Burmese Immigrants in Indiana

This is a life history of a Burmese immigrant, born 1975, living in Indiana. The interviewee discusses childhood and education in Burma; experiences with student political organizations, the 1988 movement and 1990 elections, organizing strikes and forced flight from Burma afterwards. The interviewee discusses life in refugee camps in India; being accepted into the Burmese Refugee Scholarship Program and coming to Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana; and experiences as an immigrant in America. The interviewee also discusses hopes for the future, and love for music.

This is the life story of a Burmese immigrant, born in the mid-1970s, living in Indiana. The interviewee fled from Burma after the 1988 student uprisings. The interviewee talks about childhood, education, experiences during the uprisings and flight from Burma; fighting in the border areas; and life in a refugee camp. The interviewee discusses coming to Indiana on a scholarship, his impressions of the United States, and life as an immigrant in the United States. The interviewee also discusses hopes for the future including education, and returning to a democratic Burma.

The interviewee discusses childhood and family life in Burma. The interviewee discusses involvement in the 1988 political uprising, including background on Burmese government and military intelligence, the student organizations and New Mon State Party. The interviewee shares experiences of arrest and detention while trying to get asylum as a political refugee before getting approval to come to the United States. The interviewee talks about life in America, relationships with family still in Burma, and goals for the future.

The interviewee discusses early childhood, family life, and education in Burma leading up to the time of the 1988 revolution. The interviewee discusses politics and life as part of an underground organization during this time, sharing details of life in training camps and refugee camps. The interviewee talks about Catholic Charities sponsorship, coming to America, and the political and cultural differences between the United States and Burma.

The interviewee discusses childhood, family relations and livelihood, including schooling in a hometown village prior to leaving for Moulmein University. Following the 1988 democratic uprisings and upon returning home per the authorities, the interviewee talks about involvement in organizing village demonstrations, the resignation of the local administration, the military coup, and attempts to dissuade support of rebel groups. The interviewee shares experiences in joining the Mon resistance and working as a student representative for the New Mon State Party before getting monetary aid to work on a human rights project independently. Finally, the interviewee reveals how a conference on world affairs provided an opportunity to come to the United States and ultimately become a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The interviewee recalls family history and their medicine shop business in Mudon, Burma, and talks about early childhood and the exposure to different ethnic groups and religious practices while in school, emphasizing the competitive nature of the Burmese education system. The interviewee talks about life and work in Rangoon, explaining the difficulty in completing medical school there due to the 1988 uprisings and subsequent school closing, eventually opting to come to the United States to pursue further education. Finally, the interviewee discusses life in Fort Wayne, Indiana, education and school at IPFW, social life and the Burmese community in Fort Wayne, and cultural differences between Burma and the U.S.

From a Karen family whose mother taught Economics, English and Burmese, the interviewee relates experiences of early childhood and education, sharing observations of character and behavior in people’s reluctance to become involved until they are directly affected. With insights as a non-Buddhist in Burma, we discover someone who has lived in poverty but without want where family focused on education and cultural tradition to build strength of character. Vastly different experiences from central Burma to refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border when the family escapes following the 1988 movement solidify values and beliefs for this interviewee. Able to join family in the United States in 1990 for further education while difficult in the beginning has provided a foundation for this individual who gives back by working to advocate issues of women’s rights through work with international diplomats. Future goals include completing a dissertation on public healthcare systems with hopes for changes in Burma that would lead to such a system.

The interviewee recalls family history and life in Burma, prior to the 1988 student uprisings, sharing memories about early childhood and the different ethnic groups. The interviewee talks about life and work in Rangoon, after leaving Burma in September 1988, expressing the difficulties faced as an illegal immigrant. Finally, the interviewee discusses life in Fort Wayne, Indiana, education and school at IPFW, social life and the Burmese community in Fort Wayne, and cultural differences between Burma and the U.S.

