1. Daughter This Is Zoya Phan Freedom Activist Director & Co-ordinator Negotiator Author Refugee Public Speaker
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5. The Reaction... The Case of Zoya Phan Copyright-BBC http://www.united-states-map.org/world-atlas/map-of-europe.htm “ My father became the head of the Karen people, and because of this the Burmese Army wanted to kill him. One day they found someone who had been ordered to kill him and his family. This meant my life was in danger too if I returned to Thailand after my studies. I had to claim asylum in the UK. “ I went to the Home Office centre in Croydon to register for asylum. Iwas told that I could end up in prison for 20 years for coming to the UK on a false passport. I was shocked, I thought I would be treated nicely.”
6. The Lifestyle The Case of Zoya Phan “ I used to cry myself to sleep at night.” “ I wasn’t allowed to work because I had applied for asylum. I couldn’t work, I couldn’t have a bank account and I had to rely on handouts. I was humiliated, to have to depend on other people’s sympathy." “ One day I was invited to a protest for Burma outside the Burmese Embassy in London. I went along, I was the only person in traditional Karen clothes and I was invited to speak from the platform. I felt so proud speaking on behalf of my people."
7. The Reaction The Case of Zoya Phan Because of the way I spoke, a man approached me afterwards. His name was Mark and he was the Director of the Burma Campaign UK. They campaigned for democracy and human rights in Burma. I started to volunteer with them. With the Burma Campaign I got the opportunity to do many things, and tell many, many people about what was happening in Burma. I have spoken at the Conservative Party Conference twice in front of thousands of people. I was interviewed by BBC Newsnight and many people from the British media. Al-Jazeera made a film about me.
8. The Resolution? The Case of Zoya Phan Since 2007 Zoya has worked full time for the Burma Campaign UK as their international co-ordinator . In October 2007 she addressed over 25,000 people in Trafalgar Square. She has lobbied and spoken with Gordon Brown, and travels around Europe holding meetings with lots of politicians . Zoya’s refugee status will expire in 2012. Without a positive change in her country, she son’t be able to go home without risking arrest, torture and her life. “ I was granted asylum by the Home Office in August 2007. It meant I was officially recognised as a refugee. I could stay in the UK for five years. It was the first time I felt I became a real person in the UK… no longer a ghost citizen."
9. The Resolution? The Case of Zoya Phan Meanwhile, as well as her job, Zoya dedicates her life to Burma and the Karen. She has set up the Phan Foundation , in memory of her father. She has also written her autobiography , “Little Daughter”. “ I don’t want to be here. I want to be in a Burma which spends money on medicine, not machine guns. Please help me help my country. Please help me to go home."
![[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],The Case of Zoya Phan Life in Burma I lived in a hut a bit like this one](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)