NIHAC has sponsored events on Burma in the past and thought you might be
interested in this update and fundraiser by the Seattle Burma Roundtable:

Dear Friends,

The situation in Burma is dire. Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been under
house arrest since a violent attack by pro-government thugs on May 30th.
Military
action by government forces continues against civilian hilltribe populations,
creating
up to 1 million internally displaced people and more than 500,000 refugees and
asylum seekers. As a result, Burma's infant mortality rates are among the
highest in
southeast Asia, and Burma remains one of the most heavily mine affected
countries in
the world.

Against this backdrop the Seattle Burma Roundtable is holding its third annual
raffle
to provide funding for basic education for children of internally displaced
people
(IDPs) near the Thai-Burma border. In two previous years the raffle provided
over
$5000 to support small, grass-roots projects. 100% of the money raised is
passed
through to the border. The Seattle Burma Roundtable thanks World Aid, Inc., a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization for helping with sponsorship, and the donors
of
prizes.

Each $2 raffle ticket pays for almost a year of school in the jungle and lunch
rice for a
child displaced by Burma's ongoing civil war. (Ten tickets supports about 9
children.)
There are some fabulous raffle prizes: A digital camera, a night at a Whidbey
Island
B&B, gift certificates to local eateries and stores, professional quality power
sander
and hand saw, stationery and more, including a $200 cash prize. The kids, of
course,
are the big winners. Their schools are simple, but the teachers and lessons give
them
hope amidst all the chaos. Please email burma@... with how many
tickets you'd like, and mention that you are a NIHAC member. Checks for tax-
deductible donations are to be made to World Aid. Drawing on September 30.
Tickets
come with the new postcard of kids. Thanks!

Again, make checks to World Aid, and send to the address below. Please feel
free to
forward this email to those whom you feel may want to support basic education
for
IDP children.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BURMA ACTION GROUP
SAO Box 119, HUB
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195

http://students.washington.edu/burma/