I visited an IDP camp

Gum San NSang 

I am always in awed by my people's resiliency to sustain calmness amid being surrounded by Burma army posts and its mortar shells. 

I was very moved when I saw specks of lights from refugee camps along the border in frigid cold condition. As we drove into Laiza, goose bumps were running down my spine when I saw X'mas lights and banners suspending across the streets. 

Next morning, I visited an IDP camp and a small clinic run by Christian missionaires. Despite of it all, people carried on their lives toiling earth on a nearby hill, planting meger vegetables gardens, and collecting firewoods from the riverbank. 

When asked how is the condition of this camp compared to others along the border, the camp coordinator replied, by far the best, because the ones from the north have over a foot of snow.

 This missery was placed upon us simply because we desire to be equally represented or refused to sign a ceasefire which has no code of conducts or monitoring mechanism.