AUBURN - For more than 20 years, natives of Burma have fled their native land and took root in refugee camps in Thailand. Many have gone on to seek new lives in America.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Deb Virgo, sponsor coordinator for InterFaith Works of Central New York, speaks about the plight of Burmese refugees in Thailand during a luncheon Wednesday afternoon at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn.
Deb Virgo, sponsor coordinator for InterFaith Works of Central New York, speaks about the plight of Burmese refugees in Thailand during a luncheon Wednesday afternoon at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn.
Deb Virgo, of Syracuse, a member of Interfaith Works of Central New York has been working with many of the people that have made their way to the Syracuse area for years. In October, with support for Church World Services, she went to Thailand to visit the camps and get a first-hand look of what life is like for these displaced people.
Virgo stopped at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn Wednesday to talk about her experiences and give a little bit of insight into the history and current conditions that have created the refugee situation with a talk called “100 Shades of Gray.”
“We think things are very black and white,” Virgo said. “But I realize after being there that there really are all these shades of gray.”
Historically the beginnings of the refugee situation can be traced back to post-World War II Burma.
After the British left the country, the land was supposed to become its own democracy, but the Burmese army quickly seized power and control.
This began a long process of driving out people who are considered ethnic minorities in Burma, people such as the Karen, Shan, Karenni and Chin.
This issue came to prominence and garnered the most attention from the rest of the world from 1984 to 1994, Virgo said.
During this period, more than 90,000 people fled Burma into Thailand.
Today it is estimated there are more than two-million Burmese taking refuge in Thailand, with more than 150,000 occupying nine camps.
Despite the confusing political climate and displacement, Virgo said she saw a strong sense of community and even with less than ideal conditions, the people she met generally seemed happy.
Numerous organizations from around the globe, such as Church World Services work to make sure the people in the camps are receiving food, shelter and health care.
The camps also offer the advantage of allowing people to stay together as family units.
But the people who are able to secure refugee status with the U.N. often seek the opportunity to make a new life and home in other places around the globe.
Virgo said significant numbers of Burmese have moved to places such as Australia and the U.S., with 20,000 entering the U.S. in 2005 and more than 700 of those settling in Syracuse.
But this is not an easy process.
Virgo said to be considered eligible, people have to be in the camps from 10 to 20 years, as well as prove they are in good health and able to learn English and find work.
Virgo said seeing first-hand the life in the camps and the life of those that choose to settle in America, she had to wonder if re-settlement was a good idea or not, but ultimately it was a decision each person had to make for themselves.
“It is a very different pace of life,” Virgo said. “But despite all of this people are making their own decisions. There are a lot of challenges with the language and finding a job. But people are coming here and they are preserving their culture and they are staying in touch with people here and with people back in Thailand. But it is something that I think we are going to see more and more of in the next five to 10 years as more people want to come to America.”
Virgo stopped at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Auburn Wednesday to talk about her experiences and give a little bit of insight into the history and current conditions that have created the refugee situation with a talk called “100 Shades of Gray.”
“We think things are very black and white,” Virgo said. “But I realize after being there that there really are all these shades of gray.”
Historically the beginnings of the refugee situation can be traced back to post-World War II Burma.
After the British left the country, the land was supposed to become its own democracy, but the Burmese army quickly seized power and control.
This began a long process of driving out people who are considered ethnic minorities in Burma, people such as the Karen, Shan, Karenni and Chin.
This issue came to prominence and garnered the most attention from the rest of the world from 1984 to 1994, Virgo said.
During this period, more than 90,000 people fled Burma into Thailand.
Today it is estimated there are more than two-million Burmese taking refuge in Thailand, with more than 150,000 occupying nine camps.
Despite the confusing political climate and displacement, Virgo said she saw a strong sense of community and even with less than ideal conditions, the people she met generally seemed happy.
Numerous organizations from around the globe, such as Church World Services work to make sure the people in the camps are receiving food, shelter and health care.
The camps also offer the advantage of allowing people to stay together as family units.
But the people who are able to secure refugee status with the U.N. often seek the opportunity to make a new life and home in other places around the globe.
Virgo said significant numbers of Burmese have moved to places such as Australia and the U.S., with 20,000 entering the U.S. in 2005 and more than 700 of those settling in Syracuse.
But this is not an easy process.
Virgo said to be considered eligible, people have to be in the camps from 10 to 20 years, as well as prove they are in good health and able to learn English and find work.
Virgo said seeing first-hand the life in the camps and the life of those that choose to settle in America, she had to wonder if re-settlement was a good idea or not, but ultimately it was a decision each person had to make for themselves.
“It is a very different pace of life,” Virgo said. “But despite all of this people are making their own decisions. There are a lot of challenges with the language and finding a job. But people are coming here and they are preserving their culture and they are staying in touch with people here and with people back in Thailand. But it is something that I think we are going to see more and more of in the next five to 10 years as more people want to come to America.”
