The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement.
They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. Ethnic
pro-democracy groups send teams to be trained, supplied and sent into the
areas under attack to provide emergency medical care, shelter, food, clothing
and human rights documentation. The teams also operate a communication and
information network inside Burma that provides real time information from
areas under attack. Together with other groups, the teams work to serve
people in need.
The teams are to avoid contact with the Burma Army but cannot run if
the people cannot run.
Men and women of many ethnic groups and religions are part of the FBR.
There are only three requirements for team members;
1. Love- Each person strives to do this for the love of the people and
no one is paid. They still belong to their parent organizations.
2. Ability to read and write- due to the medical, documentation and other
skills needed, literacy in at least one language is required.
3. Physical and moral courage- they have to have the physical strength
and endurance to be able to walk to crisis areas, and the moral courage
to be with people under attack and to stand with them if they cannot flee.
In addition to relief and reporting, other results of the teams' actions
are the development of leadership capacity, civil society and the strengthening
of inter-ethnic unity.
The FBR has trained over 110 multi-ethnic relief teams and there are
43 full time teams active in the Karen, Karenni, Shan, Arakan 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. Since 1997, the teams have treated over 360,000 patients and helped
over 700,000 people.
Vision, Mission, Objectives
VISION:
To free the oppressed and to stand
for human dignity, justice and reconciliation in Burma.
MISSION:
To bring help, hope and love to people
of all faiths and ethnicities in the war zones of Burma, to shine
a light on the actions of the dictators' army, to stand with the oppressed,
and to support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice
and service.
OBJECTIVES:
1) To inspire, train and equip people in Burma to bring positive
change through acts of love and service.
2) To provide immediate medical assistance, shelter, food, clothing,
educational materials and other humanitarian aid in the war zones
and to improve logistics and medical evacuation.
3) To develop the Information Network of Burma that documents,
reports and disseminates accounts of human rights violations and
provides an early warning system of Burma Army attacks.
4) To provide spiritual and emotional counseling for trauma victims
and to support programs for women and children.
5) To train, equip, and sustain indigenous humanitarian relief
teams in the field.
Action, History, and Relationship with Other Organizations
Actions:
The Free Burma Rangers (FBR), conduct relief,
advocacy, leadership development and unity missions among the people
of Burma.
Relief: FBR
teams provide emergency medical, educational, spiritual, material
and general assistance to people who suffer under the oppression
of the dictators of Burma. Teams move through out the conflict areas
to give aid and comfort and also conduct leadership training, as
well as medical, educational, reporting and general capacity building
for people inside Burma. Teams also document human rights violations
and report to the relevant authorities. Priority of assistance goes
to the Internally Displaced People (IDP), of Burma as well as to
those who's villages have recently been attacked by the Burma Army.
FBR teams stand in solidarity with those who suffer and assist people
of all races and faiths.
Advocacy:
FBR supports the Global Day of Prayer for Burma each year and report
regularly on the situation inside Burma.
Leadership: In
addition to relief and reporting, other results of the teams' actions
are the development of leadership capacity, civil society and the
strengthening of inter-ethnic unity. The FBR conducts leadership
development and communications training in order to strengthen civil
society, build leadership capacity and develop communications. Communications
tools such as radio broadcasts, cassette tapes, print media are
used in the ongoing effort for reconciliation and unity.
Unity:
The FBR helps to coordinate annual seminars between the ethnic groups
of Burma as well as the pro-democracy Burmans. Over 90 multi-ethnic
teams have been trained with 20 full time teams active in the Karen,
Karenni, Shan, Lahu and Arakan areas of Burma.
History:
The Free Burma Rangers were formed during
the Burma Army offensives of 1997, when villages were destroyed, people
killed and over 100,000 thousand fled their homes. Over 2 million
people are now displaced inside Burma. In the face of the overwhelming
force of the dictators' army, the Free Burma Rangers organized with
the idea that no one can stop people from giving love and serving
each other . During this time the Ethnic Nationalities Seminar at
Mae Tha Ra Hta was coordinated and supported by the FBR and the Global
Day of Prayer was started. Since 1997 four unity and reconciliation
seminars have followed, helping to build trust and coordinated action.
Numerous leadership and communications trainings for ethnic and Burman
men and women have been conducted, with trainees being sent on relief,
communications and unity missions. The FBR has trained over 90 multi-ethnic
relief teams and there are 20 full time teams active in the Karen,
Karenni, Shan, Arakan and Lahu areas of Burma. The teams have conducted
over 300 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. Since 1997, the teams have
treated over 300,000 patients and helped over 600,000 people.
Relationship with Other Organizations:
The Free Burma Rangers
(FBR), coordinate their activities with all relevant organizations
and conduct missions in areas where their presence is requested. They
operate with the pro-democracy authorities in their operational areas.
The teams trained and resourced, belong to the relevant pro-democracy
organizations and areas that the teams serve in. "de oppresso liber"
