~Khams Zotal
Student Social Worker
New Delhi,India
This articles was published in The Sangai Express(Largest Circulation English Newspaper in Manipur) on March 10, 2014
Link,
http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/page/items/36781/the-road-that-need-all-citizen-of-the-world-to-witness
“Mom When Can We Return Home (Burma) And Studies From Our Own Home?” said the Burmese Refugee Childrens settle in India. (I am not an activist, nor political leaders who work for the Democratic of Burma, but I am a student social worker who cares for the whole society and community. I wrote this Issues since I find the need that let everyone in this world witness the problem faced by the Burmese refugee’s women)
-Burmese Refugee Women in India Urge the Burmese Government to Stop Using Rape and Other Form of Violence against Women on International Women’s Day 2014 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, India- On International Women’s Day 2014, almost every country intervene a social security and promotion of the rights of women in their own country. We can see how people get involved in such challenging manners to uplift status of women in their own perspective location and region. Whereas the thousands and millions of women that has been neglected, none of us cares, how fortunate we are to celebrating International Women’s Day till today with a theme “Inspiring Change’ and what a challenges to the women who remains unreachable to dwell in the land of freedom, Equality and Freedom of Expression?. Those women who were neglected and living in critical situations were abused sexually, tortured to death even, those victims were physically, emotionally and mentally remained helpless. They were none other than the Burmese Women and their refugees in all parts of the country holding hearts to go back to their Motherland “Burma”.
I lived in India and I’m Indian. Although I am Indian, there is a certain situation I came across where my own people regarded as I am not Indian. That’s ok, because they don’t understand and I can make them understand what they don’t understand. But, I am truly concern with the people coming from other countries where they will definitely face any kind of racial discrimination, violence and harassment like the Burmese refugees Women and childrens in Indian, and how hurts it will be in that situation and whom they will called for help when we don’t open our hearts towards them? Remember more than 500 Burmese refuges women and childrens celebrated International Women’s Day with a protest on the street and under the heat of the Sun for demanding social justice and equality for all women all around the world. Don’t we witnesses? Think about it!
In New Delhi most of Burmese refugee women lived in Vikas Puri, Uttam Nagam and Dabri Mor area. Due language barriers and cultural differences, the Burmese refugees living in those areas have not being able to communicated effectively with the local polices forces leading to many regrettable incidents that took place. In order to have self-guided, a refugees from different communities formed a Women Organization known as Burmese Refugee Women Delhi (BRWD) with which they come up with a shocking documentation of more than 200 cases of all forms of violence against Burmese Refugee Women and Children within the past three years in New Delhi. The Disheartening reality is more than 100 of this mechanism available for the Refugees in India. Apart from social insecurity for the Burmese refugees women in New Delhi, they faced so many problems in their health, children education, nutrition and economic status, and they were remained unemployed which leading to never-ending financial crisis within the stay in the country.
For instance, the Delhi Government and UHCHR has provided free education or settlement to the people but that doesn’t leads to self-sustainable & reliable live long to depends and succeed in life with the inadequate educational opportunities that is available for them, this is known after certain interaction and finding through the women wings group leaders, BRWD and Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) Field Officer. Furthermore, the Burmese refugees were employed in a factory like plastic packing, charger cable cutting, iron molding etc. with a low daily wages which leads to difficult in sustain their families.
We cannot solve all problems at once, but we can identify, we can prioritize the needs of the people, let us witnesses what our Burmese refuges women and children face today, and as a responsible citizens of the world, it is our duty to help one another. We should be prepared. As we come and read the hidden truth and know the needs of the Burmese refugees in our country, the government must cover up the needy of the refugees. Proper education and a safer environment should be to all children and social security and protection should be given as democratic governance.
Beside, the government of India has to enact Domestic Refugee Protection Laws in order to provide security to refugees living in India’s soil. And if it is possible the Government of India has to take necessary actions and provide security to the Burmese refugee women and children and stop sexual violence and other forms of violence against them from continuing in India which is a violation of Human rights. Furthermore, a separated Police cells or helpline should be given for the Burmese refugees women which will reduce any regrettable incidents that may happen in the future. With much efforts and concern the government and UNCHR cans also providing effective health service and job opportunity in safer environment to the Burmese refugees. The Burmese refugees are in never-ending financial crisis with many of us suffering from serious health problems.
Let us take a challenge to help our brothers and sisters, Remember! The refugees childrens were still holding hearts under their mothers love and care to study in their own country and go to school from their own house only with faith and hope, which is soon to shine one day! When can their road will lead to the dream of motherland Burma until we witnesses them!
The Burmese refugee is in dire need of help.