From Oceans to Engines

The migration of Karen people to Thailand and Western countries is a significant part of Karen history that has shaped both the revolutionary movement and community. When discussing the future of Kawthoolei, it is important to remember the people who have resettled abroad due to war, persecution, and displacement. After all, Karen people did not leave their homeland by choice; instead, we were forced to flee in order to survive. In hopes of living a better life, the ‘lucky’ refugees chose resettlement to a foreign country, often at the expense of the life they knew and the physical disconnection from their homeland. 

Now, as the revolution enters a critical stage, this physical and emotional distance has created both opportunities and tensions that must be addressed. During my time in Kawthoolei and the border area, I often hear that we need more human resources—from organizers, teachers, translators to researchers, engineers, and entreupenuers—but there are challenges in finding someone with those skills. The Karen diaspora community could fill in those missing gaps, bringing the skills and education they gained abroad to help rebuild Kawthoolei. 

However, meaningful repatriation requires more than just identifying needs and resources. Currently, there has been little effort to reach out to the diaspora community and create sustainable mechanisms for their return. While many diaspora members express desire to contribute to the movement and Kawthoolei’s development, they often lack clear pathways for engagement or return. Unlike older generations who retain ties to the motherland, younger diaspora members often raised abroad have never stepped foot in Kawthoolei and are preoccupied with establishing themselves in new countries, making Kawthoolei feel distant and intangible. This emotional disconnect, combined with practical barriers like unfamiliarity with border-crossing from Thailand to Kawthoolei as well as limited knowledge of Karen organizations and current structure creates barriers that require structured reintegration support. At the same time, the Karen National Union (KNU) and other Karen organizations lack the capacity and funds to prioritize diaspora reintegration programs.

Moreover, the disconnect between homeland and diaspora communities have caused misunderstandings and tensions that threaten to undermine potential collaboration. Karen people inside/near the homeland often hear criticism from the diaspora communities, attacking the KNU and its governance without fully understanding local complexities and constraints. From the perspective of those partaking in the resistance movement, diaspora members are voicing complaints without taking meaningful action. The sentiment is clear: unless you come back in person, you will not understand the situation on the ground. Until diaspora members demonstrate real commitment through action, their criticisms risk appearing to tear down the revolution rather than contribute meaningfully to solutions.

On the other hand, these diaspora members are not physically present in Kawthoolei nor directly engaged with the movement and development, so their understanding is limited to what they see on the news and social media. They are inevitably presented with incomplete pictures of the complex situation. This creates a cycle where well-intentional criticism based on limited information prompts defensive responses from those managing the crisis under severe resource constraints, causing the criticism to be misinterpreted as destructive rather than constructive.

Before my return and trips to Kawthoolei, my understanding of the conflict was limited to my brief background as a refugee in Thailand, my parents’ stories, news reports, phone calls and messages from family members in the border area, and Facebook posts. Like many others, stories of persecution and conflict were passed down to me, but compared to people who experienced the war firsthand, my knowledge was secondhand. Still, like many diaspora members, I wanted to contribute to the revolution and put an end to the struggle.

I was fortunate to have opportunities that allowed me to visit the Thailand-Kawthoolei border and then into Kawthoolei itself—engaging with the youth, senior leaders, and those serving in armed struggles—but many lack these opportunities or do not know how to arrange such trips. If I had not been able to come back in person and see the situation for myself, I would not have gained a deeper understanding of the revolutionary movement. It was through my interactions with the local communities and leadership, visits to different schools and townships, and direct engagement with ongoing challenges that I truly learned about the reality on the ground.

Before returning, my perspective was shaped heavily by media coverage and Western education. Even now, during my time here, I sometimes find myself projecting Western ideals onto Kawthoolei and the KNU’s governance. But the reality is that one shoe does not fit all—especially not a developing state like Kawthoolei that is still working to build legitimacy and basic infrastructure. We cannot look at Kawthoolei and compare it to already developed nations; the situation is fundamentally different.

However, we can thoughtfully apply lessons we have learned and examples we have observed to consider ideas that might work in Kawthoolei’s specific context. Instead of blindly criticizing Kawthoolei and the work people on the ground are doing, we can reframe our approach to offer constructive support based on genuine understanding. This is why it is so important to involve the diaspora community more meaningfully in discussions about Kawthoolei’s future, and creating programs that will allow them to understand the actual situation is a crucial first step.

We can learn from other countries that have successfully implemented diaspora return programs, including Rwanda’s “Come and See, Go and Tell” initiative and Ghana’s “Year of Return” in 2019. These programs provided refugees opportunities to visit their homeland and reconnect with their culture and heritage, allowing participants to observe how their countries had developed, helping them gain a better understanding of current realities. More recently, Vietnam passed a legislation allowing Vietnamese diaspora members (Việt Kiều) to gain dual citizenship, creating pathways for them to return and directly contribute to the economy and society.

