Pepperdine Global Justice Program

Hoping to See a Free Burma

by Tanya Kiatkulpiboone (JD '10)

While I expected this Spring Break trip to be eye-opening, busy, and worthwhile, I could never have imagined how impactful it would be on my world view or how it would cause me to reflect internally on a daily basis.

Our itinerary seemed endless. I learned something new every day; we attended a Karin church service inside the Mae La refugee camp, took a trip to the Mae Sot provincial dump (where people actually made their homes out of and lived adjacent to the dump), interviewed some detainees at a UNHC holding center, and volunteered at a daycare center for children whose parent(s) were undocumented or worked the red light district. Among all of our experiences, nothing was more vivid to me than our meeting with the underground drafters of a possible new Burma Constitution.

My understanding of Burma was scant, much less any knowledge of a deep Burmese desire for “real” Democracy. When we met the drafters of a prototype New Burma Constitution, they were so excited to share their enthusiasm for the potential it could hold. The drafters had been working on the Constitution for years. They believe that the Constitution will be an essential tool for transitioning their country back to their sustainable and thriving home as it once was, when the military regime falls. When. That is the million dollar question.

Currently, the military regime or SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) wields complete power in Burma; they rule by oppression and destruction of the various ethnic Burmese groups including the Chin, Shan, Kachin, Mo, Karin, and Arakut. The crimes they commit amount to genocide. As a result, many ethnic Burmese have sought asylum in Thailand and abroad. The drafters themselves escaped to Thailand, and while the drafters seemed optimistic that they will see the end of the military regime, it was difficult for them to articulate the steps necessary f6r that outcome. Instead, they chose to focus on their Constitution implementation project; promoting their drafts at ethnic group summits and contemplating how they would distribute underground copies to those who still face daily strife in Burma.

Although a timeframe for action was lacking, the drafters seemed to anticipate upcoming elections. It was clear that the drafters Lu will not formally support any ethnic group nominee for the 2010 Parliamentary Election because it is logistically governed by the SPDC-instituted constitution which is supposedly classified as “democratic” but reservedly so only for Burma Proper. So while they cannot condone any ethnic group candidate(s) who will abide by the rules of a political process put in place by an illegitimate authority, they do recognize that one or a few seats in Parliament could be positive or even helpful. Ultimately, however, they will continue to focus on their primary goal of pre-drafting one federal constitution and multiple ethnic state constitutions for the day Burmese military rule is dismembered. Ideally, these drafters are hopeful that relief to Burma will be manifested in a three-fold approach: (1) international awareness on the Burma situation will grow exponentially, (2) democratic forces within Burma and international entities would work together to bring down the military rule, and (3) the new constitution will already be sanctified by the ethnic groups and ready for implementation.

While the dynamics of the Burma problem are tremendous, through this trip, I came to learn and appreciate the people in various organizations dedicated to the cause of fighting modern era evils. I hope to see a free Burma within my lifetime.

Signing Off

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

I arrived safely back at LAX this evening after what was a great trip. I feel that the trip was overall highly productive. Meetings with the International Justice Mission, Partners Relief & Development, Free Burma Rangers, Payap University School of Law, and the Garden of Hope created potential solutions to some of the problems I detailed in this blog, as well opening up many opportunities for Pepperdine and student internship placements.

On a more personal note, I feel that these trips always "center" me and remind me why we do what we do. It's reenergizing. I was apprehensive before the trip that great things were built up in my mind upon the foundations of my previous trip. I was worried I would be let down. That was certainly not the case. I could not have been happier and I wouldn't change a thing--unless changing something meant I could stay longer.

I am also happy with the blog. It was difficult to keep up. I wasn't always near the Internet and sometimes I had only a few minutes to write my post while running between commitments. My fast-paced schedule on this short trip left little time for writing and reflection. There is so much to tell that I feel I only scratched the surface with this blog.

So, where do we go from here? There is much to do. The non-profit will keep moving forward and taking on new cases, as well as dreaming about "big" new ideas. We have Pepperdine internship placements to be filled. We have some very interesting opportunities for our law school to get involved with legal issues in Burma, which I hope to begin following up on right away. We also have potential on-the-ground help in obtaining identification for the stateless families and children from Payap University School of Law and IJM. Finally, I did a lot of filming and interviewing regarding the issue of stateless children. If I got suitable footage, watch for a short documentary coming out this spring!

