International Research Cluster: Conflict-Induced Displacement and Socio-Economic Resilience: Learning From Neglected Conflicts in Cameroon and Myanmar

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 6 pm | International House, Kringsweg 6, 50931 Cologne
The International House is wheelchair accessible.

Su Myat Thwe and Simon Becker will present the results of their empirical research in Mae Sot on the Thai-Burmese border. Prof. Dr. Javier Revilla Diez will moderate the discussion. The event will be held in English.

Please register at the following link: https://form.jotform.com/231552680685361

 The event takes place as part of the "SALON" series in the summer semester 2024 of the Cologne International Forum. This format brings together international and local researchers, students and interested parties on international research topics.

The lecture will be followed by a reception with drinks and discussions.

Further information: https://cif.uni-koeln.de/events/salon

 

Insights into Myanmar’s Conflict-Induced Displacement and Livelihoods Situations of Post-Coup Displaced Communities in Mae Sot, Thailand

 
Myanmar is not a stranger to displacement resulting from a long history of civil unrest since the declaration of independence in 1948 with major nationwide crises repeating in 1962, 1988, 1996, 2007, and to not forget the infamous 2017 Rohingya exodus. However, the deteriorating political situation in Myanmar following the coup d’etat on 1st February 2021 has led to an escalation of violence, human rights abuses, and widespread insecurity, forcing many people to flee their homes and seek refuge across the border in neighboring countries in unwitnessed patterns. With the junta recently announcing the enforcement of conscription, the crisis has become severe and complex with UNHCR estimating 2.4 million post-coup IDPs as of 19th February 2024.

Due to the ongoing armed conflict in Myanmar, our sub-project of the cluster “Conflict-induced Displacement" focuses on displaced persons in the Thailand border where security, accessibility and efficiency can be ensured. The cycle of migration to Thailand from Myanmar is a very special case with many forced migration factors intersecting, particularly as Myanmar has struggled with civil unrest along Thailand's neighboring ethnic areas for decades. Even before the 2021 coup, Thailand was already hosting 79,523 camp refugees (TBC, 2021) by the end of January 2021. Thailand now hosts untraced numbers of cross-border displaced persons from Myanmar, many of whom have mostly crossed the border illegally.

Our discussion in the Salon begins with an overview of the current political situation in Myanmar. We will then take a closer look at those who have fled to the border town of Mae Sot where our sub-project has conducted research. We will discuss the challenges faced by post-coup displaced persons in everyday life, and to what extent they have been integrated into the Thai labor market. Subsequently, we also examine whether these individuals have the potential to meet Thai labor demands, given the Thai challenges posed by an aging society and an economically stagnant environment.

Structure: The presenters Su Myat Thwe and Simon Becker are members of the International Research Cluster "Conflict-Induced Displacement and Socio-Economic Resilience: Learning From Neglected Conflicts in Cameroon and Myanmar”. Their presentation is based on empirical research conducted for their respective MA theses at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok and the University of Cologne. The presentation will be followed by a moderated discussion and Q&A session.