Day 6 Evening

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We drove through a unguarded back entrance into Mae La refugee camp, Westerners need special passes to get in. Through TV appeals and aid requests we have become sort of normalised to refugee camps, however that is not the case when your there ,it’s the dust, mud, smells, housing - a prison for 20 years in this camps case. The size; 3 x1 mile and there are 8 more along the border.

And then you just lean and look in disbelief as the evening smoke drifts over the camp, dusks is falling and you start hearing a children’s choir singing songs from a tin Church in the valley, such sweet voices in such a tragic place

Matt was shaking hands with friends, there was laughing, sharing stories and people welcomed me, they seemed so pleased that Matt’s Dad had come a long way to visit and they wanted to show me the facilities, yes their really proud but then if you are put in a camp because the good old Burmese have chased you out and you have spend most or all your life there what else can you do.

All the housing is made of bamboo, there is water, people are well fed but no electricity to speak of, housing in the main was very close but where we stayed there was more space, it is strangely not unattractive like shanty towns around the world, but inside more like something from Rural villages 400 years ago.

The pictures here do not really give an honest feel as fast growing trees cover up things and the photos of the inside of housing don’t reflect the size.

Interestingly the USA, Holland and Australia are taking people from the camp ( well done guys) but spaces in the camp are being filled by more Karens as they flee formt he approaching Burma Army. In total the camp houses about 50,000 people, as the camp has grown over the years there has been an influx of other ethnic groups from Burma, and whilst the Karen make up the majority there are Burman, Shan, Kachin and Arakanese to be found across the camp.

Anyway we were exhausted and I was sleeping in a Bamboo house on Bamboo with a mud floor downstairs,

loo? Rather not mention.

Shower, under the trees.

Hot ? Don’t be silly.

Privilaged .......Oh YES!

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Photos

Unguarded entrance to Camp
4x4 only just got down this track bottoming badly most the way

Comments

[vicky smee]

We are so blessed
What an eye-opening trip that you are being taken on and how much I am learning about what Matt is doing and what he is contributing to these amazing people who have so little compared to what we expect and take for granted. This really is an education for all those of us who are reading this and very humbling. Thank you Matt for showing us and Dad what you are really doing and please take care, you are so precious and we love you xx

[Gary Burandt]

Good on'ya
Anthony, I'm jealous of your adventure. What a great bonding for you and Matt. gb

[Ant Smee]

Deepest Thailand
Hey Gary, Thanks for following me and your loverly wife. I am exhausted from it all not sure if its emotion or being with a 25 year old commando in what he is doing, there is so much more I cannot mention and doing when I return I will give yo a ring. And tonight in the middle of nowhere met a 45 year old lady from BOLDER working for a charity helping people here to on the mental hurt side, Matt is following up to help those on my story on the land mind victims which I have to write up tomorrow. Best Anthony

[Ant Smee]

I am running out of energy keeping up with him, but for certain it is mighty things he is doing here