On the subject of refugee camps on the Thai-Myanmar border, I very much welcome the publication, in May, of Kirsten McConnachie’s Governing Refugees: Justice, Order and Legal Pluralism. I haven’t yet read the book, and in fact knew nothing about it until a couple of weeks ago when the Irrawaddy carried a review by Jack Dunford, from 1984 to 2012 executive director of the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (now TBC). It looks fabulous, and as the review argues is surely a must-read for anyone interested in the camps at the time when they are about to pass into history.

Dunford’s review is laudatory: “‘Governing Refugees’ is an outstanding study of Karen refugee camps on the Thai-Burmese border and the unique humanitarian assistance model that enabled refugees not only to survive protracted encampment with dignity for 30 years, but also to maintain and strengthen community structures – structures that potentially have crucial roles to play in resolving conflict in Burma and in rehabilitating the war-torn ethnic border states.” He refers to one strand of criticism long directed at the camps – that they facilitated refugee militarization, consolidated the power of the Karen National Union, and contributed to prolongation of the conflict with the Myanmar tatmadaw. Other negatives, notably the corruption found at one level or another in all the camps, are not mentioned. I’ll need to read the book myself to discover whether it examines abuse of the registration system, financial irregularities, drug dealing and illegal work outside the camps.

Still, the key point is that this sphere of Myanmar politics, so critical yet so neglected, has finally gained close academic attention. Dunford writes that “McConnachie’s book provides an excellent and balanced starting point for discussion and debate”. That can only be good.