International Federation of Medical Students' Associations
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Burmese Refugee Project International Office SOU SloMSIC Burmese Refugee Project Kersnikova 4 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia fax: ++386 61 133 33 48 email: betel.nut@mf.uni-lj.si http://www.sou.uni-lj.si/mp/slomsic/burma/ burma.html Gorazd Sveticic Burmese Refugee Project Co-ordinator <gorazd.sveticic@kiss.uni-lj.si>
How I spent my six weeks on the ThaiBurma border IFMSA PHOTO
BY
URSA STEPISNIK
17 international participant went to the Thai-Burma border until February.
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hailand is a promised land of SE Asia and therefore a destination for many refugees from practically all neighbouring countries. Most of them come from Burma. Brutal military regime, calling itself SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) is terrorising the peoples of Burma for more than fifty years. Dr. Cynthia's Clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand is the biggest Primary Health Care providing centre on Thai-Burma border ran by Burmese themselves. It was established by Dr.. Cynthia Muang in 1989 and serves as a training centre as well. Until recently it covered a huge area with smaller jungle hospitals situated on Burmese side of the border and served as a starting point for mobile medical teams that brought essential medical care to hill-tribe and displaced people in remote jungle areas. The hospitals were lost in last SLORC offensives in February 1997. The clinic has no status as well since its ran by Burmese illegal immigrants . Local Thai authorities however are co-operative and allow them to work with no major problems. Dr. Cynthia has established many international connections so there are always
June 1997
some foreigners working in the clinic either as doctors or English teachers. First student expedition to the area was in July 1995. Five Slovenian medical students followed the example of Dr.. Jani Kokalj, a Slovenian doctor that used to visit that area on the way to Nepalese mountains. Idea of getting constant student support to the Clinic arose and SCORP members have spread the information world wide. 17 students from different European countries participated in IFMSA Burmese Refugee Project till February this year when we had to put the project on hold because of the unstable and dangerous situation on the border. The need of the displaced people how Thai authorities name the people without status that flee to Thailand constantly to become ruthlessly exploited by Thai is bigger than ever and situation in Mae Sot became stable enough to continue with our activities. Since the Clinic is small and with limited capacities, only 2 students can participate at the time, staying there for at least 2 months. Only 5th and 6th year students are accepted. Young doctors are also welcome. Further information can be obtained at (see address on top):
I promised Jet already in March I will write something about Burma, Thailand and people I met there. Then I discovered how hard it is to describe such strong experience with so little words. We were there from the beginning of December 1996 till middle of January 1997. There were three of us there at that time, all Slovenian medical students in third, fourth and fifth year.
First Impression It was better than I expected. People adapt very quickly and try to find the best of what they can have. The whole hospital is working on donation basis, people there receive no payment. Mostly they are young people without family. First they were patients and after they stayed, they attended Dr. Cynthia's one-year program of training and became medics. Hospital is their home, family and work. That s the way they will maybe live till the rest of their life. And how do they live? One wooden barrack with outdoor and indoor patient care departments and delivery room is also a place where all the staff and all trainees are living. Around 50 people in 5 rooms, everybody is sleeping on the floor and all their belongings are few clothes they use for a pillow at night. No privacy at all. The other house is built. Doctor Cynthia is living upstairs together with her hus-