MIZZIMA : Burma refugees undergo in (r)

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Subject: MIZZIMA : Burma refugees undergo indefinite hungerstrike.

REFUGEE/BURMA/UNHCR
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Burma refugees undergo indefinite hungerstrike in India

By: MIZZIMA News Group
New Delhi, March 22, 1999

"We do not have any other option but to stage indefinite hungerstrike
only. We prefer to die in front of UNHCR office rather than going back to
Burma", said Cha Mau, a 24-year old student from Matupi township of Chin
State in Burma. Cha Mau left Burma and crossed the Indo-Burma border in
1998 after the military authorities forced him to participate in the
"National Students' Festival, which was held in Hakha, Chin State in the
same year. When he arrived in Mizoram State of India, his hopes and
expectations were not realised. Instead, regular harassment and threats of
the local police and intelligence became nightmares for him in the alien
land. He decided to come to Delhi as he heard that United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Delhi extends humanitarian
assistance to those Burmese refugees who cannot go back to Burma. Since
that time, he has been in Delhi for almost one year. He approached the
UNHCR office in June 1998 for the refugee status. He was interviewed for
two times. And, after nine months of long and exhausting struggle, he
received a "Letter of Reject" from the UNHCR saying that the office finds
no ground to recognize him as a refugee. And no further application or
appeal will be entertained, the letter further mentioned.

Cha Mau was desperate and disappointed. He had to live in the past
one-year with the support of fellow refugees who are already recognized by
UNHCR as refugees. But, after some months, it became a heavy burden for
his friends. Thus, he had to borrow money from whoever can lend him and he
is now in debt of more than Rs. 2,500.00. He had hoped that he can return
the money as and when he receives the financial assistance from the UNHCR
office. But, his hopes are gone now. 

He along with some fellow refugees who face the same fate decided to
undergo an indefinite hungerstrike in front of UNHCR office in New Delhi
till they are recognized as refugees and provided Rs. 1,200.00 per month
per person.

Along with Cha Mau, total ten refugees are staging indefinite hungerstrike
from March 22nd onwards. Most of the refugees have similar stories of why
they left their beloved country, home, dears and nears. It is due to

increasing political and economic turmoil in Burma. A 22 -year old Salai
Zoram Thang was a high school student in a village of Thang Tlang township
in Chin State. His father was the head of the village. Chin National Army,
which is one of the armed groups fighting against the military junta in
Burma, asked his father to collect the "tax" from the villagers for the
army. The government forces nearby the village came to know about it and
beat him in front of Zoran Thang and the family. When he could not bear
any more of his father being beaten mercilessly, Zoran Thang hit back one
of the soldiers and ran away from the spot. He never got back to his home
again as the government soldiers would definitely shoot him to death. He
sneaked into India for shelter.

About 500 Burma refugees are currently recognized by the UNHCR in India
and most of them are provided the monthly subsistence of Rs. 1,200.00 per
person. However, with the increasing price rise of basic commodities in
the capital of India, they are usually left without money even before the
month ends. Dal (pea) and arloo (potatoes) are their daily curry with
rice. They can rarely afford meat. Three to six persons or sometimes more
than that put together their money and stay in a one-set room (where they
cook, sit, eat and sleep). Comparing with those of refugees who are not
recognized and do not get financial assistance from UNHCR, their life is
still much much better.

MIZZIMA News Group
Tel/Fax : 91-11-7115491