Tim Allen: The Lost People of Karen

The Karen people have been fighting for decades for autonomy for their region of Burma. Many have fled to refugee camps on the north west border of Thailand, where Tim Allen visited to capture his story, in both colour and black and white. The resilience of the Karen people in their fight for freedom against the military regime is shown in these pictures, where, despite the misery of the camps, they retain their culture and children are happy to pose for the camera. But they have to grow up young - by twelve the boys have become soldiers, fighting the Burmese Army in the jungle. These images are presented on computer, as an experiment in alternative ways of viewing a photographic exhibition.

Timothy Allen is a freelance photographer specialising in social documentary and reportage. His work has appeared in The Sunday Times, The Times, the Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent on Sunday, the Independent, The Observer, The Express, The Express on Sunday Magazine, The Evening Standard, Metro. He is the features photographer for the Big Issue Magazine and he also does regular work for the Press Association in London. Recent assignments have taken him to all corners of the U.K., the Balkans and S.E. Asia. Prior to being a professional photographer, he spent three years doing environmental and teaching work in Indonesia