Sanva Saephan

Stateless: Diary of a Spirited Boy at Napho Camp Sanva Saephan

Displaced by the Secret War in Laos from 1963 to 1975, tens of thousands of highland Laotians, Mienh and Hmong people made the perilous journey across the Mekong River to seek temporary refuge in various camps scattered across Thailand. Many harbored hopes of returning to their home land, while some opted for a new start in foreign countries that would grant them a place under the sun. The author was born in one of the many refugee camps his families had sought shelter in. In this Diary, he vividly paints the scenes and memories of his stateless childhood in Napho Camp, Thailand. However, being a stateless refugee did not bother this happy and carefree child, nor did it dampen his outlook of life. When it was safe to return to Laos after years of unrest, his family was overjoyed. But the author felt a deep sense of loss and emptiness. He would deeply miss his many friends and everything else about the refugee camp, for he knew then that he would never see them again.