Children of Burmese Migrants/Refugees in Southern Thailand

by David DiMaria

GHRE (Grassroots Human Rights Education & Development) is a non profit agency in Khuk Khak, Southern Thailand that provides services to Burmese migrant workers/refugees and their children living in Southern Thailand. The Burmese in Southern Thailand have very limited rights and see routine abuses and violence from both the state and population of Thailand. Rapes and beatings happen too frequently, workers struggle to obtain the same rights that protect Thai workers, and the children have little or no access to public education.

Some of the most important work of GHRE is educating the young Burmese in both their own language and culture, so that it is not lost as they grow up in a country where it is better to blend in, and also of the Thai language and culture.

What has made the greatest impression on me about GHRE, is it's director, Htoo Chit. Mr. Chit is a leader who is constantly trying to learn and able to learn from others. During my time working with the organization I saw first hand how seriously and effectively he and the leadership of GHRE work to develop new leadership among the next generation of Burmese. Mr. Chit is a member of the 88 generation who clearly understands the need to develop new, confident, and educated young Burmese leaders.

After the 2004 Tsunami, when the issue was in the spotlight of the media, and after the 2007 uprising of Burmese Monks, GHRE was able to grow their programs through multiple donations and grants from around the world. As these issues have lost the attention of the world, the funding for these programs has dried up (some donors have never followed through on their pledges). Much more information about the programs GHRE runs can be found on their own website.

David DiMaria on behalf of Grassroots Human Rights Education And Development