Leaving Home: A Familiar Story in Conflict Areas
Tu Lor Eh Paw grew up among six siblings in a small bamboo hut village in Karen state, Myanmar. The lack of basic amenities led her to fill water from a local source as a daily chore. Her mother, a local Karen Christian missionary, instilled Christian values in her. Her mother's death led her father to move most of the family to a refugee camp due to financial struggles and generations of oppression from the Burmese military. Tu Lor resisted the move, but they reached a Thai refugee camp after a challenging journey. She lived there for two years before relocating to Minneapolis. Despite challenges, she excelled in school and remained connected to her Karen identity. Tu Lor aims to help her homeland through education and connecting with various refugee communities in Minneapolis. She remains hopeful for Myanmar's democracy movement. Take a moment to listen to her full interview on our podcast feed!
“I still recall vividly the day my dad was supposed to take me. I escaped into the woods and hid there for a few hours.”
“That fear originally stemmed from our families enduring the same kind of apprehension for generations, dating back to our grandparents' time. My dad shouldered the responsibility of providing for our family, but things became overwhelming after my mom's passing. It was a tough task to raise six children and ensure they had the best opportunities while living in the village. Eventually, he made the decision that moving to a refugee camp was the right choice. So, we transitioned there - my siblings, me, and my dad.
However, there was also the concern that my brother could be drafted into the Karen military group. This was a constant worry, especially since they mandated one family member's enlistment if you had multiple boys. My dad wanted a different path for us. So, he moved most of his children, but the ones left at home would often face visits from the group's leaders, insisting that my brother join. To avoid this, my dad had to find ways to pay his way out of it. This continued until we relocated to the US, and it didn't stop until my brother moved to my uncle's village. My uncle was part of the Karen military until he passed last summer.
The fear of unpredictability in the village likely drove us to the refugee camp. Although I was just nine when I moved and lived with my aunt there, I'm pretty certain my dad aimed for the best outcome. It allowed him to manage our well-being more effectively, considering he couldn't be with us all the time. My older siblings cared for me, but they were still quite young themselves. We learned to support each other, yet it wasn't an ideal situation. This is probably why the refugee camp seemed like a better option - a place with schools, where I could lead a more normal life, attend church, and be around others who were just kids enjoying their childhood.
Yeah, I really didn't want to move, obviously. I still recall vividly the day my dad was supposed to take me. I escaped into the woods and hid there for a few hours. As a result, we didn't end up leaving that day because he had to take time to locate me. Once he found me, the next day, we set off on foot. It took a day's journey to reach the riverside and another day on the boat to get to the refugee camp. Throughout the journey, I kept trying to find ways to avoid moving. I was so accustomed to living with my grandma, siblings, and friends in the village that I was resistant to go with my dad. However, eventually, I did leave with him.
We arrived at the camp where I stayed for two years before coming to the US. There, I lived with my aunt, sharing a small house with probably more than 10 people, including distant cousins my aunt was looking after. As I mentioned earlier, my dad didn't live with us. He brought us to the refugee camp to stay with my aunt and then returned to the riverside. The distance to us and back to the village was the same. He had to find ways to earn money to cover our schooling and expenses. So, we adapted to life with my aunt and cousins, growing up together in the refugee camp. While it wasn't ideal, it was definitely better than being separated from my siblings when I lived in the village.”