From an interview with 27-year-old medic Bay Da, Loi Kaw Wan, Burma, February 2010
What is Loi Kaw Wan?
Loi Kaw Wan is one of the IDP camp. People move from inside Shan State to live here.
What year did Loi Kaw Wan begin?
Since 2000. During I am here, I didn't hear any problems around here.
We're still in Burma. Why is this place safer than further inside Shan State?
Because how to say that, we have like SSA (rebel Shan State Army) around here to protect this village.
If you're in Burma, in Shan State, how do people get to the IDP camps?
Very difficult. Walking, mostly.
Are you in the SSA?
Yes, I'm medic.
Do all the men have to be in the SSA, or they can choose?
They can choose. Not all. Depend on their mind.
Can they pay their soldiers?
No—which one?
Can the SSA pay?
Yes.
A lot of money?
No. I don't know about that. Not so much.
Do medics get paid good money?
Not so much, in the middle. 1,500 baht. (Per month. =$50)
That's enough?
Not enough.
Is there any way to make money here?
Yes, like, we have to go and pick tea leaves, in Thailand. And then sometimes we farm by ourself. Rice, pig, some rice farm.
Why do the Shan people need medics? Are there no doctors here?
No. Like inside Shan State? Most of the people there get sick, but no doctor, no health worker there. Nobody, like, very few medics.
How many medics are there here in Loi Kaw Wan now?
All of the medics here, 30. But all of them not here.
Where do they go?
Backpack inside. They go inside Shan State and look, take care of the patient inside.
Is it dangerous?
Yes, dangerous. Maybe sometime they're—I don't know, about the SPDC (the Burmese government and army). We have to be careful.
You're only giving medicine. What's wrong with that?
They don't like.
Why not?
They think that we are against them.
Are you?
Yes.
What does the SPDC want to do to the Shan?
They want, like, how to say? They want the Shan all, the Shan people, like no any, like, how to say? They want to do ethnic clean, cleansing. They want Shans to disappear.
But there are eight million Shans.
Yes. They try to control. They make us can't do anything. Like in Shan State they don't allow Shan people to study our language, like that. Like, sometime we study our language in a small village or monastery, temple.
In secret?
Yes.
So do they want you to become like the Burmese, or to disappear?
Maybe both.
How many ethnic groups are in Shan State?
Oh, about 20 ethnic. Shan, Palong, Wa, Kogank, Lahu, Akha, and Chinese. Pa'o, Kayin, many many, but I can't remember. Biggest group is Shan.
Do they want them to disappear too?
Yes, also the same. Everybody in Shan State.
Are there things in Shan State that the Burmese government wants?
Yes, things like natural resources. Wood. How to say, silver. The mines. Mining. No oil. Like gold. Diamond, yes they need a lot. Teak. They don't care about environment.
Do you want to go back to Shan State if you can?
Yes, but if the situation doesn't change it's not safe for me to go back.
What do you think could happen to you?
The SPDC they know from here, they will catch me and torture and they will kill me maybe. I don't know.
Have you seen them torture people before?
Yes.
Who?
My dad. When I was young, about eight or 10 years. They came and took my dad to be a porter and they torture him with cigarette and burn him, burn his cheek.
What did you do?
At that time I'm just children, I don't know. I can't do anything. And my mom only crying.
How long did the SPDC stay with you?
About one or two days. In my village they come from the city.
Did they tell you why?
I don't know. I can't speak their language. I don't know, I don't know. I just see. Make me sad.
Do they do this many times?
Many many times in my village.
Do you know now why they came?
I don't know.
When the SPDC comes to the Shan villages are they all soldiers, or other kinds?
All soldier.
They make you do porter work—
Yes. When I was young I used to go and build house for them.
You built their house?
Yes. Build, and dig. Dig the ground for their fighting.
But they're fighting the Shan.
Yes, but they force us to go to do for them.
So they force you to build their barracks to fight you. Are you angry?
Very angry.
You said they came when you were eight, that was almost 20 years ago. Are they doing the same thing today?
Worse than that. Like last year, they burn the house inside Shan State. They burn the village.
Have you been interviewed before?
Yes, I think two or three times.
Do you think it's helping when you tell your story?
Yes, I think it helps.
Does it make you tired, or sad though?
Yes, makes me sad but, also make me strong.
Can you still contact your family in Shan State?
Yes, by telephone. Sometimes, maybe once a year.
Why not more?
If they don't call me I cannot call them, because they are very far from the town. They come to the town and call me. Give me bad news.
What is the news they gave you this week?
I lost my nephew.
How old was he?
About four years.
How did he die?
From disease. Some disease but I don't know. They don't know. I also ask them, but they don't know.
Didn't he go to a hospital?
No, no hospital there. Just wait and see. Sometimes a little bit herbal medicine from the forest, but not help very much. I lost three younger brother and one sister and one nephew. Five of them, from different diseases.
Do you think about the election anymore?
I don't think the election will be fair. I don't think.
Do you know when it will be?
I don't know. They won't tell. I have no idea about that. Nobody knows.
Can you vote in the election?
No. Most of them, most of the Shan people that live in the small village outside the town they don't have ID, how can they vote? To get ID we have to pay a lot of money.
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