Thanks for following along. I'm always happy to answer any questions anyone might have, so feel free to email me. In about a week, this blog will be transformed into our Pepperdine Law Human Rights Blog, so check back then for more stories from our other adventures!

Lessons Learned

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

I once read an interesting interview with Andre Agassi conducted by a young tennis pro. Sitting next to him on an airplane, the question posed to Mr. Agassi was: What is your biggest regret? The answer wasn’t a botched backhand or any tennis moment for that matter. Mr. Agassi’s immediate response was that he regretted not starting his non-profit organization earlier. His highly-regarded organization serves many children with disabilities.

This statement definitely resonated with me. I recommend to anyone reading this to go out and invest yourself in something that you think needs changing. It doesn’t have to be starting a major organization like Andre Agassi—it can be as simple as volunteering somewhere regularly or helping fund education for a few children who can’t otherwise go to school. Particularly, if you’re a law student, I really recommend taking a summer to work in our international human rights program or taking the youth mentoring class to mentor high schoolers in Los Angeles. No matter what you do, the investment can be highly rewarding.

I think as lawyers and future lawyers, we’re in a really good position to do this—particularly when it comes to funding programs. This week, I committed to funding the education of four-year-old Amey. I interviewed Amey’s mother this week and she promised me that Amey wouldn’t have to sell flowers in the red light district anymore if she could afford to go to school. On Friday night around midnight, I found her down one of the side streets of the red-light district. She was just standing there all alone, holding a bouquet of roses, and mesmerized by the flashing lights. As sad as it makes me to see her there, it’s a really good feeling to know we can fix it with just a few hundred dollars each year.

I also learned a lesson about what we can do as lawyers and future lawyers: Sometimes, it’s just about showing up. Especially when no one else will show up. Our legal instincts call us to seek justice when we see something unjust. It’s not always so simple, particularly when the rule of law fails us. In these instances, simply our presence can be most meaningful.

Throughout the week, I conducted a series of interviews with stateless street families. I was surprised at their willingness. They’re stateless: why should they risk telling anyone about their presence, especially with a video camera rolling. Yet, they agreed to the interview unabashedly—and almost seemed honored to have the opportunity to talk about their lives and circumstances. I’m guessing that no one has ever listened to them before. No one has probably cared to ask about their lives, their needs, and their dreams. I think just simply listening means a lot.

Just listening.

There may not always be a simple solution, but listening helps build a framework for solving problems. As one mother told me, “We just need three things: 1) identification, 2) a real home, and 3) a job that can put food on the table.” The first thing listed was legal status, even before shelter and food. Maybe Maslow missed something when he created his hierarchy of needs… I really don’t remember legal status—essentially being recognized as an existing person—listed in his pyramid. In the opinion of this family, if legal status could be secured, then needs two and three would flow quite easily.

Finally, you never know what you’re going to uncover when you listen. In one of my interviews, I picked up on the name of a foreigner who had some involvement with the street kids. Further inquiry revealed that this American man visits the Chiang Mai annually to abuse the kids on my street. No one knew because no one had asked. What I do know is that if you’re American and you’re abusing children, there are laws that can lock you up. Now we have something to work with.

Burma: What We Can Do

At 60 years, it’s the longest running civil war.  3,000+ villages have been destroyed.  Thousands murdered in ethnic cleansing.  2,000,000 refugees have fled and 1,000,000 are internally displaced.  For such a small country, the army is the 7^th largest in the world—with no external enemies.  It’s got the largest army of child soldiers and the most deployed landmines in the world—they can afford it when 50% of budget is dedicated to the army.  By the way, don’t get sick here: it’s 190 out of 191 in world health.  This is Burma.  Sadly, most of the world doesn’t know about these facts.  The genocide and internal war there has gone largely unacknowledged.  Thankfully, there are some organizations doing something about it.

I met two organizations yesterday afternoon: Partners Relief & Development and Free Burma Rangers.  Partners is a wonderful organization that does relief and capacity building in the refugee camps on the Thai side of the border.  The organization meets important needs for the refugees who literally have nowhere to go.  There may be some opportunity for Pepperdine Law to assist the work here by providing legal training in the camps—the refugees don’t know Thai, UNHCR regulations, or camp rules—all of which they are subject to.

