Thang’s Story, Thailand
Photo by UNHCR/R. Arnold/2012.
I used to live in a village in Deemawsoe township in Karenni State. The main reason I fled is because of the threat of military conscription. Even if you are not 18 yet but you are physically strong the army will come and take you to be a soldier. Especially the boys, they will come and force you or they will get you drunk and take you. When I lived in the village there was often fighting going on. The fighting happens at night. Innocent villagers often got hit by the guns. A pregnant woman also got hit. When I learned that- I felt very sad.
When my father was alive he did business and the army always came to disturb him. They always sent him to prison. They accused him of having contact with rebels. So my father fled to the border. Since then we didn’t have any news about him. In Karenni state most people go to sleep at midnight because of fear. Some times at 8 or 9 in the evening there is fighting and you can see mortar shelling going over your house. People are always scared so they will dig a hole to hide under their house.
Thang, his sister and mother fled to Thailand in 2011. Now, Thang lives in a refugee camp. He says, he feels safer here:
