Wife of missing Karen activist struggles to carry on
PINNAPA Prueksapan, the wife of an ethnic Karen activist who went missing in 2014, laments that her husband probably disappeared because of the campaigns he had engaged in.
Yet Pinnapa, whose Karen name is “Mue Nor”, says that if she were able to turn back the clock, she would still support her husband Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongchaeron in his decision to try to protect ethnic groups living in Phetchaburi province from allegedly abusive national park officials.
“I would have still done the same thing,” Mue Nor said, despite the difficulties she and her five children have faced since Porlajee went |missing.
The activist was last seen in 2014 with officials of Kaeng Krachan National Park.
His case is considered a forced disappearance by many, and Mue Nor continues to press authorities for help in locating him and investigating if anyone is responsible for his sudden disappearance.
But many of her neighbours disagree, she says. They feel it would be better for her to let things go and focus on being a mother.
“Their reactions make me feel I am all alone,” she said sadly.
Recent developments mean there is also a possibility that Karen-ethnic people will be able to live legally inside Kaeng Krachan National Park, given a plan to register the park as a world heritage site.
But for Mue Nor, Porlajee’s disappearance has turned her life upside down. Aside from issues with her neighbours, she also felt compelled to leave the house she used to share with Porlajee out of safety concerns.
“It sat on a remote corner and was quite far from other houses. That may increase the risks,” the 29-year-old woman said. She also admitted to feeling uncomfortable when meeting strangers and government officials these days.
Emotional impacts aside, the mother now has to work very hard to support her family.
“My husband had always been our family’s breadwinner,” Mue Nor said. With Porlajee by her side, she only needed to raise their five children, do household chores and grow vegetables for the family’s dinner table.
But now Mue Nor has to take on the role of being the family’s sole breadwinner as well as pursuing her husband’s case.
With her mother’s help in taking care of the children, she now leaves the house to work on farmland, while still contacting organisations about Porlajee’s disappearance.
“I am also sewing bags for sale,” she said.
Mue Nor said she hopes all her children will complete at least Mathayom 6 (Grade 12) education. Aware that the goal could be too ambitious given her meagre yearly income of about Bt15,000, she |says she is trying to teach her children to understand that they must work part time to contribute to the family too.
But as Mue Nor continues to do her best to care for her children, she has never stopped waiting for Porlajee to come home.