The most exciting opportunity for us may be with Free Burma Rangers.  FBR is a group of ex-U.S. commandos that started a relief team running missions to help the Karen escape the army and document the struggle.  They have trained hundreds of other team members now, running missions throughout the country.  As their founder explained to me, they take the position that they are documenting everything—every village destroyed, every individual killed or abused—in order to have mounds of evidence available when these crimes can be brought before an international criminal tribunal.  And mounds of evidence they have—the room we met in was filled with video tapes and documentation.

They need two things: law students to organize all this documentation and a lawyer to bring this action before an international criminal tribunal.  Our meeting opened up some law student internship opportunities.  So, if you’re interested in constructing a legal case against a brutal dictatorship, please let me know.  They have tons of documentation, but no one to piece it together.  I have no expertise on what the process is for bring an action in an international criminal tribunal.  However, there is a law professor from another school that has set out the groundwork for bringing this action.  It sounds like they still need the right person to try the case.

I think that we can make a very tangible difference in Burma through these opportunities—particularly in building the legal case.  I’m bringing many DVDs and written materials home with me, so be prepared for my pitch to get involved.

Why It's Worthwhile

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

The streets are dirty and muddy. It rains here everyday. You would probably never know the slum areas exist here in Chiang Mai--it's a resort town and the resort facade is strong. I step cautiously through the mud to keep my balance as I approach one of the homes. Some of the huts are bamboo with thatched roofs; some have patchwork tin walls. None are in good shape. Everything inside was what I might expect in this place--everything, that is, except my photo hanging on the wall. Definitely not what I expected to find!

Behind the scenes in Chiang Mai's shanty areas.

I wasn't sure what my reception would be when I returned to Chiang Mai--particularly on the street where I worked last year. However, it was a great homecoming. On Monday night, after returning from the border, I passed the stoop where we used to hold children's outreach. It was filled with Akha women and children. To my surprise, they remembered me. Some of the mothers ran up to say hello in their native tongue and shake my hand.

I continued down the street, hoping to see some of the children that I missed. Suddenly, about 10 feet in front of me was Amey--one of the kids I as closest to. I froze. Then she froze. Then, she came sprinting and jumped into my arms. It was a great moment. On Tuesday afternoon, Fern came to the Garden of Hope Drop-In-Center. I saw her walk up to the gate and I ran out. Her mouth dropped and she came running.

It was good to be remembered and greeted with such enthusiasm from the children. It makes all the effort to keep in touch with them very rewarding. It was even more rewarding to see how the kids had progressed. They spoke more English, their conversation skills improved, and were generally maturing very well.

A video clip about the children, which I made last year for the Garden of Hope.

The most poignant example came from visiting Ami at her school—there she was in uniform at one of the best Christian schools in Chiang Mai. It was hard to imagine a world in which she couldn’t have this education, but if we wouldn’t have intervened, that would have been the case. But, when I see Faifah’s situation, I know the consequences of inaction.

Ami can go to school!!! She's got a uniform!!

I wish that I would have been here a year or two earlier to intervene with Faifah, or find someone to advocate on her behalf in jail. If that could have been the case, I feel Faifah too could have been saved a lot of trouble. Thankfully, Ami has been spared. When I see her in her school uniform, I know that everything will be alright.

I don’t know if the other kids will be alright though—the Garden of Hope Drop-In-Center is a really good environment—it gets the kids off the street. Yet, there are still some key components missing. A lot of the problems that occur happen at home or late at night—abuse from deadbeat step-fathers is the case almost universally, teenage pregnancy is extremely common due to vulnerability from, and, of course vulnerability from adults, both foreign and nationals. A lot of the kids have been snatched right off the street and taken for a few days. My research has also turned up some foreign predators taking advantage of the children here. All of the children have been solicited, by the way.



I want to cast a vision of what I think needs to be done here. There is a large, unfulfilled need for a dorm to house these children. The children shouldn’t have to live in the “houses” in the slums. They shouldn’t have to live on the streets. They shouldn’t have to be in fear every night of what might happen to them at home or as they go about life. This need is based both on my observations, interviews, and discussions with my friends here who want to start such a facility. If anyone out there wants to take about 100 kids off the street, let me know. I'll take you to Thailand, you can meet the kids, and see why it's all worthwhile.

