The Best Friend Library: Education is the key to Freedom

When you pass through Mae Sots’ busy market with all it’s exotic smells and views, you arrive at a four storey building in Bua Khun Road with a banner over the entrance door saying “The Best Friend Library Free Education Center”. Founded by one of the key figures in Burma’s 2007 uprising, this library has become a safe haven for migrants and refugees from Burma and a meeting place for interested people from all over the world.

Fifteen libraries inside Burma
It was Ashin Issariya aka King Zero’s first deed when he arrived in Thailand in 2008, after eluding authorities during a year in hiding and a two-week manhunt in Burma, to continue his work for education from inside Burma where he had already built and run fifteen libraries. But the Burmese military regime has been controlling all activities of politically active people, especially since the 2007 Saffron Revolution. Many of the members and volunteers of The Best Friend were forced to leave Burma to avoid persecution. Several people, also monks, were arrested, simply for the crime of providing information and discussing about politics and freedom. All libraries were closed.
In Mae Sot the Library door is always wide open. When you enter you will be greeted by young, friendly people, some of who arrived in the library a few years ago and never left. “The Library and King Zero have changed my life”, is what you will hear. And it is apparent that it is true. A good example are the young people who live at the library and have started a magazine (The Young Generation’s Note) inspired by the idea to “encourage youth and community members to find their own voice within the pages of the magazine”.
3000 books and 500 members
The Best Friend Library Mae Sot holds 3000 books, literature, research reports, news magazines, films and other materials about Burma for English speakers as well as books in Burmese and Burmese-minority languages. It is a place, where people can meet and discuss Burma-related issues openly and freely.
The library has now 500 members. As a registered education center with the Thai authorities, the library member cards give the Burmese migrants, who often lack passports or papers, a legal safeguard.
Twelve young people are living at the library permanently. They follow the house rules of “no drinking, no smoking, no fighting”. In summer visitors from inside Burma cross the border to stay at the library for a few weeks to attend a free English, computer, Burmese or Thai class, or simply to use the ten computers for free Internet access.
All classes and Internet access are free of charge
The Thai, Burmese, English and computer courses are running for three months, four times a year. Each trimester approximately 120 students of all ages attend. The classes are taught by migrants or foreign volunteer teachers.
Apart from that, The Best Friend Library is also running a “mobile library” with changing assortment of books each month in a local clothes factory with more than 1000 workers from Burma, and is exchanging books with the Best Friend Library in Nupo refugee camp. Ashin Issariya also supports three migrant schools in the area.
The Best Friend Library Mae Sot is completely run by donations. With rent, electricity, water and food it has running costs of around 500 € a month. Although it is supported with donations from friends, Ashin Issariya says it is not easy sometimes.
Every donation for The Best Friend Library by means of money or manpower is very welcome.

by Alexandra Rösch