HOTLINE - week of May 23, 2005

More than 9,000 Burmese refugees live in a patchwork of houses crammed along narrow alleys in the Tham Hin camp along the Thai-Burma border. Opened in 1997, Tham Hin is the least livable of all the border camps, where some 150,000 refugees live.

Pit latrines were dug under the houses, used, closed, and new ones dug, but now all room has been exhausted. Wells have run dry, and drought has all but dried up the stream that feeds the camp's water tanks. The remaining trickle of water, along with whatever water is trucked in, is strictly rationed.

Tham Hin camp got even more crowded in March 2005, after the Thai government ordered 1,800 urban Burmese refugees to relocate to border camps -- 450 of them to Tham Hin. Barracks were constructed for the new arrivals, but their new housing allots a mere nine-by-nine foot space for each family, whether a single person or a family of eight.

People fleeing oppression in Burma began finding their way to Thai cities a decade ago. Many have married Thai citizens, but that does not give legal status in Thailand.

In July 2003, the Thai government announced that urban Burmese refugees had to be registered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Many were recommended for third-country resettlement, and were allowed to stay in the city while awaiting interviews and security checks needed for resettlement to the U.S. or elsewhere. But as more Burmese refugees began to register, the Thai government became alarmed at their numbers and decided to move them all to camps.

Refugees who missed the deadline for registration forfeited any possibility of third-country resettlement, and were declared illegal immigrants subject to arrest, detention, and deportation. But those who relocated were not allowed to bring Thai spouses to the camps, and parents had to decide which should keep their children.

While in principle the urban refugees' stay in rural border camps will be "temporary," in reality it can take months, even years, before they are approved for resettlement.

CWS is urging careful consideration before large numbers of Burmese refugees are split up and sent all over the world. Resettlement should be used carefully to benefit people who want it and have no other durable option.

Meanwhile, CWS is continuing its work with uprooted Burmese to meet their survival needs and strengthen their self-reliance. In the past ten years, CWS has provided more than $2 million for blankets, mosquito nets, and floor mats to support the efforts of our partner the Thailand Burma Border Consortium in responding to the needs of Burmese refugees.

For refugees, especially the millions stuck in camps for years, there is a significant gap between emergency response and long-term development assistance. CWS is reaching out to close this gap through its Durable Solutions for Displaced People program. For more information, visit www.churchworldservice.org.

On March 21, five students were killed and seven wounded in a school shooting on the Red Lake Reservation. The shooter also killed his grandfather, his grandfather's companion, and himself.

Many in the Red Lake community view the tragedy as an opportunity for change. Red Lake Tribal Council Chairman Floyd Jourdain, Jr. says it is "a time for the tribe to develop something positive out of the darkest day in its history."

Tony Treuer, a Red Lake Nation member and teacher at nearby Bemidji State University, says "it's not about improving the security system at the Red Lake School, but about really understanding each other, about really healing the sources of dysfunction throughout our communities. It's an opportunity for leaders on the reservation, and in largely white communities like Bemidji, to step forward and make a difference – a time to build lasting relationships that will have long-term benefits."

Minnesota-based CWS Disaster Response and Resource Liaison Tom Davis is working with the People of Good Spirit -- an interfaith group located in Bemidji which is assisting clergy and community members, including Native American members from the Red Lake, White Earth, Leech Lake, and Cass Lake reservations in addressing issues related to the trauma.

People of Good Spirit is planning community workshops and recreational therapy activities geared to helping youth and adults understand trauma, learning how to deal effectively with emotions, and offering support to others.

Hurricane Adrian, downgraded to a tropical storm, caused the evacuation of some 19,000 people on El Salvador's west coast on Friday. CWS stands ready to support partners' storm responses, as needed.

Your prayers and support - and your participation in CROP WALKS and the TOOLS & BLANKETS Program - make possible these and other life sustaining programs. For information on how to get involved, please call your Church World Service/CROP Regional Office toll-free at 1-888-CWS-CROP, that's 1-888-297-2767.

For information about free loan videos, please call 1-800-297-1516, ext. 338, or e-mail us at: videos@churchworldservice.org.

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