Thursday, May 3, 2012

Alice's* story

The personal experiences of Alice* as a refugee.
Permission granted to publish this information on this blog. This information is the copyright of 1 of 8 / 1 de 8 ninos please do not copy.



Introduction; about my people


Alice's written words:
The person who facing on poverty such as war, flooding, abuse, homeless, civil conflict, political strife natural disaster or gross human rights abuses so they become a migrant people. Refugee people who from Burma are such as, Karen, Chin and Karenni are almost facing a war.


They have to leave their home to be escape or safe them life because of the Burmese soldier burn them house, take them money or animals. The most important things are if Burmese soldiers see Karen people or Karenni, they will killed them and abuse the women and children as well. Sometimes Karen soldier and Burmese people are fighting so Karen people have to leave their place and run away to another country.


How I became a refugee and came to Australia


Interviewer: Tell me about your experience as a refugee…


Alice: “I became a refuge because of the Burmese soldiers burn my my village and kill my people so my family and me we have to run away to escape with [from] the Burmese soldiers. Then we have become a refuge people in Thailand refugee camp, because of the war. I can come to stay in Australia, you know, because of the government give opportunities for us to come. We have to fill in the forms and we have to write about ourselves and government sign it for us and we allowed to come in Australia.”


Settling in Australia


Interviewer: Would you tell me about how you settled in Australia…


Alice: “When I live in Thai refugee camp we not aloud to go anywhere we want to go, you know, because we are not Thai people and we don’t have ID card. If you go to Thailand you must have ID card, it’s like a passport, you know. If you don’t have a ID card or passport when police see you they can arrest you an’ put you in a prisons. If you don’t want to stay in prison you have to pay a fine. In Thailand refugee camp we didn’t study English a lot because we don’t have enough money to spend to learn English. Like, a student who graduate year twelve they cannot speak English. So if we continue stay Thailand our life is not improve and it’s difficult to find a job. Because of this reason my family decided to come in Australia.”


Interviewer: Did you feel isolated from friends and being part of the Australian culture when you first arrived and how has that improved?


Alice: “When we first arrive in Australia we feel scared to start our life in Australia because, you know, we cannot speak English, we don’t know how or where to go anywhere, we don’t know how to buy the things in shop, you know, then we don’t know how to use electric (like cooking, watch movie). When I live in Australia maybe three months I feel better and I believe myself that I can go and do everything like other people do. And then my education, I can speak English a little bit.”

Experience with friend/s or relative/s who are refugee/s.


Interviewer: Would you tell me about a friend or relative who became a refugee?


Alice: “One of my Uncle, when he work in the farm the Burmese soldiers come to catch him and kill him directly. And Burmese soldiers abuse his daughter. So his daughter and wife have to run away and become a refugee people in Thailand. Only one reason Karen people become refugee is because of the war Burmese soldiers hate Karen people an’ if they see any Karen people anywhere they kill all the persons.”






*Name changed for confidentiality reasons

The Story of Akoko*

The story of Akoko* and her experience with a friend settling in Australia as a refugee.
Permission granted to publish this information on this blog. This information is the copyright of 1 of 8 / 1 de 8 ninos please do not copy.





Experience with friend/s or relative/s who are refugee/s.


Interviewer: Would you tell me about a friend or relative who became a refugee?


Akoko: “I have a friend, who’s a refugee. She had just arrived [in Australia] and a new student. We met at primary school back in the days and yeah, we became good friends after all an’ we share our personal experience and background. She said she came to Australia because she wanted a better education and future and she just wanna have a safe place to settle in ‘cause there was a ware back in that country [Liberia]. Before that the came here because someone wanted to kill their whole family and they were wanted. Because back then they thought they had money and everything, they were rich so like, yeah, they were actually wanted that’s why they came here. And I don’t think they wanna go back because if they go someone might still want them and kill them.”






*Name changed for confidentiality reasons.