Health Crisis

Ethnic groups residing in Eastern Burma bear the brunt of the Junta’s oppressive policies. The Karen people and others like them are subject to raids by Burmese military forces, their villages and crops burnt, livestock stolen and men forced to serve as laborers without pay. Rape of Karen women and girls is a common occurrence.

As a result, a number of Karen have fled to Thailand, the jungles or isolated camps inside Burma. Health conditions in this region are at disaster levels, according to various reports by the United Nations. As of the summer of 2010, more than 400,000 men, women and children are internally displaced within eastern Burma, having fled for their lives in the face of unprovoked Burmese Army attacks. They have no safe water, food, shelter and economic means, in addition to losing opportunities for medical care and education. As a result of the regime’s brutality and being isolated, the impact on the Karen and others is horrific and tragic:

  • Seven of every 100 infants die before turning 1 years of age – a rate 6 times higher than in Thailand and 12 times higher than in the U.S.
  • Fourteen of every 100 children die before turning 5 years of age – a rate nearly 4 times higher than in Thailand and 17 times higher than in the U.S.
  • The maternal mortality rate is 3 times the global average – 15 times higher than the rate in Thailand —54 times higher than in the U.S.
  • 60% of all children’s deaths are from preventable diseases -- malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea
  • 41% of all children are severely malnourished
  • One in 14 women suffer from malaria
  • For families with a parent compelled to performed force labor – an infant is 2.5 times more likely to die
  • 30% of all Karen families suffered at least one form of human rights abuse – forced labor, fled from their home or food/shelter destroyed by the SPDC.

The SPDC view health care workers as a threat to the regime and will arrest, torture and kill them in violation of international law and norms. Each year, a number of the backpack medics are arrested or killed.

Click here to see images of life among the Karen people...