Minutes of the 2004 Annual General Meeting

Minutes for the Annual General Meeting of Burma Watch International (A Society For Human Rights)

March 28, 2004

1. Call to order and opening comments by Jack Freebury (President)
- Mr. Freebury welcomed everyone and noted that there were people representing the Mon, Shan, Karen, Karenni, and Burman communities - an example of the peoples of Burma coming together. In particular he acknowledged the presence of Cham Toik (of the Calgary-base Mon Canadian Society) and Tiger Yawnghwe (a founding member of Burma Watch International and son of Burma’s first President Sao Shwe Thike).

2. Approval of minutes from previous AGM, March 3, 2003 by Jack Freebury (President)
- Jennifer Bocock moved to adopt minutes as distributed; Alice Khin seconded; Approved.

3. Audited Financial Report by Phyllis Bocock (Treasurer)
- Mrs. Bocock presented her report and distributed the auditor's statement.
- Phyllis Bocock moved to adopt the financial report as distributed; Mary-Jean Freebury seconded; Approved.

4. Annual Report by Than Aung (Vice-President)
- Mr. Aung distributed a report of the various activities that Burma Watch has undertaken in the past year.

5. Election of the Executive Committee
- David Duggan (nomination chairman) conducted the elections. Mr. Duggan read the name of the position and person nominated and invited further nominations. As no new nominations were put forward, each position was granted by acclamation. The executive committee for the current year is as follows:

President - Daryl Webster
Vice President - Than Aung
Secretary - Rachel Bocock
Treasurer- Phyllis Bocock
Board of Directors Yi Yi Datar, Dr. (Alice) Khin Saw Win, Saw Darlin Aung

6. Election of Auditors
Auditors - David Duggan and Jack Freebury

6. New Business
- No new business was raised.

7. Closing remarks by Jack Freebury (outgoing President).

8. Expressions of appreciation by Daryl Webster (incoming President).
- Mr. Webster thanked the outgoing executive for all their efforts in the past year and, in particular, thanked Mr. Freebury for the wisdom and guidance he had brought to the group.

9. Official meeting adjourned by Jack Freebury.
- Aurthur Aung moved that the meeting be adjourned; Alice Khin seconded; Approved.

10. Information Sessions
- Sandra and Mike Feyco reported on their experiences travelling in and out of Burma over a three month period and how those experiences had led them to become active in educating fellow travellers on how to travel in ways that do not support the SPDC military regime. They have developed an information brochure for travellers to Burma and propose that tour group agencies specializing in tours to Burma be the targets of an information campaign.
- Arthur Aung presented a visual visit to Dr. Cynthia's medical clinic and a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border and described the impressions of the people and their living conditions he formed during his trip to the area.