Page 76 - Dignity and justice for all of us our voices are heard in Thailand

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Namchai, a man, age 60
Refugee camp resident since 1997
Chief of a village from Karenni State, Myanmar

Voice

“Refugees are Namchai is a 60-year-old man from Myanmar, who fled his hometown 11 years ago with his
wife and four children during the military offensives in the Karenni State along the border
entitled to enjoy the with Thailand. Since then, he and his family have lived in Tham Hin Refugee Centre in
same rights as any Ratchaburi province. He is one of among up to 140,000 people who fled Myanmar to take

other human beings” refuge along the Western border of Thailand over the past decade. The Royal Thai
Government has established nine refugee centres to accommodate those fleeing the
fighting in Myanmar. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) regards

registered camp residents as ‘refugees,’ while the Royal Thai Government refers to them as
‘displaced persons’ awaiting repatriation or resettlement in a third country.

Namchai says that the camp has become his home over the past 11 years and that he does
not want to go anywhere else. But, deep down, he says he is uncertain how much longer
Thailand will allow him to stay. He realizes that the camp is just a ‘temporary shelter’. Asked
about his views on human rights, he puts it simply: “Please don’t treat us like animals.
Refugees are entitled to enjoy the same rights as any other human beings.”

While an elderly man like Namchai wishes to spend the rest of his life in Thailand, many of
the younger generation in the camp dream of moving on to a third country, he reports.

64 Dignity and Justice for All of Us