Commentaries

Daw Aung San Suu Khi is leader of the National League for Democracy.

A Message to the Students Taking Part in the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Program

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi video taped this message which was shown at the Freedom Forum Dinner held on April 24, 2003 in Washington, D.C. Within a month of the taping, on May 30 2003, she was again arrested by the military government and imprisoned without charge.

Dr. Khin Saw Win was formerly a physician at the Rangoon General Hospital and personal physician of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She holds M.B.,B.S. and M.Med(Int Med) degrees and is presently a Faculty Lecturer in the Faculty of Nursing and Medicine at the University of Alberta. She is also a Director of Burma Watch International.

Health and Human Rights: How Health and Human Rights Are Interrelated

Dr. Khin Saw Win describes how health and human rights are interrelated in Burma and hopes that her description will provide practical benefits to those engaged in health or human rights work and help reorient thinking about major global health challenges.

Health and Human Rights: Why is the HIV/AIDS problem in Burma getting worse?

Dr. Khin Saw Win argues that the incidence of HIV/AIDS is drastically higher in Burma than the military junta will admit to, explores some of the reasons for the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in Burma, and concludes that the increased incidence is related to the level of human rights violations.

Health and Human Rights: The HIV/AIDS problem of migrants from Burma in Thailand

Dr. Alice Khin presented this paper at The First Collaborative International Conference of the Burma Studies Group which was held at Göteborg (Gothenburg) University, Sweden on September 25-28, 2002.

Health and Human Rights: Tuberculosis and Human Rights

Dr. Khin Saw Win uses the example of a Burmese student, who had contracted tuberculosis, to show how the prison system in Burma is depriving Burmese people of the medical care that they should be accorded by international standards for the treatment of prisoners. She argues that health care workers, working in prisons, must be allowed the independence to report abuses such as the lack of proper medical treatment.

Health and Human Rights: Medicine is Politics

Dr. Khin Saw Win argues, using quotes from the 19th century German scientist, Rudolf Virchow, that the mismanagement, corruption and policy failure of the military junta has led to a political and humanitarian failure in Burma. This failure is particularly illustrated by their refusal to recognize the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Burma.

Health and Human Rights: Liberation Medicine and Oppression Medicine

Dr. Khin Saw Win describes the practice of medicine under liberation and under oppression and asks how we can promote the practice of liberation medicine.

Health and Human Rights: Shall we speak the TRUTH?

Dr. Khin Saw Win argues that health professionals, who are positioned on the front lines of the struggle for protection of human rights and who are often the first witnesses of the physical and psychological harm that human rights violations cause to individuals and communities, must make the effort to collect all medical documentation that provides concrete evidence of human rights violations.

Health and Human Rights: The Participation of Doctors in Human Rights Abuses

What are the consequences of militarism on health?

Dr. Khin Saw Win defines militarism, describes its impact on the health of the people in Burma and argues that health care professionals should be active in documenting specific effects of militarism on health, making the information available to the international community, searching for countermeasures to these effects, and promoting measures to reduce the impact of militarism on health in Burma.

Women's Issues: Why a women's day but no men's day?

A tribute to the International Women's Day (March 8, 2001) in which Dr. Khin Saw Win argues "Until the rights and full potential of women are achieved, lasting solutions to the world's most serious social, economic and political problems are unlikely to be found."

About Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

In an article An icon worthy of Gandhi and Mandela which appeared in the March 24, 1999 issue of the Guardian Unlimited, Madeleine Bunting wrote about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a way that Dr. Khin Saw Win, who at one time was the personal physician of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, fully appreciated. Dr. Khin Saw Win has selected a number of quotes from the article to summarize some of her own thoughts about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Memory of 8-8-88 Will Live On

On the 10th anniversary of the August 8, 1988 uprising in Burma, Dr. Khin Saw Win wrote an article describing her experiences as a physician working at the Rangoon General Hospital.

No legitimacy to the butcher military junta

Human Rights Abuses:The Physical and Psychological Sequelae of Torture

Human Rights Abuses:The prevention of torture in Burma

Human Rights Abuses:Survivors of torture and trauma

Dr. Khin Saw Win defines what torture is, describes its impact on those who survive it, suggests that we must talk openly about it to defuse some of its intended impact and argues that "With collective good will and political determination the practice of torture could be eradicated sooner rather than later."

