We often talk about the use of bushcraft /survival skills in the event of some disaster or upheaval. But for many people in this part of the world this is not only caused by natural calamities but by the attitudes of their own government or neighbouring states.

I came across this refugee camp during a walk a few months ago with some people who were training for a trek.

The way in.



The demolished camp









At first we thought it was an abandoned aboriginal camp. Abandoned identify documents, teach yourself books in English and personal possessions revealed the truth.



It had been used by Chin refugees escaping the persecution in Burma. The Chin are a Christain animist agricultural minority living in the mountains of north western Burma (Myanmar). You can check this site for information on them here:

The Chin http://www.markajohnson.com/Asiat07.html

To get here they have to travel across Burma, then trek through the jungle into Thailand, where the camps are already full. They then travel overland or by sea down the coast till they get to Malaysia. At most stages they are harassed by ‘snake heads’ (human traffickers) who demand payment from them, corrupt officials and the local people.

Unfortunately, when they get here things do not improve much as they are harassed by the authorities here. Naturally there is no Rambo to protect them.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/RMOI-6AS4CD?OpenDocument

This camp probably had been demolished by the RELA a volunteer group raised and funded by the government here to report on illegals and enforce regulations supposedly to assist the immigration authorities. In reality, many RELA have a deserved reputation as thugs and bullies though I have met some who are not. Usually the refugees are exploited by the authorities

These people obviously left in a hurry, whether fleeing or being rounded up.





RELA http://www.khonumthung.com/kng-news/2008...ps-in-malaysia/

Conditions in the official camps which are concentration camps (in the earlier sense of the word) is not that pleasant and their a cells for those who are detained. So many Chin, and other groups, live and hide in the jungle

http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/photo/detail/5496/

Here is the water supply. It may not look like much but knowing this patch of forest I’d say its quite well filtered and as long as their camp hygenie is good then quite drinkable.



Pity they are not here. I could learn a thing or two about their bamboo splitting for floorboards and shelter building. They may even know about fire pistons.



http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/photo/detail/5496/

http://www.fmreview.org/FMRpdfs/FMR30/36-37.pdf

http://www.refintl.org/content/report/detail/5499?PHPSESSID=2700619b778a4a7606a04e2a19d13983

Interesting. This is in Malaysia?

Yes Jim it is.

This place is not normally known for this sort of stuff mainly, I suppose, because there is so much bad news coming from its neighbours.

Hmm, seems illegal immigration is a global problem, not just our backyard.

Wow. Sometimes we don't realize how good we've got it. Lord, have mercy.

What Jim said.

Yes, they must have left in a hurry. People who don't have much would probably try to keep what little they did have.

That's what bothers me so much about bugging out, being a refugee. Even a temporary refugee. Even here. Inconvenience is easier at home.

Sue