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滞留泰国的缅甸克伦难民仍然归期无望

Northern Thailand has long been home to thousands of Burmese refugees who have fled ethnic¹ fighting and their country’s military government for temporary camps. After Burma’s political opening, more of these refugees are returning home, but many, such as ethnic Karen groups, say it’s still not safe.

长期以来，成千上万的缅甸难民一直在泰国北部的临时营地里栖身，躲避民族冲突和军政府的压制。随着缅甸政治的开放，一些人开始返回家园，不过，包括克伦族在内的很多难民说，现在就回家还不够安全。

Along the Thai-Burma border, 120,000 refugees remain in nine camps, including at Mae Sot, the largest settlement, established 30 years ago.

沿着泰缅边界，有12万难民滞留在九座难民营内，美索有着最大的安置地点，建立于30年前。

Most of the inhabitants are from neighboring Karen state. They have fled the fighting and human rights abuse of a conflict lasting² more than six decades.

多数居民来自邻近的克伦邦。家乡的冲突持续了60多年，战火不断，人权遭到践踏。

For many, like 19-year-old Saw Lae Mae, who’s spent his entire life on the Thai side of the border, making ends meet by working illegally outside the camp is risky³ business.

19岁的美索法的一生都是在边界线的泰国一侧度过的。和很多人一样，他靠在难民营外非法打工维生，而这是危险的行当。

“In the past we had enough rice rations⁴ but now there is a decrease in the rations. I’m afraid to get caught by police if we go to work outside the camp. They can fine us 1,000 - 2,000 baht,” said Mae. The fine of 1,000-2,000 baht is about US$30-60.

他说： “过去，我们的大米定量还够吃，可现在定量减少了。如果到营地外面去打工，我怕被警察抓住。他们可以对我们罚款1到2千株（30到60美元）。”

As Burma, which is also known as Myanmar, has opened, making it more attractive for some refugees to return, international donors⁵ have responded by reducing funding for refugee aid groups like The Border Consortium. The shortfall has led to cutbacks on basics like rice.

缅甸的开放，增加了难民返家的吸引力，国际捐助方随之减少了对“边境联合会” （The Border Consortium）等难民救援组织的资助。资金短缺使得大米等基本生活品供应减少了。

Border Consortium executive director Sally Thompson said the cuts could not have come at a worse time.

“边境联合会”执行主任萨莉·汤普森说，救济减少正逢局势恶化。

“If we see services being reduced further there is a risk that the structures in the camps will deteriorate⁶ and collapse⁷, and really just at the time when you need people as communities to come together to give them the space to be able to prepare for that future,” said Thompson.

她说：“如果服务再减少的话，难民营的建筑结构就有恶化甚至倒塌的风险，而且现在正是召集人们组织委员会，给他们一定空间，让他们为未来做好准备的时候。”

Despite the hardships on the border, the long-term camp residents still maintain a sense of stability and security.

虽然边境条件艰苦，但难民营的长期住户仍然有稳定和安全的感觉。

That sense does not yet exist in their home territory, where 63 years of war has left the region in shambles⁸.

而这种感觉在他们的家乡还不存在。63年的战火让当地满目疮痍。

“If we have to go back to Burma they should prepare the land for us and make sure that there will be no more human rights abuse. Then we can go back to Burma,” said Kaw Lua, a camp resident.

难民马叶尔佩尔说：“如果一定让我们回缅甸，那他们要把我们的土地准备好，还要保证不会再发生践踏人权的事情。那样的话，我们就能回缅甸了。”

In the meantime, despite Burma’s political transition, the future of the country’s ethnic groups remains⁹ uncertain as a new generation grows up in camps just beyond its borders.

与此同时，虽然缅甸正在进行政治过渡，但少数族群的未来仍不明朗，他们中的新一代人完全是在边境另一侧的难民营里长大的。