U Than Aung is the Vice President of Burma Watch International, an Executive Member of the Free Burma Coalition and a member of the Burma Strategy Group.

Democracy for Burma: The Missing Links

U Than Aung asks the question "Why are the Burmese people still unsuccessful in their struggle for the restoration of democracy in Burma since 1962?" He explores some of the reasons, describes how we can learn from the experiences of independence movements in other countries and comes to the conclusion that "We must change our attitude towards our democracy movement. We must introduce different approaches or drastically different strategies before it is too late to save our country and our people." He ends with a list of eight actions that we should be take "if we really want to help the whole populace of Burma reach their goal successfully."

The Challenges and Hopes of People Power

A talk given at an evening in Edmonton AB (organized and co-sponsored by Burma Watch International, Robertson Wesley United Church and Interfaith) to commemorate the 13th Anniversary of the August 8, 1988 uprising of the people of Burma to demand peace, democracy and basic human rights.

David Kilgour is the Member of Parliament for Edmonton - Mill Woods - Beaumont and has served as Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific).

Bringing Democracy to Burma: A Strengthened Resolve

David Kilgour made these remarks to an assembly held in remembrance of the massacre of pro-democracy protestors which occured on August 8th 1988 in Burma (Myanmar). The assembly was organized by Burma Watch International and took place on August 8 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In his remarks, Mr. Kilgour remembered the fallen freedom-fighters, honored the Mahadevi of Yawnghwe (one of the founding members of Burma Watch International), reviewed the responses of the Canadian government since 8-8-88 (and in particular the government's response since May 30 2003) and commented about democracy in Burma's future.

Burma Shrieks for Change

David Kilgour made these remarks at the annual general meeting of Burma Watch International which took place on April 22 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In his remarks, Mr. Kilgour reviewed the current human rights situation in Burma, described how the government of Canada has responded over the years, suggested that it might be time for Canada to revisit the question of whether to use the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) to ban Canadian trade and investment with Burma, discussed how Canada should respond to the possible appointment in 2006 of Burma as chair of ASEAN, and concluded that "[Burma Watch's] job then, is to continue to support civil society groups in Burma and to encourage our government to renew our commitments to promoting human rights and revitalize previous efforts to pressure the Burmese regime into change."

Mavis and Jim Olesen are retired teachers from Regina SK Canada.

Final Report for the Tham Hin Education Project

For the past five years, the Olesens have been involved in a project, organized by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), to establish an education system in the Tham Hin refugee camp in Thailand. Over the years they have emailed reports about how the project has progressed. This is their final report.

Their report graphically portrays life in the refugee camp and summarizes the five year long Tham Hin Education Project. The project is a very impressive and excellent contribution for less fortunate Burmese refugees. It sets a good example for all peace loving people to follow.

The Burma Medical Association (BMA) was successfully founded in Marneplaw, Burma on June 8 1991, at the National health Conference, which was convened under the auspices of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. Physicians, nurses, health officials, technicians in the medical field, and also other interested parties in the liberated area attended the meeting to coordinate the foundation of BMA.

BMA plans to solidify relationships among the local medical professionals and workers, and also with international medical associations. The vision of BMA is to become a powerful force for improving the health situation of Burmese people, by mobilizing Burmese exopatriate communities, calling for their support and participation. Furthermore, BMA envisaged to serve as a rallying point for medical professionals and workers who are interested and dedicated in promoting the right to health and people's empowerment.

Report for the First Conference, July 2001

The BMA held a conference in early July, 2001, to review and strengthen the objectives and activities. In planning for the conference, BMA [chaired by Dr Cynthia Maung] called upon all medical professionals, including health workers and/or working on health related fields, who are interested and supportive to the work of BMA to participate in the conference. These are some topics related to the conference.

• Statement of Burma Medical Association (BMA) - coming out of the First Conference, July 2001
• Mental health problems, disease increase at border - a report of the conference appearing in the Bangkok Post on July 8, 2001
• Health and Human Rights - a paper by Dr. Khin Saw Win [a Director of Burma Watch International]
• What are the health consequences of militarism? - a paper by Dr. Khin Saw Win [a Director of Burma Watch International]