The camp was originally established following the fall of the KNU base at the Thai village of Mae La on the border in 1984 with a population of 1,100. Shortly afterwards, due to security concerns, it was moved to the site where Zone C currently lies. After the fall of Manerplaw (KNU headquarters in Karen State, Burma) in January 1995, a number of camps were attacked in cross-border raids and the Thai authorities began to consolidate camps to improve security. Mae La was designated as the main consolidation camp in the area.
In April 1995, Mae La increased in size from 6,969 to 13,195 due to the closure of five camps to the north – Mae Ta Waw, Mae Salit, Mae Plu So, Kler Kho and Ka Mawlay Kho and the move of Huay Heng later in October of the same year. Over the following year, the camp doubled in size again to 26,629 as those lost in the move came back into the camp. In March 1997, some people were relocated to Mae La following the closure of Huai Bone camp and again in February 1998 when Shoklo camp was closed.
The camp has been the focus of several military attacks. It was infiltrated by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops in 1997 with support from Burma Army units. The DKBA is a faction of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) which split off and aligned itself with the Burma Army in 1994. There have been no incursions since then, although a mortar shell landed in Section A5 in March 1998. Every dry season, this area is quite tense with concerns relating to camp security – threats of armed attack and/or attempts to burn down the camp.
In more recent years, the area of Karen State opposite Mae La camp has been the scene of substantial conflict, with the DKBA and Burma Army deposing the KNLA from its headquarters in 2009. The area is now under the control of the newly transformed DKBA as a Border Guard Force under the Burma Army.
Due to its size, Mae La has a wide range of educational opportunities and is considered a centre of study for refugees, so the current population includes a few thousand students who come to study in the camp (some from other camps, but mostly from Burma). They are registered only as temporary inhabitants.
In 2008, mobile phone coverage was made available to the camp, and this has also facilitated privately-run Internet services in the community.
A year later, the camp was connected to the mains electricity grid, and the camp office, most health, education and social centres, as well as a number of households in the camp now have access to 24 hour-a-day electricity.
Courtesy of The Border Consortium
Resettlement (Source: IOM)
In 2005, RTG gave approval for resettlement opportunities to be offered to camp residents. Statistics for resettlement by camp are available since 2006. As of December 2011, 23,120 persons had departed from Mae La, with the majority resettling in the USA.
The camp has been the focus of several military attacks. It was infiltrated by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops in 1997 with support from Burma Army units. The DKBA is a faction of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) which split off and aligned itself with the Burma Army in 1994. There have been no incursions since then, although a mortar shell landed in Section A5 in March 1998. Every dry season, this area is quite tense with concerns relating to camp security – threats of armed attack and/or attempts to burn down the camp.
In more recent years, the area of Karen State opposite Mae La camp has been the scene of substantial conflict, with the DKBA and Burma Army deposing the KNLA from its headquarters in 2009. The area is now under the control of the newly transformed DKBA as a Border Guard Force under the Burma Army.
Due to its size, Mae La has a wide range of educational opportunities and is considered a centre of study for refugees, so the current population includes a few thousand students who come to study in the camp (some from other camps, but mostly from Burma). They are registered only as temporary inhabitants.
In 2008, mobile phone coverage was made available to the camp, and this has also facilitated privately-run Internet services in the community.
A year later, the camp was connected to the mains electricity grid, and the camp office, most health, education and social centres, as well as a number of households in the camp now have access to 24 hour-a-day electricity.
Courtesy of The Border Consortium
Resettlement (Source: IOM)
In 2005, RTG gave approval for resettlement opportunities to be offered to camp residents. Statistics for resettlement by camp are available since 2006. As of December 2011, 23,120 persons had departed from Mae La, with the majority resettling in the USA.
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