Hanging on to Hope
Burma Issues
February, 1995
Hanging on to Hope is written out of a deep respect and admiration for the hundreds of thousands of people in Burma who, despite living under the ravages of war for many generations already, continue to hang on to the hope that peace will finally come to their land. The documentation of their suffering during these many decades has only recently been systematically attempted, and thus it remains virtually unknown to the world even though the conflict in Burma is one of the longest -running civil wars on the planet to day.
While isolation from the international community has meant that often these people must struggle alone and suffer in silence, they have vever given up hope that one day the war will end, and they can go home to rebuild a peaceful future for their children and grandchildren. Their story of losing everything - family members, meager possessions and houses, the lands of their ancestors, and the hope of education and good health for their children-may move us to feelings of despair . How can people live under these circumstances year after year and not give up hope? Some do give up hope, but most do not. They deserve, not only our admiration, but also our commitment to join with them in bringing about an end to the conflict, for their suffering is our suffering, their losses our losses. None of us can truly live in peace and justice until all of us can live together in peace and with justice.
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