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Student Uprising
University students rise up in peaceful protest against the military dictatorship that rules over them. The ruling junta responds with deadly force, killing a handful of protestors. In response, civil servants, Buddhist monks, and high school students join the college students out in the streets. Hospital staff, teachers, and shop keepers rally to call for an end to the repression and economic incompetence at the top. By mid-September, crowds estimated at 200,000 to 500,000 are marching in the -
Formation of Mae Tao Clinic
Dr. Cynthia Maung founds the Mae Tao clinic established in Mae Sot to care for the enormous wave of refugees fleeing Burma. -
Burma or Myanmar?
The Burmese army changes the english version of the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar. Use of "Burma" remains widespread, largely based on the question of whether the regime has the legitimacy to change the country's name. Pro-democracy organizations and those working for human rights continue to use the name Burma. Photo source: http://candle4burma.blogspot.com -
US Sanctions
The US passes Section 138 of the Customs and trade Act of 1990 imposing economic sanctions upon Burma until conditions pertaining to human rights have been met. Pro-democracy organizations such as Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy are in favor of the sanctions. Photo credit: globallabourrights.org -
National League for Democracy wins elections in Burma
After the student uprisings the SLORC consisting of Burmese army generals, rule by martial law until the elections of 1990. These elections are judged generally to be free and fair. The military makes little effort to intimidate voters, erroneously assuming their preferred candidates will win. The results are an overwhelming victory for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, which win nearly 60% of the vote and 392 of the 485 seats, even though she is under house arrest at th -
Aung San Suu Kyi wins Nobel Peace Prize
Aung San Suu Kyi is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. She is not permitted to leave Burma to accept the award. Instead her husband and sons accept the award on her behalf. Quoting Francis Sejersted’s award ceremony speech: “We ordinary people, I believe, feel that with her courage and her high ideals, Aung San Suu Kyi brings out something of the best in us. We feel we need precisely her sort of person in order to retain our faith in the -
Unocal protests
Future BHM members join many other concerned individuals and organizations to protest Unocal Corporation’s construction of the Yadana natural gas pipeline from Burma to Thailand using forced labor. In October 1996, 15 members of the Karen minority Burmese group, who alleged that they or their family members had been subjected to relocation, forced labor, torture, murder, and rape on the Yadana pipeline project filed a class action suit against Unocal in a U. S. federal court (Doe v. Unocal). T -
Capture of MAnerplaw
The Burmese army captures Manerplaw, the Karen National Union headquarters, delivering a crushing blow to the Karen and other internally displaced people. The Karen National Union is a democratic organization representing the Karen people of Burma. Their goal is peace and prosperity in a democratic federal Burma. With no other option against the violent and repressive military junta, the Karen had taken up arms to protect their villages from extrajudicial killing, systematic rape, destruction -
John of BHM visits Thai-Burma border
BHM founding member John visits the Thai-Burma border and witnesses first hand the horrible conditions endured by the Karen people at the hands of the Burmese army. He is in a camp for Internally Displaced People when it is bombed by mortar fire. Indicative of other risks of the region, he also comes home with cerebral malaria. While being treated in the hospital, John speaks passionately about what he saw in Burma and his desire to help. Founding member Jennifer promises him that that she -
First BHM Mission to the Thai-Burma Border
Burma Humanitarian Mission is founded by Dang, John, Mehmet, Jennifer and Jeremy. Together we visit the Thai-Burma border. During our trip we meet with various pro-democracy and student organizations and visit IDP and refugee camps. We provide a six-month supply of medicines and supplies to roughly 8,000 villagers. -
US sanctions
he Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (2003 BFDA) (P.L. 108- 61)—requires the President to impose a ban on the import of products of Burma; freeze assets of certain Burmese officials; block U.S. support for loans from international financial institutions; and ban visas for certain Burmese officials. Photo credit: globallabourrights.org -
United Nations
The UN Security Council holds its first ever briefing on the situation in “Myanmar”. -
Run For Burma
Run for Burma returns to the Marine Corps Marathon with 26 runners. We also have our first 'ultra' runner who completes a 50k trail run through the wilderness of Northern Virginia. -
BHM Mission
Mehmet and Mike travel to the border as BHM provides 600,000 doses of medicines for 14 teams. We also provide funding for a boat, dedicated to our dear friend Jeremy. Photo credit: Dang Ngo/BHM -
Run For Burma
Run for Burma returns to the streets of San Francisco with 25 runners in the Marathon, half marathon and 5k. Jennifer and Mike both set personal records in completing the half marathon. -
Run For Burma
Run for Burma fields a truly international team in the 2010 Marine Corps marathon, with runners from Mexico, Canada and Panama. We also have our youngest and oldest runner start and finish the race, from 16 to 60 years of age. -
Release From House Arrest
Aung San Suu Kyi is released from house arrest. Of the last 21 years, she has spent 15 years imprisoned by the Burma Army. -
Girl Determined
Girl Determined is a leadership project designed to assist girls, between the ages 12-17 and living in Burma, to avoid the pitfalls of trafficking, dangerous labor and other forms of violence, by facilitating the girls’ recognition of their personal and group potential. -
BHM Mission
BHM delivers 900,000 doses of medicine for 20 teams while funding training two-thirds of all new medic and sending two dozen Karen to school. 100,000 doses of medicine support the surge in IDPs following the Burma Army's intensified violence in Karen State. Photo credit: Dang Ngo/BHM -
Burma Education Project
Burma Education Project (BEP) supports the Minmahaw Education Foundation (MEF) in Mae Sot, Thailand. MEF provides educational and vocational opportunities for young Burmese adults as they become the "next generation." BEP has been organized to assist in creating a legal Thai Foundation for Minmahaw Education Foundation to operate under. BEP also supports projects that further the educational and vocational goals of MEF as well as other education organizations along the Thai/Burma border. -
Ban Mae Surin refugee camp, Mae Hong Son region, Thailand
Refugees first arrived along the Mae Surin river in November 1991 and it has been the site of many refugee camp consolidations since. In January 1993 most of the residents of Karenni Camp 4 moved to this site. Karenni Camp 6, located further downstream about 2 kilometers from the border and with a population of about 300, was moved here in July 1994. Again, in March 1998, when many of the smaller Salween camps were consolidated into what is now Mae La Oon camp, 291 Karennis relocated to Site 2 f -
BHM Mission
BHM provides medicine for 10,000 people for 6 months. We produce the documentary film "Backpacking Healthworkers in Burma” and deliver footage to Project Witness for the production of “Fueling Abuse”. Our team delivers medical aid to villages in Papun and Pa'an districts in Burma. Jennifer attends Women's Environmental Caucus at Umpiem Mai. Our team also visits Nu Po refugee camp.