Defending the Cause of the Fatherless

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17.

In Northern Thailand, there's no one to defend the fatherless. Many of the children I know have been thrown into jail because they did not possess papers. Although I sympathize with limiting the flow of illegal immigration, the response has been inhumane and illegal. The problem is, there's no one to advocate for the rights of children. I'll be documenting the stories of some of these kids of the course of this trip, then offering some suggested ideas later. In the meantime, I want to briefly layout some issues that I've been learning about so far.

In Violation of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child

I acquired these are original photos of actions violating the Rights of the Child. They were taken when some of the kids I know, including Faifah, were detained. Thailand was a signatory to the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In part, the Convention states:

• Article 36: States Parties shall protect the child against all other forms of exploitation prejudicial to any aspects of the child's welfare.

• Article 37: State Parties shall ensure that:

1. No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offenses committed by persons below eighteen years of age;

2. No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;

3. Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits, save in exceptional circumstances;

4. Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.

The photos and stories I am collecting directly contradict subparts 2, 3, and 4.

In Violation of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child

Violations of Subpart 2:

The children are being detained anywhere from two weeks to one month. Faifah explained that she was detained 18 days. By no means is this the shortest appropriate length of time.

Violations of Subpart 3:

The photo here shows a young girl--maybe 3 or 4 packed into the jail cell alongside other adults. The convention requires that children be separated from adults, but this has not been done. Faifah testified that when she was taken to Mae Sai—the Thai border city—they were in separate cells by gender, but not children from adults. She said that some of the adults would take their clothes off, which made her very uncomfortable.

Violations of Subpart 4:

The children and their families were given no prompt assistance and no right to challenge their citizenship. Since they had no papers to show, they were simply deported to Burma. In my interview with the stepfather of one of my children, he testified that he was born in a hilltribe village in Thailand—giving him the right to be a Thai citizen. Yet, he did not have papers, so he was given no hearing or forum to prove his immigration status. When I asked whether they had a hearing or attorney present, the response was a blank stare and confusion—the concept was totally foreign

Conclusion

At the end of my interview with one family, I asked if they had anything further they would like to share. “We don’t want to talk about the time we spent in jail because it is too difficult,” the mother replied. “But we were treated like pigs and fed like pigs.” This statement summarized the situation. The hilltribe families, and particularly the children, were being treated like animals—rounded up, packed into cages, then shipped off. The problem will continue until there is someone here to encourage them, to defend them, and to plead for them.

I’m leaving now for a meeting with the dean of a local law school. I’m planning to discuss the possibility of a legal aid clinic for children the families. If the right pieces could fall together and local law students would get on board, this clinic would help children and families with citizenship documents, street law rights, and public defense. It would provide a place for access to justice and someone to defend their rights before the above violations occur.

On Religious Freedom

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

 

During the morning I spent in Burma, I built a sufficient amount of trust with the Pastor that ran the orphanage.  I explained that I had gone to law school in United States, that I graduated, and now worked for Pepperdine School of Law as the Coordinator for the International Human Rights Program.  He understood all of this.  He asked, "You know about the government in Burma?"  "Yes," I replied--knowing his free speech was limited.  "I know a lot about it."  I then asked him whether there was anything I could do to help him or help in Burma.  Another man was present who was involved regionally in overseeing the Christian churches.  They spoke to each other in Burmese for a moment, then turned back to me.  This orphanage has no supporters and no donors.  They are constantly concerned that the government may shut them down because they are Christian affiliated.  I expected that he would request support money or ask for pressure to be applied regarding U.S. foreign policy with Burma.  The answer was simply: "Can you get us one English version of the King James Bible?" 

Children at the orphanage in Burma

In Burma, there's religious freedom, but at the same time, there's not religious freedom.  The "Burmese Way of Socialism" adopted in the 1990s set out a campaign encouraging and, essentially, requiring Budhism.  For instance, it's illegal to possess a Bible made outside of Burma.  I responded to the men that I had an English version of the NIV Bible with me, and I would be happy to give it to them.  They were thrilled.  I think this matter was of greater significance than I can undestand.  They performed a small handing over ceremony complete with photos and signatures, and lavished me with thank yous.  In some sense, I feel like I was looking at the big picture, rather than seeing the immediate need.  In this case, the need for religious freedom didn't involve overthrowing the government or funding an orphanage complex, it was merely providing a version of the Bible they could not otherwise obtain.

