When the Kite Tales met Ja Khun Ya in January this year, she said that it has been five years since she and her six children had a proper roof over their heads. Victims of clashes between the army and Kachin rebels, they have been stuck in a crowded displacement camp in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, since the middle of 2011. Their dingy single-room home is airless and stifling in the summer heat and prone to leaks during the monsoon.
The camp, home to nearly 500 people, has an atmosphere of camaraderie and people try to support each other. But there are few job opportunities and little hope for the future. Many here are traumatised by the conflict.
The war has robbed Ja Khun Ya of far more than her home. Her husband was killed in an accident after they arrived at the camp. Grieving and alone, she is now the family’s breadwinner.
“He died three years ago after we came to this camp. The current carried him away while he was out sifting for gold in the river.
“We fled fighting in mid-2011, over four years ago. We didn’t think we would be here for this long. We still cannot go back to our village. Most of the houses are now destroyed or damaged.
“I lived in a village about two to three hours’ drive from here. I remember having to flee from fighting when I was only about 12. That’s why I feel very bitter about war and politics.
“I just want (a country) where everyone is able to live happily and peacefully regardless of race and religion.
“I have six children but no one to depend on. Three are in middle school, two are in primary and the youngest is in nursery. We now live in cramped conditions without any way to make a living. We are like fools with no hope.
“The bible is my most precious possession. It helps not just me and my family but everyone else here. When I read the bible, I feel calm and I feel happy. So if I’m feeling upset or distressed, I read it.
“Of course, it may be that the bible is so precious because we are fleeing war and fighting. And whenever I pray, I pray for my late husband, that he would escape from Hell. As a human being, it’s difficult not to have any sins, you see.
“Every night, I only go to sleep after reading it. I teach my children too.”
(Interviewed in January 2016)
