The deadly fire which razed Mae Surin refugee camp in Khun Yuam district has left many camp residents traumatised and in despair.
Refugees left homeless by Friday’s deadly inferno at the MaeSurin refugee campinMaeHong Son’s KhunYuam districtmoveto the homes of their relatives in an area of thecampnot affected by the fire. THITIWANNAMONTHA
Several refugees who survived last week's blaze which killed 37 people expressed fears of a future without real freedom and having to constantly rely on outside help.
"The aid we received after the fire simply reinforces the fact that we cannot rely on ourselves at all," Sha Lec Tan, a camp leader, said.
The 3,000 Karen refugees have relied on assistance from international non-profit organisations since the camp was established in 1991.
Some facilities and infrastructure such as clinics, schools, churches and the tap water system were set up with aid from organisations which have also supplied food to the camp residents regularly.
Having been given refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Karen have limited rights outside the camp and are not allowed to freely travel outside, which poses an obstacle for them in obtaining higher education and better jobs.
"Even if we want to build a new house to replace the ones we have lost, we cannot look for natural materials ourselves because the camp is located in a forest reserve zone," Sha Lec Tan said.
She said the Karen could build themselves new homes in two weeks if they had the right materials. But the process was expected to take at least a month because the refugees had to wait for aid from outside.
"I am concerned about what will happen to us if one day the aid stops.
"It's not pleasant to live here at all. Everyone wants to be able to build their own homes and make a living by one's self," she said.
She called on the government to help the refugees by providing them with more rights so they would be able to rely on themselves.
Saw Heh Bo, 28, a schoolteacher, who lost his home in the fire at the camp's Zone 4, said he had dreamt of obtaining a higher education to improve his opportunities of living a better life and to be able to help his people.
His freedom ended when he escaped from Karenni state and resettled at the refugee camp in 1997.
"The fire has pushed us into circumstances of greater dependence on others. It's like we are in a bird's nest waiting for others to feed us. There is no real freedom in here," he said.
Ma Aye, 79, said the fire last Friday was not the first that had hit her family.
Her home in a village in Karenni state was burned twice _ first during the Japanese occupation of Burma during World War II between 1942-1945, and the second during an attack by Myanmar soldiers some 30 years ago.
"My life started with fire and it seems to be ending with fire," said the Karen refugee whose home in the camp's Zone 4 was also destroyed in the blaze.
The rapidly spreading flames had sent her and her daughter running for their lives.
"What can we do?" she said. "Now we have nothing left. It's frightening to think about the future."
Khun Yuam municipality authority said more than 400 homes were destroyed and 2,000 of the Karen have been made homeless by the fire.
Survivors have been put in temporary shelters covered with plastic sheets to protect them from the scorching heat during the day and the cold at night.
Naeem Durrani, a UNHCR field officer in Mae Hong Son, said the agency has begun sending aid to help the victims get back to living a normal life as soon as possible.
The refugees should soon be able to clear the site and rebuild their homes with materials supported by authorities and the organisation, he said.
A team of psychologists from local hospitals and public health offices has visited victims since Saturday to assess their mental health.
Boonsanong Wongtanoi, a psychologist, said some victims were suffering from stress and were depressed. Others are unable to sleep because of recurring memories of the horrific blaze.
The team would try to ensure that the refugees were given proper treatment and medication.