Finding Faifah

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

 

Do you ever start doing something, then in the midst of your actions, ask yourself why exactly you decided to do this?  I had one of these moments yesterday: After my 20 hour plane flight, I rented a car and drove it to Burma.  On my drive through Northern Thailand’s beautiful rice fields and mountains, I had about five hours to reflect on why I decided this was a good idea.  I wasn’t sure.  Every time I went for my blinkers and accidentally turned the windshield wipers on, I questioned my good judgment even more—it was a trial by fire trying to navigate Thailand’s crazy streets while reversing lanes in my head (Thai’s drive on the right [read: wrong] side of the road).  Yet, around 5:00 a.m., I successfully arrived unscathed at Mae Sai, the Thai-Burma border town.

Footage from Burma that I filmed last year, set to "Amazing Love" a Burmese praise song that I recorded there.

In the morning, I crossed into Burma on my search for Faifah.  Crossing the border is always a strange experience—like stepping into a different time and place.  Everything is different: the buildings, the people, their expressions.  It’s just one small river that separates these two worlds.  I also noticed things I hadn’t seen before since I had read more about the area and I knew what to look for.  For instance, the drug problem here is rampant among children—most of them sniff glue to take away the edge from the day.  Just as I crossed the border, there were two young boys—maybe 10 or younger—huffing from a plastic bag under their shirt.  Many other kids were carrying these small plastic bags around, and right out in the open.

Grabbed a motorcycle driver, I left town for a rural village outside of Tachilek.  Faifah was supposed to be out here at an orphanage.  The road was rough and winding—the motorcycle could hardly make it up most of the hills.  We came to a stop and I stepped off.  “Pii Jay!!!”  a voice yelled from the hill above.  Faifah came running down the hill and gave me a hug.  “Pii Jay, I missed you!” she said in the few English words that she knows.  She grabbed my arm and showed me around the orphanage.  (Note: “Pii” is a Thai prefix used when referring to someone older than you.)

Reunited with Faifah!

It was wonderful to see her.  She was happy and looked very healthy.  She found her way to what appears to be a great environment.  The orphanage is run by a Baptist pastor and his wife.  They’ve taken in approximately 52 children—though I only saw about 12 there today.  They have no support from any outside organizations, but the pastor also does plumbing and heating work to help them get by.

We brought a bag of Faifah’s things from Chiang Mai—she couldn’t bring anything with her when she was arrested and deported.  In these items were the Christmas presents I mailed to her.  We laughed together as I gave them to her and told her it was Christmas.  Then Faifah had me sit down for the lunch she prepared.  She brought a bowl of fried crabs and put them on the table in front of me.  Now, these are local Burma crabs, but this part of Burma is nowhere near an ocean.  I just tried not to think about it and ate anyway.  I watched in amazement as Faifah would eat the entire thing—shell, claw, and all!

After lunch, Faifah and I sat down for an interview on videotape.  I wanted to ask her about her story and she was willing to share.  It filled in a lot of gaps about what happened last year, most of which is too difficult for me to think about, much less share here.  I just want to explain briefly how Faifah ended up at the orphanage.  When she was deported back to Burma, she was left out on the street.  She wound up outside of town at this cement structure used for ceremonies when someone passes away.  The homeless also use the structure as a makeshift shelter.  Faifah stayed there and many horrible things happened to her during the time.  The structure sits just alongside a pathway leading to the orphanage.  The pastor’s wife noticed Faifah and took her into their home.

The pastor and his wife are working on Faifah’s Myanmar ID.  They obtained her birth certificate from the hospital, but the Immigration ID is more challenging.  Faifah’s entire family undocumented as far as they can retrace, making it almost impossible to create a paper trail.  I don’t understand why she can't get an ID, especially considering that she has a birth certificate now, but things just don’t flow very well in the government.  From the pastor’s perspective, it was probably a 50/50 chance.  The ID would be very helpful though, it would help her get a legitimate job, cross back and forth to Thailand, and possible travel outside of Thailand.  I’m going to look for a Christian lawyer in Burma that might be able to help (Advocates International estimates there are 500 in the country).

