Moe eh lived in Burma, also known as Myanmar, for 10 years and in a Thailand refugee camp for 10 more years. Although he has only been in America for two years, Moe eh said that he is thankful to have escaped the country where he said he was forced to live inhumanely.

“They burned my village and the church. We had to live like animals … we could not run, they’d kill us,” said Moe eh through an interpreter.

Experts say that the military junta in Burma and its downfall has not made life in Burma easier, but assimilation into the United States has posed a different set of challenges.

Professor Fumiko Sasaki, an assistant professor of international relations/global studies at St. Edward’s University, spoke regarding the many problems Burma faced that have led to military dictatorship and general disorder. According to Sasaki, Burma is the 18th failed state.

Allison Van Pelt of the Refugee Services of Texas (RST) spoke about the struggles refugees faced in resettlement.

“Financially, we don’t have the funds to help [Burmese refugees] for more than six months,” she said.

Van Pelt said that the RST brings the refugees to the apartments that they have procured for them. These apartments are equipped with ten days’ worth of food. Then the refugees attend a two-day orientation focused on introducing them to the community and trying to establish jobs for these refugees. Van Pelt said these refugees often do not speak English, which can be a big barrier. The program Van Pelt represents pays the refugees’ rent for three to six months and focuses on getting clients to become self-sufficient.

Gary Watkins with the Burma Connection, a nonprofit humanitarian aid organization, spoke about Burma’s current situation. He said the fall of the military dictatorship hasn’t necessarily made life in Burma easier, but in many ways, it has made it harder. Thailand, China and India border Burma. Watkins explained that this makes for a problematic situation, due to China and India currently being in a cold war type stand-off, and Burma being the only country that separates the two. China and India are not, according to Watkins, especially concerned with the Burmese peoples’ well being.

The Burmese government does not recognize the country’s orphans, according to Watkins. Watkins said there are at least 6,000 orphans in Burma’s capital city alone. Approximately 90 percent of these orphans have parents, but when their parents are faced with too many mouths to feed, they send their children to cities where they hope they’ll find help.

Watkins’ program, the Burma Connection, corresponds with Burmese nationalists to provide aid to orphanages as well as build schoolhouses, churches and other buildings. The Burma Connection is Christian-based, but Watkins said it is dedicated to the betterment of all Burmese.

Watkins also expanded on the language barrier that many Burmese face. According to Watkins, there are 135 ethnic groups and thus at least 135 different Korean dialects, which makes it all the more difficult to communicate.

There are only 12 countries that accept Burmese refugees. President Barack Obama has set the ceiling of refugees per year to be between 70,000 and 80,000, according to Watkins.

The process of being accepted as a refugee is a long one; applicants must go through three interviews. First, applicants must prove that they are eligible, go through a background check, and finally, they have a health screening.

“Refugees get here … and there’s so much,” Watkins said.

Watkins is often asked what refugees need most.

“There are two things,” Watkins said, “acceptance and respect.”

A panel presented by senior social work major Lauren Tomlinson at St. Edward’s discussed Burma.

When asked about her reaction to the discussion, freshman Jacqueline Schicker spoke about how she thought the event was thought-provoking.

“The refugee panel discussion was informative and, in some regards, eye-opening… [It] addressed many issues that refugees face in entering this country … the struggles of living off of food stamps and the importance of primary education across the world,” Schicker said.

In closing, Moe eh said how thankful he is for a chance at a better life.

“It was a blessing from God that we had the opportunity to come to the United States. [But] there are [still] people waiting [to come from Burma to the United States].”

Visit burmaconnection.org or rstaustin.wordpress.com for more information regarding volunteer opportunities concerning Burma refugees in the Austin area.