Orange County population from Burma here to stay

Yard-long beans and spicy peppers were among the native Burmese ingredients used in preparing a fundraising dinner last week for Orange County’s large population of refugees from the Asian country.

The dinner, hosted by Transplanting Traditions Community Farm and featuring a variety of authentic Burmese dishes, was organized to raise money for the farm, which provides local refugees with a place to be close to the earth. Transplanting Traditions — where farmers cultivate land subsidized by the organization to help feed their families and earn supplemental income — is one of several organizations in the county that supports people from Burma.

More than 1,000 people from Burma are living in Orange County — many of them refugees from their home nation — said Kelly Owensby, project manager for Transplanting Traditions. Many of those refugees work for UNC.

More than 30 different vegetables native to Burma are grown on the farm, Owensby said.

This month’s dinner at the restaurant Panciuto sourced more than 75 percent of its vegetables from the farm.

Burma, also known as Myanmar, is a country in Southeast Asia that has been involved in civil conflict for years, forcing many of its residents into refugee camps. These refugees were identified as a priority by the U.S. State Department during the Bush administration.

This year will mark the end of their priority status, said Flicka Bateman, director of Carrboro’s Refugee Support Center. She said the reason for ending their priority status is not known, but it is not because the situation in Burma is improving.

“Burma is a country that’s broken into seven main ethnic groups which are all very distinct and speak different languages,” Owensby said.

The conflict in Burma stems from ethnic groups wanting to break away from the country and create independent countries, she said.

“I do not think Myanmar is going to the right direction for democracy,” said Zan Win Maung, who’s from Burma and now lives in Chapel Hill.

Maung speaks English, Burmese and Rakhinee and came to the U.S. in 2005.

Most refugees from Burma in the county are Karen, an ethnic minority, and speak the language Karen. The majority of ethnic groups in Burma are in conflict with the Burmese government, so many do not identify as Burmese.

Working in Chapel Hill

Many people from Burma work full-time for UNC in different departments including housekeeping, Carolina Dining Services and UNC Hospitals, Owensby said.

She estimated UNC employs almost 85 percent of county residents from Burma. They often work night shifts at jobs that are low-tech and low-wage, Owensby said.

Maung said he moved to Orange County to work at the Carolina Inn and now works for UNC Grounds Services.

“Finding a job is not easy for everyone. Language plays an important role,” Maung said.

Bateman said for refugees, finding employment with UNC became more difficult after the economy slowed and people from Burma flooded the area in 2007.

“A lot of them have jobs at UNC and a lot of them want jobs at UNC,” Bateman said.

Orange County has one of the lowest unempoyment rates in the state — a factor the federal government considers when placing refugees. The government also considers where refugees’ families and friends already are in the U.S.

“As a community starts to build momentum, it will inevitably get bigger,” Owensby said. She said of the global refugees coming into North Carolina, 41 percent hail from Burma.

Lost in translation

As an English speaker, Maung said he helps other refugees in his community make telephone calls, read the mail and fill out applications. The language barrier keeps them from speaking up for themselves when they encounter problems.

“There are also significant language barriers, which make it difficult for refugee students and their families to adapt to the school system, access health care and find jobs,” said Sarah Kowitt, a first year doctoral student at the Gillings School of Global Public Health who works with an organization offering art therapy to local children, including those in the refugee community.

Bateman said new refugees face separate problems from those of longer-term refugee residents in the county. Systems have had to change to accommodate the population.

“The schools, Orange County Health Department were blindsided,” she said. “Now there are interpreters and ways of interacting with these folks.”

The refugees are impacted by cuts to government services, Owensby said. Many rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“We’re talking about one of the most vulnerable communities in Orange County. They come with nothing — they’re refugees,” Owensby said.

Maung said the county’s high property taxes are also an obstacle — people from Burma have never had to file taxes and many don’t know how.

Here to stay

As the conflict in Burma improves incrementally, the community from Burma is putting down roots here.

Most refugees plan to stay here permanently if they can and will adapt to new customs and become able to advocate for themselves.

“They are an incredibly resilient population — they trust human beings despite all they’ve been through,” Bateman said. “It’s a privilege for our county to have them.”

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