In the jungles on the Thai-Burmese border, the Karen have struggled for survival since being abandoned by the British after WW2. Although the world's attention is focused on Iraq, the Karen have been involved in the world's longest running civil war.

On a recent trip to Thailand, I decided to stray off the standard tourist trail and ended up in Mae Sot - a small border town 3kms from the Burmese border.

Mercenaries, Burmese spies, refugees, and UN staff mix together in the cramped, noisy streets according to Australian author, Phil Thornton (Restless Souls, 2006).

Exhausted from the fast and erratic mini-van ride I walked down to a local cafe to find some food. On my way I passed an enclosure - with prison-like bars and blank looking faces staring at me.

It was a refugee detention centre, just across the street from the local police station. Inside were Burmese-Karen refugees. The following day they would be returned across the border.

I suddenly felt spoilt - my concerns were perhaps not real concerns. Here I was on a holiday, temporarily hungry and staying in a nice little room with a comfortable bed just metres away from these people.

I took a journey to the border on a bicycle the next day. Looking through the lense of my camera I caught a glimpse of a Burmese military outpost. The officer had a set of field binoculars trained upon me. Made me wonder what was going on over there - in those dark green jungles of Burma. Made me think - there's more than just a story in this. I'd like to write something, but I don't know how to do it justice.

Learn more about this author, Greg Hardwick.
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