關於影像展

「浮萍，總以為自己有根，卻注定一世漂移。」

泰緬邊境的無國籍人，為生活、為逃避戰火，來到邊境城鎮—美索鎮。
沒人知道她們將會在此待上幾世代，或將要遷往哪裡？

然而在孩子世界裡，他們依然天真的玩樂，也不知道是否有一天能回到家鄉。

她們現在擁有的只剩下向天微笑的權利。

如果可能，我們應該協助她們保有這樣的權利，讓她們帶著微笑返家。

美索簡介

緬甸內戰已經四十幾年，就在2007年四月又有零星戰爭，戰火是這幾年最接近Mae Sot邊境城鎮一次，距離只有一公里 。

Mae Sot是位於泰國西北部城鎮，緊臨緬甸只隔一條河流，多年來的緬甸內戰，緬甸人為了逃離戰火翻山越嶺來到泰國Mae Sot鎮上，成為沒有國籍的難民。人數越來越多，多數居住在Mae La 難民營的人，人數已突破四萬多人。

除了逃離戰火進入泰國的緬甸難民，今天更多是因為經濟因素進到Mae Sot。由於緬甸經濟蕭條，緬甸人來泰國討生活，不過這些來到泰國的人，許多是沒有身分的人，這群沒有身分的緬甸家庭，孩童教育問題顯得非常重要。

由於沒有國籍，孩童無法進入正式教育系統，只能依靠國際非政府組織提供教育，其中也包含提供學前兒童教育的台灣海外和平服務團（TOPS）以及提供資訊服務的台灣青年數位服務協會（YES）。

The Suspended Border of Maesot 影像展，沒有飛機槍炮，也沒有爆破場面，更沒有像是史詩悲劇一樣的壯麗場面，因為這不是他們生活。他們貧窮，但是他們知足，他們想回家，卻懸宕在此，就像是浮萍，以為自己有根，卻一生飄移。

此次展覽，將售出這些攝影作品，部份所得將捐贈給Mae Sot境內的 泰國達府邊境兒童協助基金會。

The Suspended Border of Maesot Photo Exhibition

Myanmar has been racked by civil war since its independence, over 40 years ago.  There were some border crossfire happened earlier this April in 2007, and the nearest one was only one kilometer away from Thai-Myanmar border. 

Close to Myanmar, Mae Sot is located on the north of Thailand and is an enticing maverick frontier town where black market timber, gems and everything else are major sources of income.   A bridge across the Moei River links Mae Sot to Myawaddi in Myanmar, although the Burmese side sometimes experiences skirmishes between the military and ethnic insurgents, mainly in the dry season.  

Mae La refugee camp is the biggest refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border, with more than 40,000 refugees-mostly ethnic Karen.  Not only in refugee camps but also in Mae Sot town, Myanmar who exile from their country, they are all illegal immigrants.  Children have no chances to go to government schools and can only rely on INGO’s supports ( International Non-Government Organization ), including Taiwan  NGO -TOPS ( Taipei Overseas Service ) and YES ( Taiwan Youth E-Service ).

The Suspended Border of Maesot photo exhibition is held neither by weapons, ammunition, nor a tragedy like a historical poem.   Because this is not their life, they are poor but they are satisfied.   They want to go home but suspend here between the borderline, like duckweed.  They believe they root but in fact they suspend. 

This Exhibition will sell these pictures in order to support TBCAF.
TBCAF is local NGO in Mae Sot , check its blog: http://tbcaf.blogspot.com