Kawthoolei can adopt a similar approach, by creating two structured reintegration programs to meet different levels of diaspora engagement: a short exploratory trip and an internship/volunteer program. These programs would require self-funding by applicants as Kawthoolei does not have the financial resources to cover costs. The programs would also be based in two locations: one Thai border town (Mae Sot or Mae Sariang) and Kawthoolei areas. Both Thai locations host multiple Karen organizations and provide strategic border-crossing points. Participants would also be able to engage with organizations like the Karen Refugee Committee Educational Entity (KRCEE), Karen Student Network Group (KSNG), and the Karen Education and Culture Department (KECD) in Mae Sot, or the Karen Teacher Working Group (KTWG) and Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) in Mae Sariang, gaining insights into educational initiatives, women's advocacy, and cross-border operations before crossing into Kawthoolei areas. The Kawthoolei portion of the trip would offer a more firsthand exposure to participants by allowing them to step foot onto liberated soil and witness both the challenges and progress in building sustainable institutions within KNU territories.

The short exploratory trip, a 2 weeks program, would offer Karen youth and young professionals a comprehensive introduction to Karen community operations. Participants will pay for their own flight plus a $500 USD participation fee, that will cover meals, accommodation, and local transportation. This program would include border navigation support, teaching participants how to cross safely, who to contact, and what to expect in Kawthoole’s still-developing territories, including available support systems. After the orientation in Mae Sot, participants would enter into Kawthoolei for meetings with KNU leaders, guided tours of different districts to observe administrative efforts, and structured seminars/workshops covering KNU’s political structure and governance, revolutionary history, and current humanitarian needs. 

Having a dual-location approach will ensure that participants understand the full scope of Karen community needs while recognizing that experiencing Kawthoolei firsthand remains essential for truly grasping ground realities. As a deliverable, participants will write reflections of their trip experiences to share back with Karen diaspora communities. These reflections can be featured in Karen organizational newsletters and other platforms, helping to bridge understanding and encourage further diaspora engagement. 

The internship/volunteer program will build upon the exploratory trip, combining the 2-week orientation with 8 weeks of hands-on work placement for deeper engagement. Participants will cover their own flights and visas (if needed), plus a participation fee of $1,200 USD (excluding flights and personal spending money). Similar to the short trip, the fee will cover accommodation and meals for the entire 10-week period, with host organizations helping to secure appropriate housing. The program also includes ongoing support and local transportation throughout the placement period. Participants would be matched with opportunities that align with their existing skills and professional backgrounds, with placement options available in both Mae Sot or Mae Sariang organizations and Kawthoolei departments. 

Interns will complete deliverables specific to their host organizations, contributing tangible outcomes to ongoing projects and initiatives. If participants of this program wish to extend their engagement beyond the initial internship, they could do this through transition opportunities into paid staff positions with compensation equivalent to local employees, creating sustainable long-term involvement opportunities. Additionally, program alumni can return to share their experiences through outreach activities, serving as ambassadors who can speak authentically about reintegration opportunities and ground realities to potential participants.

Mutraw District hosts a Welcome Center for the Karen Diaspora near their Center for Leadership Program (CLG), which was established at the request of the diaspora by the KNU’s Governance Capacity Strengthening Committee. SGPA is helping to develop specialized spaces to facilitate the orientation process for Karen diaspora members seeking to return and contribute to the Karen revolution. We can enhance that existing effort by collaborating with other Karen organizations to expand program offerings, establishing mentorship networks, and creating systematic follow-up support for long-term engagement.

To ensure quality engagement and a manageable cohort size, the program could operate on an application basis, accepting between 10 to 15 participants per cohort to assess genuine commitment to return and contribute. We could also deepen connections beyond initial visits by implementing mentorship programs that pair participants with administrators and organizers working across both locations, fostering genuine understanding between diaspora communities and homeland residents while dispelling misconceptions and building collaborative relationships. These mentorship opportunities would be open to anyone interested in meaningfully engaging with the communities in Kawthoolei, especially if they cannot come back in person, and is not limited to participants of the two programs. For those who cannot participate in either of the programs immediately, we could facilitate remote contributions through online training sessions, workshops, and consultation services—building on existing work that diaspora professionals are doing. 

These programs can be the start of Karen diaspora repatriation and engagement with the reconstruction process. In the future, after the revolution period has passed and Kawthoolei achieves greater stability, we can consider implementing citizenship frameworks similar to successful models developed by other nations with significant diaspora populations. For example, Vietnam’s dual citizenship law for Việt Kiều (overseas Vietnamese) allows diaspora members to maintain their foreign citizenship while gaining full rights to live, work, and invest in Vietnam. This policy will allow Vietnam to tap into the expertise, capital, and international networks of its diaspora, further contributing to the country’s economic development and modernization efforts. 

Similarly, India’s Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) program provides lifetime visas and various privileges to people of Indian origin, facilitating their return while recognizing their contributions to both their adopted countries and India. The OCI program has been particularly effective in attracting skilled professionals in technology, medicine, and business, helping to bridge knowledge gaps and accelerate development in key sectors. Implementing similar frameworks like these in Kawthoolei will make it easier for diaspora members to live and work here, while also maintaining connections with countries they built their lives and careers in. This would not only diversify our talent pool with skilled workers and professionals bringing in technical expertise, but it would also enable them to contribute to society, build cross-cultural understanding, and strengthen Kawthoolei’s global connections.

If we genuinely want to rebuild Kawthoolei for all Karen people, we need the engagement, commitment, and skills of every community member—including the ones who are physically distant from the motherland. The reconstruction process cannot rely solely on the people who remain in Kawthoolei or the border area; it must utilize the potential of our dispersed communities. By creating pathways now, we can eliminate misunderstandings between different Karen communities and take collective action toward a Kawthoolei that we can all live in.