Starting Point
The organisation that Warawan has worked for 10 years promotes children's rights, equality, non-discrimination, and the protection of minority rights, women’s human rights, civil rights, and relevant mechanisms as guiding principles. The issues above need to be viewed in conjunction with the relationships of refugees, border problems, state relations, and the limited and marginalised power of minority groups.
Like many others, Warawan views Mae Sot as a “black hole” of dark power, injustice, and corruption. When these issues are combined with peacebuilding, the situation becomes more complex. Warawan requests that the researchers not disclose the name of the organisation she works for due to limitations in speaking on behalf of the organisation and some of the points she discussed in the interview that may not align with the organisation's stance.
Warawan has prior experience in peacebuilding with other organisations before joining her current one. The negotiation process is crucial for her, no less than grassroots peacebuilding or track 3. However, the organisation she currently works with focuses less on directing negotiations and instead looks at the impact of war on refugees and the problems that are passed on to children and families.
Peace Journey
Warawan emphasises that the state's work should prioritise benefiting its citizens and the refugees within its borders rather than focusing solely on sovereignty. In her view, peacebuilding efforts should not just aim for disarmament but also create a space where people can coexist during conflict and post-conflict.
Regarding political participation, Warawan highlights that women are already contributing significantly, and the expectations and responsibilities placed on them require careful attention. She believes the issue lies more in gender power dynamics than in the mere presence of women in peace processes. Drawing from her own experience, she has supported efforts to provide information to those opposing the state’s position, helping them develop their proposals. However, her participation in recent years should not be seen as a reflection of women’s involvement or the lack of women's voices. Instead, she focuses on ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, regardless of gender.
Warawan views the current approach to peacebuilding, through her work with organisations, as focusing on alleviating the impacts of conflicts and crises while encouraging long-term community involvement. She argues that, based on international experiences, efforts to protect children should go beyond seeing them simply as victims needing protection. Instead, children should be acknowledged as agents of change. For her, the effort is not just about intervention but also about promoting awareness and recognition of children's rights and identities.
In Mae Sot, the organisation's work involves building trust and demonstrating that children from different backgrounds have identities and roles to play in society. Migrant children, likely to stay in Thailand or Mae Sot for an extended period, must be integrated into Thai society's understanding. Warawan's work is crucial in reducing the stress resulting from the aftermath of the war in Myanmar. While Myanmar’s official role remains limited, Thai society needs to accept and live with Myanmar workers and children born to migrant workers, as this is an unavoidable reality. These individuals also serve as an essential source for Thailand’s economic development.
Success Stories
Warawan’s work centres on creating opportunities to foster relationships between Myanmar migrant workers and Thai society, aiming to cultivate mutual understanding. Prolonged displacement can weaken the resilience needed for peaceful coexistence and long-term peace, especially for those displaced multiple times or living in urban settings. A person's resilience to conflict is closely tied to access to livelihoods, healthcare, education, decent living conditions, justice, human security, and effective governance. Warawan has contributed to peacebuilding efforts by promoting cooperation between children from migrant families and Thai-born children through the friendship-building project, which addresses economic and social aspects.
The project has seen some success in fostering positive peacebuilding, and she stresses that accepting migrant families and children born in Mae Sot is an ongoing process. After reviewing each phase of the activities, she believes this approach is vital for ensuring a sustainable future of peace where children can live together. Meeting the needs of migrant children and families in Mae Sot requires innovative thinking and strong collaboration. Young people who have experienced migration, as well as those who have helped them navigate risks, especially those related to sexual violence, must be protected, and they play an essential role in the program.
This approach is crucial in adapting to the evolving needs of children, women, and migrant families from Myanmar. Warawan’s organisation is committed to designing services that recognise the cultural diversity of various groups. The project emphasises participation through listening and collaboration to ensure that refugee and Thai families accept the care provided. Her organisation also offers trained psychologists and has developed economic initiatives, such as sewing cooperatives and home-based businesses for women in refugee camps. These efforts contribute to a technical response to the government on humanitarian and long-term peacebuilding initiatives in Mae Sot.
Warawan also highlights how borders and migration status are used as tools of exclusion, particularly in cases of illegal migration by refugee families. She advocates for implementing ethical border regulations to challenge and overcome the current focus on securitisation.