October, 2009 - Volume 17 No.7
A Sad, Sad Celebration
Twenty-five years of challenges and achievements for the Thailand Burma Border Consortium—and no end in sight. JIM ANDREWS reports.

Peace in Name only
DAVID SCOTT MATHIESON explains why war and refugees will remain a fact of life in Burma’s borderlands as long as the causes of conflict are not addressed.

A State of Fear
Caught in the crossfire of Burma’s civil war, hundreds of thousands of Karen, Karenni, Mon and Shan are trapped in No Man’s Land, reports SAW YAN NAING.

Homesick
YENI finds that even after years of living on the Thai-Burmese border, most Karen refugees hope to return to Burma one day.

Blending In
Unlike other ethnic minorities, the Shan are seldom recognized as refugees and must keep a low profile to survive in Thailand. KO HTWE reports.

A Fresh Start
Resettlement programs offer tens of thousands of refugees the chance of a new life in the West, writes YENI.

Entangled in Red Tape
The jobs are waiting for Burmese refugees in Thailand, but the road to them is full of obstacles.



The First Shots are Fired
WAI MOE asks if recent clashes on the Sino-Burmese border are a sign of things to come in the restive region.



Chinese Blood on Burmese Soil
In this exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy, Kokang leader Peng Jiasheng gives his version of what caused the collapse of his cease-fire with the Burmese regime.



Time for a Policy Change
New options for refugees need to be presented to the Thai government, says ARTHUR B CARLSON, the International Rescue Committee’s country director in Thailand.



The Need for Border-based Aid
Humanitarian agencies in Rangoon cannot supply aid to eastern Burma, so cross-border assistance from Thailand must continue, writes AUNG ZAW.



THE BACK PAGE
Graffiti Gains Ground
A popular art form moves into the mainstream.

A Major Career Change
A former military man markets himself as a musician.



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