Free Burma Rangers Collection of Documentary Videos

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1948, Burma has been engaged in one of the longest-running civil wars in the world. From 1962 to 2011, Burma was ruled by a military junta, first under General Ne Win and the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) and then under the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), later renamed the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The reign of the SLORC/SPDC was characterized by brutal repression of political dissent, persecution of ethnic minorities, extrajudicial killings and disappearances, absolute control over judicial and legislative powers, recruitment of child soldiers, rape, torture, and forced relocation and labor [1].

The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) was formed in 1997 in response to SPDC offensives in the Tanintharyi Region and Karen state of Burma, during which the Burma Army destroyed villages, killed civilians, and displaced over 100,000 people in order to secure land for business interests [2]. The mission of the FBR states that it aims “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.” The FBR conducts relief activities (providing medical assistance, shelter, food, clothing, educational materials, and other humanitarian aid); maintains an information network in Burma to report and disseminate accounts of human rights violations and provide an early warning system for attacks by the Burma Army; trains and equips indigenous humanitarian relief teams, advocates for the people of Burma; and provides prayer and counseling for victims of human rights abuses, particularly women and children [3].

The FBR reaches populations of internally displaced people in Burma by organizing relief teams, which are typically comprised of medical personnel, documentarians (videographers, photographers, and/or reporters), and other individuals (including missionaries, pastors, civil society workers, and opposition soldiers). These teams are trained and equipped by the FBR to provide humanitarian aid and document human rights abuses. Over 110 teams have been trained and have conducted over 400 relief missions, treating over 360,000 patients, helping over 700,000 people, and creating thousands of hours of video footage [4].

References