Ka Hsaw Wa's blog

“I think what I have gained and learned from the program has really exceeded my expectations…It was the first time for me to be in this family style of school. In my previous schools I have not had this kind of exposure… that can really help us build relationships with and understand people from many different backgrounds.”

These were the words of Mu San Mon*, a young woman from Burma’s Mon ethnic minority, speaking about her own classmates at the EarthRights School Burma– Burma’s next generation of leaders who come from all over the country and its multitude of ethnic groups. During her time in our leadership training institute, while learning the skills she needs to become one of Burma’s frontline defenders of human and environmental rights, she develops friendships and understanding about the homes, cultures and values of the wide-range of Burma’s peoples. And when she graduates she joins the network of hundreds of EarthRights School alumni – not only from Burma, but also from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and China – who share her vision of justice and sustainable and equitable development.  

Two weeks ago, President Obama made a historic visit to Burma – the first serving US president to ever do so – praising the country’s “remarkable journey” to democracy. Yet deep divisions remain as the communal violence in Burma’s southwestern Rakhine State escalates, causing thousands of refugees to flee their homes. Meanwhile, in the North the government’s brutal civil war with the Kachin people grinds on.

You probably know a lawyer joke or two. It’s a profession that bears the brunt of more than its share of bad ones, usually based on the idea that the world would be better place if there weren’t quite so many lawyers walking around.

But you also probably know that, all around the world, there are lawyers who are doing work which is no laughing matter. 

So how many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb? The question we'd rather ask, at ERI, is how many lawyers it takes to stop forced evictions of Cambodia’s poorest communities for land concessions to foreign industries? How many to curb toxic pollution in China or end the construction of destructive mega-dams in Laos? How many advocates will it take to challenge the pariah government of Burma, a regime which uses law to oppress its people and is ruthless in its attacks on individuals and communities standing in the way of its quest for profit and power.

These are just some of the issues that the lawyers of the Mekong Legal Network - a group of committed and inspirational legal professionals and civil society leaders from Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam – contend with day in and day out.

As frontline defenders of human and environmental rights, these lawyers become targets themselves, risking their livelihoods, liberty and even their lives to stand up for people and their homelands.  They put themselves in jeopardy of having their licenses to practice revoked. Laws against “incitement” mean lawyers can face criminal charges for taking up sensitive cases.  They are labeled dissidents and subversives, and placed under surveillance. And when threats fail, they may be imprisoned, tortured, or even “disappeared.” 

In the wake of Burma’s first elections in over 20 years, thousands of refugees are fleeing to Thailand from Burma.  The Burmese military that has ruled my country since 1962 has increased its army to more than 400,000 troops, and have been fighting ethnic armies in the border areas, causing an urgent humanitarian situation.  The news that I have received from friends and colleagues in the Myawaddy and the Three Pagodas Pass areas, where the fighting is happening now, is that women, men, children and elderly people are running across the border into Thailand.  I have seen this scene over and over again in the 22 years since I myself fled from Burma, and my heart is breaking for my people for the suffering they are facing still today.  As I write this, I know that they are terrified.  I know that they do not want to be refugees and they would not leave their home if they felt they had any other choice.  The reports are that up to 20,000 people have already fled—20,000 people who do not know whether they will escape from their country alive; people who do not know if they will have food or shelter for their children and their families; innocent people who didn’t do anything except be born in Burma as ethnic minorities. 

At ERI we’ve been working for more than 15 years to address the underlying problems that lead to humanitarian urgencies like these and we will keep doing that.  But right now, these people need help.  There are many great local organizations who are helping to respond to this terrible situation.  If you would like to help out, Mae Tao Clinic and TBBC are both effectively responding to this situation now:

The Mae Tao Clinic, founded by the renowned Dr. Cynthia Maung, provides free health care to refugees and migrants from Burma.  The clinic is located in Mae Sot, where more than 10,000 refugees have fled in the past day.

Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) is a consortium of international NGOs providing food, shelter and humanitarian relief to refugees on the Border.

I always feel inspired at this time of year, when the Goldman Environmental Prize is announced and we have an opportunity to learn about the amazing achievements of environmental leaders throughout the world.  The Goldman Prize reminds me of the critical change that all of us can make — even those of us who often feel small or voiceless. I remember how I felt in 1999 when I received the Goldman Prize; that I had done nothing extraordinary at all, I had simply done what I had to do. I'm sure that this year's winners feel the same way:  overwhelmed, excited, humbled, and wondering "what's the big deal?" But there can be no bigger deal than protecting the planet and its people, ever since that time I've realized that everyone, whether they come from the jungle, the village, the mountains or the city, can be an environmental hero.

My friend Randall Arauz, who takes great risks to stop poachers from the cruel practice of shark finning in Costa Rica, is among this year's Goldman Prize winners. Thanks to his hard work, there is a new national fisheries law in Costa Rica requiring all sharks to be landed with their fins intact. Randall's bravery and commitment is truly extraordinary, but I can also tell you that he's a normal guy like all of us. It's been six years since we were roommates in London, when we both received a Whitley Award for Nature, but the jokes and good times we shared seem like they were only yesterday.  Congratulations, Randall — I hope we can celebrate together again sometime soon!

2010 Goldman Environmental Prize Recipients