Thai-Burma border reproductive health assessment.

Burma also known as Myanmar is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1948 it has experienced extreme civil unrest rooted in the opposition of its various ethnic groups to the military government. The Burmese militarys campaign against the ethnic minority groups encompasses a range of abuses including confiscating cash and goods forced labor forced relocation and burning of villages and crops torture rape and other forms of sexual harassment and arbitrary executions. As a result millions of people have fled to neighboring countries or have become internally displaced persons (IDPs) in their own country. An estimated 600000 to 1 million Burmese were internally displaced at the end of 2003. Over half a million Burmese refugees and asylum seekers were living in neighboring countries the majority in Thailand. In addition hundreds of thousands of other Burmese deemed illegal migrants in Thailand live in refugee-like circumstances throughout Thailand at least a quarter of a million of whom are suspected to have fled human rights violations. Some 2000 to 3000 Burmese continued to cross the border into Thailand each month in 2002. The Burmese who flee to Thailand primarily Karen Karenni Mon and Shan people as well as prodemocracy activists live either in one of nine refugee camps along the border area or are dispersed along the Thai border across from their respective states in Burma. Most are not registered or documented with the Thai government and are generally subject to harassment and deportation. (excerpt)