At the end of the day, I’m really happy that I made the trek to see Faifah.  I think it means more to her than we can realize.  Everyone else in her life her has given up on her: her mother and father, her family, all services in Chiang Mai, and even her own country.  To have someone come and see her—just to see her and show her that they care about her—I don’t think it’s something she’s experienced in her entire life. 

I mentioned that I brought all of Faifah’s possessions to her.  It was maybe half a garbage bag—a couple blankets and some clothes.  Half the items were things I had given to her: her blanket, which she said she used every night, a small backpack, a photo frame with photos of us, and all the photos that I mailed to her from the United States. 

For Faifah and others like her, there are a lot of problems and few solutions.  I struggle with knowing that the law doesn’t extend to those who need it.  Though I wish there legal solutions, sometimes simply showing up matters more.

I like my dog well-cooked.

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

Yesterday afternoon deep in the Northern Thailand mountains, I sat in a bamboo hut with a friend's tribal family.  I got lucky today: they were serving dog.  No joke.  I thought they were joking.  Accompanying the dog was fried larva.  Again, no joke.  Fortunately for me, they had just gone to the dog market--yes, there is a market for dog meat--and this was one of the few times a year that they ate dog.  Surprisingly, it was pretty good.  I also saw the pre-cooked larva, stored in a bamboo tube.  The fried larva was really good!

Mmm... Is that a big bowl of dog on the left???

As a brief note, I just got back from the border.   I was out of an area of communication for the last few days, so I'm going to try to catch up on my postings today.--so much to write about!   Additionally, the blog wasn't formatting correctly the first few days, so if you couldn't find the link to read the entire blog post, it's up now, so check it out again!!!

I could really go for some dog right now.

Searching for Faifah

by Jay Milbrandt (JD/MBA '08),

 

With Faifah and Jupee almost one year ago.

My first endeavor is to head to the border to search for a 15-year-old girl—Faifah. Faifah, a migrant street child I met in Chiang Mai, was nearly trafficked last year. Her story is heartbreaking, but I will share it below. She has gone on and off the radar the last six months. We think we know the general area she’s in, but her condition and safety are unknown. My goal is to find her, document her powerful story, and secure any necessary services or legal assistance.

Let me begin by sharing how we met. Faifah was one of the street children I got to know—she referred to me as her brother. In her raspy, beautiful voice, she would sing songs to me in her native tongue. Sadly, Faifah has never been to school and remains illiterate. She did have a strong desire to learn though. I have the distinct honor of possessing the first letter she had ever written. She had to copy it from someone else who wrote, but it was her goal to learn to read, write, and speak English.

Last spring, I got a call that Faifah was arrested. The police had rounded up the kids into a fenced truck and thrown her in jail. Friends brought her food and water while she waited. She sat in jail for a few days before being deported to Burma.

Faifah in jail.

When she got back to Burma, her mother tried to sell her. Most likely, her mom wanted to sell her for drug money. Many of the tribal people in Burma are addicted to amphetamines. They’re easily made in the area and they take the edge off the suffering there. Further, there’s really no drug education in Burma, so most probably don’t know what they’re even getting into. You’ll walk along the border checkpoint in Burma and you’ll see a lot of kids huffing glue out of plastic bags. It’s sad.

What’s even sadder is that a young girl will sell for $1,000 for their first night. Chinese businessmen are often the purchasers. There is a superstition that this brings good luck. Then, there is residual value to the girls over the first few days. Faifah’s mother saw her daughter as merely a product for sale. When you think that these people survive on less than $1 per day, having a daughter is probably like winning the lottery.

Packed in.

Faifah escaped her mom, living with relatives for a couple weeks. She snuck back across the border into Thailand, trying to return to Chiang Mai. However, Faifah was caught by border patrol and thrown back in jail. The guards wanted to take advantage of the situation. But, by the grace of God, one guard was a member of Faifah’s hilltribe and took it upon himself to protect her.

After a few days in jail, she was once again deported to Burma. She has since been on and off the radar. I hope we can find her and that she's safe.