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Climate refugees in Burma

"By destroying our forests, our trees, our wild animals, and our rivers, the Burmese dictatorship and its partners in crime also destroy who we are. Even though they have the money, guns, and power, we have truth and justice on our side to defend human rights and the environment." Ka Hsaw Wa, Burmese Human Rights Activist

The indigenous peoples of Burma (Myanmar) could be some of the first ‘climate change refugees'. An unfortunate phrase that all too starkly describes their lives and their current struggle.

The reason behind any conflict is, more often than not, the desire for land, resources, power, and money - at the expense of others. And the military regime in Burma is a classic example. It is financing itself through unregulated, large-scale logging, illegal exports of timber and exotic wildlife, and drugs - through the cultivation of extensive poppy fields. Indigenous people are suffering as a result of this destruction of their habitat - their villages attacked, surrounding forests razed to the ground, and thousands of people displaced from their homes.

One of the most well known and 'iconic' peoples in Burma are the Padaung Karen, also known as 'long-neck' Karen. A unique and astonishing people, the women adorn themselves with large brass coils that encircle their necks and form the cornerstone of their identity.

Some groups of displaced Padaung Karen people have been granted asylum in Thailand, and are now living in ‘tourist' villages. Despite the ethical debate surrounding the existence of such villages, it is one way for communities to earn a living and to keep their culture alive while they are in exile. Even if the threat of torture or execution disappeared tomorrow, and the Karen were able to return home, their way of life would have changed forever. People could rebuild houses, but the land and forests, which they have relied on for generations, have been severely compromised.

The Karen were the traditional guardians of their environment. With them gone, there is no one left to prevent the illegal loggers from moving in. The loss of so many trees is pushing carbon dioxide levels up, and exacerbating the effects of climate change. Natural habitats for wildlife are diminishing, and when the heavy Monsoon rains fall, the loose and unstable topsoil is washed away, crops are destroyed, and the risk of severe flooding increases.

The entire balance of the eco-system within the forests is being permanently altered, making it virtually impossible for indigenous communities to rebuild the life they knew there. Isolated groups of indigenous people still struggling to survive in Burma are now threatened by a brutal regime on one side and the destruction of their environment on the other.

When we visited a refugee community in Thailand, the villagers we spoke to - Padaung and other Karen people - had come to terms with their new way of life and were proud of their culture and the interest from visitors. In Thailand, the Paduang have a life that provides them with an income, food, shelter, and a future for their children.

Meeting people who are as concerned about the environment they live in as we are was inspiring and gave us a lot to think about. By telling their story, raising awareness of their struggle, we are helping them to keep their culture alive. It's not just polar bears we need to worry about, but people who are being denied the right to live a traditional way of life that doesn't involve harming the planet. We should certainly think about recycling our waste, and using less energy in the home, but we should also be thinking about the bigger picture and the poor and marginalised communities that need our support.

Thanks for reading. If you have any comments, please put them on the climateXchange website. You can also email us directly on budhha34@btinternet.com .

Crispin & Annemarie.

Article by buddha34
in Creative Climates