Our Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett Wins Human Ri

[burma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Our Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett Wins Human Rights Award

Friends,

"The Seattle Chapter United Nations Celebration holds its Human
Rights Day celebration, with an awards ceremony and refreshments.
University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave N, call 425-868-2821.  Friday, 
12/10 at 7 pm.

> Where: University Unitarian Church
> Address: 6556 35th Ave. NE, Seattle
> Phone: 206-525-8400

One of this year's recipients is Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett, who has volunteered
extensively at the clinic of Dr. Cynthia Maung along the Thai-Burma
border.  Tao is a pediatrician and a true humanitarian, and deserves every
honor that could come his way.  We congratulate him.

Since Tao is out of the country on a previously arranged trip, his award
will be accepted by Gary Hallemaier, another local hero who is currently
housing three recently arrived Burmese refugees.

These awards ceremonies, honoring five Seattle-area individuals and
organizations for their work promoting human rights, are always uplifting,
fun and rather brief.  I hope that many of you can join us to recognize
the great work of some of our neighbors.

Interestingly, the same day, Dr. Cynthia herself will receive John Peter
Humphrey Freedom Award, presented by the International Centre for Human
Rights and the Development of Democracy in Montreal.  She will visit
Vancouver on Dec. 16, and those wishing to go see her can contact Tao at
tao@xxxxxxx .

Below is a recent article from the border that may help to understand the
reasons that Dr. Cynthia, Tao and others have dedicated themselves to
relieving the suffering of the more than 100,000 refugees who have fled
there.

Best wishes,

Larry Dohrs
206-784-5742
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Bangkok Post - Dec 6, 1999.
The victims of Burmese dictatorship
Displaced Karen refugees are at a loss as to why they have been barbarically
treated by Burmese soldiers


NUSARA THAITAWAT and SUBIN KHUENKAEW

Naw Pwe spends her days looking at people walk by her tiny bamboo hut. On a
good day, she goes out-but never too far-to collect whatever edibles Mother
Nature is kind enough to give to her children and comes back to cook.


Naw Pwe... innocent victim
She also visits neighbours for a chat and when the topics in her small world
have all been covered, she stays with them anyway for the company of fellow
human beings, fellow victims of Burma's dictators, now living in a refugee
camp far from home.

This Karen lady who had lived a half century in the village of her ancestors
said she does not understand why Burmese soldiers had stormed Mae La-ar, a
village of about 70 households, at the break of dawn a year ago. She does
not understand why in the confusion, as panicked villagers tried desperately
to flee the invading soldiers, her husband had to be caught and had to be
beaten to death as he begged for his life.

Night after night, she said, her head replays the same pictures of her
terrified eight-year-old daughter, whose cries had caught the attention of
the soldiers. One walked over to her hiding place, from where she witnessed
every move of the senseless murder of her father, grabbed her and took her
over to his lifeless body. "Shut up!" shouted the soldier. She could not
stop shaking and cry ing. The soldier used his rifle to hit her arm,
breaking it. Pain added to fear in her cries. He hit her again, this time on
the shoulder, dislocating it.

She fell to the ground, her cries louder. He hit her again, this time on the
back of her head, taking away her innocent life forever. Naw Pwe told her
story calmly, her face emotionless, sitting in her hut, empty of worldly
possessions. She said had it not been for her relatives who held her back by
her hair to stop her from going to help her loved ones, she would have been
killed too. But what continues to hurt her deeply as a survivor and witness
to the atrocity, is her inability to retrieve the bodies of her husband and
their daughter for proper funeral rites according to Karen beliefs. She was
too scared to go back.

She said she had heard that Burmese soldiers usually laid mines around the
perimeter of the villages they raided to prevent the people from going back
to rebuild their lives. So Naw Pwe lives day by day, thankful for the
relative safety of this camp for so-called internally displaced persons
inside the Karen State.

Her neighbours, who have also ran away from Burmese soldiers for one tragic
reason or another, now number about 4,800.


Burmese soldiers Min Min Latt, 16, (right) and Kyo Kyo, 17, recently
surendered to the Karen National Union's 7th Brigade based in central Karen
state across from Thailand's Tak province. They said they had been badly
abused by their commanding officers. They joined three other teenaged
soldiers who surrendered a few weeks ago at "a rehabilitation centre" run by
the KNU, where they hope to lead a more peaceful life.
- Subin Khuenkaew
Most are Karen. According to non-governmental organisations concerned with
Burma, there are an estimated two million internally displaced people inside
Burma, half being ethnic minorities, mostly in the Shan, Karen and Karenni
States. The main reason for their displacement is the brutality inflicted on
them to prevent them supporting ethnic armies still struggling against the
Rangoon government. Han Saw, 47, Naw Pwe's camp administrator, said the
camp's population has more than doubled since it was set up in October last
year. The camp is located inside the Karen State but a manageable distance
to the Thai border, just in case.

The latest arrivals, 107 Karen, reached the camp only last month. Meanwhile
Burmese soldiers continue their war of aggression against civilians of
ethnic minority groups still to enter the "legal fold". Of the total
population of 4,764 as of two weeks ago, 478 are under five years old and
1,206 are under 12. NGOs are supporting the people with various programmes
in agriculture and animal husbandry, education and vocational training,
including weaving for women which is also aimed at preserving Karen
traditional textile-making skills.

The programmes try to make life as normal as possible, raise awareness of
the people's potential to be self-sufficient, and also to prepare them for
the day when they can go home. However, the people's livelihood still
depends very heavily on outside humanitarian aid of medicine and rice.

The main reason these displaced people stay inside the Karen State is the
desire to be free. Han Saw said the people realise that they would be safer
on the Thai side of the border, but they prefer to remain in Karen State.
The Karen National Union's (KNU) 7th Brigade has formed a number of
defensive rings around this camp and a few others in their area of
responsibility, as protection against Burmese soldiers.

Maw Pwe said she cannot think of revenge and does not understand what the
KNU does apart from sending soldiers to stand guard some distance from the
camp.

She said she cannot allow her surviving 17-old-old son to join the KNU to
fight against the Burmese soldiers because he is her only support. Relatives
have sent a niece to live with her and help take care of her daily needs as
best as possible. Her grown daughter now has her own family, and is also
living in the camp.

"I have run away from Burmese soldiers five times in my life, as a child, a
teenager, a young bride, a mother of two, and last year when I lost my
husband and youngest daughter." After all these years, she still does not
know why the Burmese soldiers treat her and her fellow Karen with such
brutality. "

I don't understand their reasons," she said. I want so much to go home but
I'm so scared.

I don't have the energy to run any more. It's best for me to stay here. I'll
probably stay here until the day I die."