Thursday, February 20, 2014

Free Burma Rangers



Photo Essay of Relief Mission in Western Karen State - See more at: http://www.freeburmarangers.org/2014/02/20/photo-essay-of-relief-mission-in-western-karen-state/#sthash.bekroAtB.dpuf
Photo Essay of Relief Mission in Western Karen State (Eastern Burma)


Although this is not a book or publishing related blog post, it is a human interest post worth attention and writing about.  The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is an organization I have a personal interest in not just because of the oppression and human rights issues in Burma, but also because the organization was created by David Eubank who is a long time friend as well as a fellow Green Beret and former Team Commander of mine. 

With everything that takes up our time and interest in the world, most people are unaware of what is happening outside their own circles, and places like Burma is one of those places.  Since 1997, FBR has trained over 110 multi-ethnic relief teams and there are 48 full time teams active in the Karen, Karenni, Shan, Pa'O, Arakan, Kachin, Chin and Lahu areas of Burma. The teams have conducted over 350 humanitarian missions of 1-2 months into the war zones of Burma. On average between 1,000-2,000 patients are treated per mission with 2,000 more people helped in some way. The teams have treated over 360,000 patients and helped over 750,000 people.

The following is part of a photo essay of a relief mission and you can see and read about the rest of it at the FBR link.  When you get to the site check the About tab and other parts of the site that provide some extensive background about the organization, its mission, and efforts being taken to assist the peoples of the region. 
Sign up for their Newsletter and Like and Follow thier Facebook page and check out their YouTube Channel  
  Excerpt from Photo Essay:
Six of the newly trained relief teams were led by the Kler Lwe Htu FBR leader, Koala Bear, to Ler Doh Township for a relief mission in December 2013.  The people visited on this mission were
Team en route during mission
forcibly relocated in 2006 and have just now begun to move back to their original villages. 15 percent of the people are farmers, 30 percent survive by gardening (betelnut, durians) and the rest are day laborers. Since the ceasefire, the people have more right to work and travel, but are facing food and health problems still.



In Kywe Ja, three villages have two schools with 12 teachers and 181 students. In Sa Le, three villages came but there was only one school, with 10 teachers and 143 students. Both places had
nursery schools.  All the school teachers are from the Burmese Government and get a salary from them; the school head master/mistress salary is 105,000 kyat per month (about US $100). The schools are going well but there are some children who cannot go to school.



Follow the link for the rest and learn more about the efforts to help the people in Burma. 
 Facebook page and  YouTube Channel 


Since 1997, FBR has trained over 110 multi-ethnic relief teams and there are 48 full time teams active in the Karen, Karenni, Shan, Pa'O, Arakan, Kachin, Chin and Lahu areas of Burma. The teams have conducted over 350 humanitarian missions of 1-2 months into the war zones of Burma. On average between 1,000-2,000 patients are treated per mission with 2,000 more people helped in some way. The teams have treated over 360,000 patients and helped over 750,000 people. - See more at: http://www.freeburmarangers.org/about/#sthash.dxi7Cnuu.dpuf
Photo Essay of Relief Mission in Western Karen State - See more at: http://www.freeburmarangers.org/2014/02/20/photo-essay-of-relief-mission-in-western-karen-state/#sthash.bekroAtB.dpuf


Photo Essay of Relief Mission in Western Karen State - See more at: http://www.freeburmarangers.org/2014/02/20/photo-essay-of-relief-mission-in-western-karen-state/#sthash.bekroAtB.dpuf
Photo Essay of Relief Mission in Western Karen State - See more at: http://www.freeburmarangers.org/2014/02/20/photo-essay-of-relief-mission-in-western-karen-state/#sthash.bekroAtB.dpuf


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