This life story of a Burman native from a large family reveals a look at the historical background of Burma to present day. The interviewee shares early childhood and education experiences with insight to a multi-ethnic area and its problems which along with military rule lead to protests and demonstrations ultimately becoming the 1988 movement for democracy. The interviewee reveals experience of life "on the run", concern for personal safety and fear of arrest prior to staying in refugee camps. This diffucult time has led the interviewee to an internal peace and appreciation for the life now in Fort Wayne where the family is safe and free and the children have hope for a good education.

The interviewee discusses childhood, family relations and early education. Following the 1988 democratic uprisings, the interviewee reveals the struggle to survive in the jungle and refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, sharing experiences for working with the Mon army and working as a student representative for the New Mon State Party. The interviewee relates the experience of getting refugee status and help through the UNHCR and Catholic Charities to come to the United States. Finally, the interviewee talks about life in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the Burmese community with the hopes for a free, democratic Burma to return to.

The interviewee shares early childhood memories and family background, from the early retirement forced upon their father, to the transition of living in a remote village and then moving to the city of Moulmein. Emphasis on the importance of education and the challenges within the Burmese education system for determining one’s future are key. For this interviewee, life after school was interrupted in 1988 changed dramatically as participation in the student uprisings made it a necessity to flee the country. These experiences are recalled as the interviewee discusses life in a refugee camp and the difficulties faced in getting to the United States. Finally, we learn of the adjustments to life in Fort Wayne, Indiana and future hope for Burma and family.

This life story of a Burmese immigrant told by both the immigrant and their spouse reveals a life of turmoil in a politicallyl unstable environment. The interviewee expresses unhappiness and concern for the state of Burma, a country that was once home, relating experiences of living in fear of arrest and sepatation from family. Following the 1988 student uprisings, the interviewee tells us of leaving Burma and life in a refugee camp ultimately reuniting with spouse and children. The interviewee shares ideas of future goals and hope for communication with the rest of the family that was left behind.

Through the help of a translator, we learn about the interviewee's childhood and hometown. The interviewee discusses the need to discontinue education in order to work and help the family, eventually moving to Thailand following the 1988 student demonstrations. The interviewee shares impressions of coming to the United States and the pleasant surprise in finding a Mon community in Fort Wayne.

The interviewee tells us through a translator about childhood and life in a big family, stopping school after the fourth grade to work at home. We learn of the experience of caring for a nephew, which served as the groundwork for the interviewee's own family, though hardly serving as preparation for the separation of the family that is experienced following political demonstrations in Burma. The interviewee shares some of the obstacles and triumphs in becoming a united family, life in student and refugee camps, the eventual move to the United States, and day-to-day life in Fort Wayne.

Use this for life history interviews.

This is the life history of a Burmese immigrant born in Yangon (Rangoon) prior to the 1988 student uprisings. The interviewee who at age five faced the death of a father for his role in the Karen revolution, shares memories of family and early childhood. With a strong Karen background and belief in human rights, the interviewee relates experiences from divinty school, work as a missionary and communication challenges for family.

The interviewee discusses childhood and family life in Burma. The interviewee discusses involvement in the 1988 political uprising, including background on Burmese government and military intelligence, and the All Burma Student Democratic Union. The interviewee shares the experiences of being a student during the time of the demonstrations, expressing the difficulties faced by not only students but others in Burma no matter what ethnic group. The interviewee talks about life in America, relationships with family still in Burma, and goals for the future.

The interviewee discusses childhood and family life in Burma, detailing experiences in a school of mixed ethnicity prior to the 1988 student uprisings. The interviewee shares memories of life as a refugee, managing with hundreds of others in the camp, while hoping to leave to further education and ultimately coming to the United States.

Through the use of a translator, the interviewee discusses life as a member of the Mon ethnic group. The interviewee recalls time in the Mon army, participating in demonstrations, marriage, moving to Thailand as a refugee. The interviewee describes moving to the United States, cultural differences between the U.S. and his homeland, the Mon community in Indiana, his continuing political activism, and his hopes for the future.