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Burmese Refugees go West

By Billy Ferguson

 MELBOURNE - The western suburbs of Melbourne are home to a growing number of Burmese refugees fleeing the oppressive conditions of refugee camps in Thailand, Malaysia and India following the Burmese authorities violent suppression of protesters in August 2007.

In 2007-08, according to the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC), 2,243 immigrants came to Australia from Burma, an increase from 1,766 people in 2006-07, and 812 people in 2005-06. Many of these new arrivals are from the Karen or Chin ethnic groups and have settled in Melbourne’s west, between Footscray, Melton and Werribee.

Organisations working with newly arrived migrants have noticed the increase in Burmese migrants recently. At “an English language school or language centre now, it is all Burmese kids.” According to Kiemi Lai, Engaged Communities Coordinator at Spirit West, the community arm of the Western Bulldogs.

Periods of political and economic instability since Burmese independence in 1948 have resulted in increases in humanitarian migration from the Southeast Asian nation to Australia.

Newly arrived communities face huge challenges in settling in to a new environment, with the language barrier providing an instant hurdle that exacerbates the issues we see across the community generally such as housing, transport, education and access to public services. As former Burmese refugee Athang says “people want to get a job straight away but always language is a problem at first”. 

Burmese refugees from diverse backgrounds were united on the soccer field in September last year for the annual Chin-Karen Soccer Tournament. 

Events like the Chin-Karen Soccer Tournament raise awareness about the issues facing newly arrived refugee and humanitarian immigrants and bring together two Burmese communities, the Karen and Chin, who traditionally remain quite separate.

Event organiser, Sablair Twayjaw of New Hope Foundation, sums up the eight-team, knock-out competition as “a yearly gathering together to make new friends”.

Just as important to the settlement process is the role of the existing Burmese community in Melbourne’s west. These established groups can combat feelings of isolation and fast track a sense of belonging among new arrivals.

Mr Twayjaw says; “when we were living as refugees there was no future for ourselves or our kids.” The overwhelming sense from Melbourne’s Burmese community itself is one of positivity and hope.