Burma’s conflict areas. It is inconceivable for them to return home while the civil war continues and the regime continues its oppression. They continue to need safe refuge and support to survive.

The lives of over 140,000 refugees are at stake. We urge international donors to respond immediately to this crisis and prevent another unnecessary catastrophe.

• Committee for Internal Displaced Karen People
• Karen Women’s Organisation
  
• Karen Youth Organisation
  
• Karen Students’ Network Group
  
• Karen Education Department
  
• Karenni National Women’s Organization
  
• Karenni National Youth Organization
  
• Karenni National Health Committee   
  
• Shan Health and Education Committee
  
• Shan Women’s Action Network
  
• Shan Youth Network Group
  
• Shan Youth Power

Contact persons:
Naw Zipporah Sein               +66 81 952 7145
Nang Charm Tong                 +66 81 603 6655
Aung Ngye                       +66 84 363 6603


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