An exhibition taking a closer look at Burmese peoples’ lives was held in mid June to commemorate the UN Refugee Day, as part of Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Emerge Festival.

“Love Burma Love Freedom” exhibits art works of three artists with different artistic backgrounds and experiences, who are united in their passion of Burma and its people.  The exhibition attempts to show lives of Burmese people are about more than just the political problems that have plagued the country for decades. 

“The (works) are more than pieces of art; they are to provide understanding and experience on how others live,” said Timothy Syrota, author, photographer and filmmaker, whose photos were exhibited.  Syrota won an international photojournalism award in 2008 for his photography concerning the situation for Burmese migrant children on the Thai-Burma border.

Over 100,000 Burmese people live as refugees in the nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border as the result of a five decade political and armed conflict between the ruling military regime, political opponents and ethnic groups.  Burmese refugees have settled in Australia since the 1960s; and more of them come each year as the Australian Government welcomes their arrival. 

Syrota’s first visit to Burma as a backpacker in 1997 changed his career aspirations, from wanting to be a film director to a photographer and community worker. After a few visits to the border he set up an NGO called “The Thailand-Burma Border Migrant Children’s Art Project” in 2004 that aims to teach art to children in the refugee camps. 

Due to bad economic and social conditions in the camps, many children are trafficked to Thais who many are end up working as prostitutes, sometimes with the consent of their parents.  His work has started to make a positive impact to the childrens’ lives.  Starting with the aid of a refugee as an art teacher and 40 children, now he works with two teachers and 300 children in six schools.

“Art for Burmese migrant children, perhaps like basketball for Afro-Americans in the 1950s and 60s, is a genuine opportunity to avoid what is an almost inevitable life as a $2 per day unskilled labourer in one of the hundred border factories,” said Syrota.

Saw Chu Cil, a refugee painter who lives on the Thailand-Burma border, is another artist who exhibited his paintings in the event.  Having started painting at a very young age, Chu Cil and his family live on the Thai-Burma border.  He makes his living by painting Buddhist monasteries, creating and selling his work to travellers to the border area.

As a political activist, Chu Cil has been arrested a number of times by lending his support to Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.  His artistic talent assisted in his release from incarceration.  “The third time I was arrested I asked for pencils and paper and started doing sketches of the guards.  They brought me pictures of their family members and I sketched them too.  After a while we became friends and they let me go,” said Chu Cil.

Since then he has been commissioned for works both in Thailand and overseas. The money he receives helps him and his family to live in the border and in Burma.  His work overseas also helps raise awareness about their plight as refugees.
“It’s easy to get depressed here and think that things will never change, that no-one knows of our plight.  Getting commission not only helps me and my family but helps everyone who struggles here by giving us hope,” said Chu Cil.

The camps on the Thai-Burma border were set up more than 20 years ago and many kids were born there, of which many never see the outside world.  Refugees’ harsh living conditions are worsened by a bureaucracy that further cripples their livelihood. 

“The life there is extremely complex; there are parties on the border who have a certain amount of power. There are refugee camp coordinators, Thai military commanders, and business people who benefit a lot from the refugees and migrants who work along the border,” said Syrota.

Unlike Chu Cil who grew up in such a complex situation, Andrea Draper is a Melbourne based artist; born in the East End of London and raised in Melbourne by a Burmese couple.  Although she acknowledges herself as Burmese when asked about her origin, Burma is an untouchable land for her that she has had little experience with.  She learns about Burma from her parents and from news in the media.  This experience is reflected in her art: digital prints that represent a positive Burma; the captivating aspects of the culture and traditions of the everyday people.

The exhibition generated peoples’ interests to find out more about the country and its people. The exhibition was also accompanied by a forum to look at the lives of refugees in Melbourne and the latest situation in Burma.