- Over 150,000 refugees live in refugee camps along the Burma/Thailand border.
- Majority of refugees are Karen. In some camps they may represent over 90% of the population.
- 51% of refugees are Christian and 36% are Buddhist.
- Children represent one of the largest group of displaced refugees. Their parents have been killed or detained, or simply can no longer care for their children.
- According to Thai law, undocumented Burmese found outside the camps are subject to arrest and deportation and refugees have no legal right to employment.
- Refugees have no means of earning an income. In some cases, camps are located within garbage dumps and refugees pick through the garbage daily to meet their own needs and, perhaps, find items they can sell or trade.
- Some refugees are now employing risky and/or illegal behaviours to bridge the widened gap between their basic needs and the humanitarian assistance they receive.
- Refugees are dependent on outside organizations to provide food, clean water, shelter and basic needs. Their long term and sustained dependence on outside organizations, lack of education and skill training has created a deep fear of leaving the camps.
- Most of the camps are isolated in the mountains far from hospitals and other services.
- Camps are overcrowded. Multiple families and generations live in make-shift shelters.
- Poor sanitation presents serious health concerns including malaria, dengue fever and tuberculosis.
- Border-wide chronic (stunting) malnutrition is classified as “very high”.
