I vote for the wonderful, amazing, courageous, compassionate medics of Burma, Free Burma Rangers (FBR) and the Backpack Health Workers Mobile Teams who risk their own lives to go into the jungles and villages to heal and care for the Karens, Shans and other villagers who have been internally displaced, are being hunted down, tortured and killed by the SPDC.

The Free Burma Rangers provides hope, help and love to internally displaced people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military attacks.

The Backpack Health Workers have to cover long distances going up and down mountains wearing Wa shoes which are leather and cloth sandals. Sometimes, they have to walk for days to get to a village to do their work. They are dedicated, caring and tireless in accomplishing their job, and whatever it takes they are selfless in their devotion to taking care of the suffering. They spend many weeks at a time seeing to the needs of the sick and wounded.

The well organised backpack teams are trained to give medical help to villagers who suffer from illnesses such as malaria, etc., and give as much help to the health crises in the Burma borderlands

These medics risk their lives by having to pass through dangerous areas, where there are landmines and also they risk being attacked by the Burma Army.

The landmines have claimed numerous victims, and each trainee of the medics risk being a landmine victim. “The Burmese borderlands are fast becoming places where not only angels fear to tread, but also devils, lesser demons, and assorted livestock.” Frontier Mosaic, Richard Humphries.

Not only do these medics bring much needed succour; in the way of assistance, support and relief to the villagers, they also keep the world informed of the plight of these people in dangerous regions.