Karen Women's Organization(KWO)

P.O Box 19 Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Province Thailand 58110

Tel:66-53 681081,Fax 66-53-62141 Email: kwocentral@gmail.com
Website: www.karenwomen.org


Karen Women's Organization Letter of Appeal on World Refugee Day
20
th
June, 2014
I am a woman. I am a refugee. This is my life. Listen to my voice. On World Refugee Day, it is our
desire to appeal to the governments, to UNHCR and to all stakeholders, that the rights of refugees be
valued and respected.
After the Karen National Union started peace talks with the Burmese government on peace building
and a ceasefire, news began to spread of refugee return. News of refugee return makes the refugee
community confused and nervous because they have not received enough clear information about
return, nor have refugees been adequately consulted regarding the return process. The governments,
UNHCR and NGOs have continued preparing for refugee return by having meetings, surveys, pilot
projects, and different kinds of activities. In addition, there are set locations for refugees to return to
and buildings, including business and vocational activities, being prepared for the return of refugees.
Because these plans are not discussed with the refugees, it makes the refugees confused and
worried in many ways. Unfortunately, this is the situation that has been facing refugees on the
Thailand - Burma border since 2012.
The buildings that have started to be built in preparation for refugee return have raised many
questions. Who invested the money for these building? Who organized the investments? What is the
purpose of building these new structures? Who will benefit? Will it be refugees? No one is able to
answer our questions. The Karen Refugee Committee, KNU, governments and/or stakeholders,
all those who take responsibility for the protection of refugees, might not know the answers, but they
do have a responsibility to find out, for the sake of transparency and the safety and trust of the
community.
Refugees have positions and opinions regarding their return that need to be respected. Whenever the
question is raised to the refugees, "when do you want to return?" the refugees answer that they will
return when the politics in Burma is stable and sustainable, their safety is guaranteed, and there is
justice for all.
The process of preparing and planning the return of refugees should only be done with the full,
genuine and well-informed involvement of individual refugees and the wider refugee community. Our
rights should be respected and our input valued. Refugees are human beings just like everyone else.
We hope the Karen, and other ethnic groups in Burma, and IDPs, receive freedom to live, as ordinary
citizens, in Burma, with dignity, equality and peace.

In Solidarity

Nan Dah Eh Kler
Chairperson
Karen Womens Organization