Interviews with Charm Tong

For the election, upcoming election in Burma, it will just be the military election; the election will just bring more legitimacy to the Burmese military regime. For us, we oppose this military election. And [we are] trying to have many various activities with the communities inside to speak and to make their voices heard.

There may be different views for the people inside because they are under threat and control by the Burma military. For example, the USDP [Union Solidarity and Development Party], the party of the Burma military, have been forcing people at all levels to join their parties. So, people inside, we understand that our people are facing different, like, threat, and they are forced to join.

This election will not bring any change. And our life, the people’s life, will continue to be the same. The constitution will already guarantee all the power of the military. And after the legitimacy for the military regime after the election, the people lives will still continue.

And on the ground, before the election, the military has been threatening people and forcing different ceasefire groups to come under the Burma army. And we saw that last year after one group refused, the Burma military actually attacked them. So, this caused about 37,000 refugees to China. And this was the ceasefire area where there was no fighting for 20 years.

So if the regime continues to put pressure against all groups and the people, the ceasefire groups and the people, we are afraid that there will be full-scale war and conflict, you know, in Shan State and other parts of Burma.

Interviewed August 2010

Charm Tong co-founded the Shan Women’s Action Network, when she was only 17. The organization is dedicated to stopping the exploitation of and violence against women and children in 1999.

Three years later, recognizing that their lack of education leaves the Shan young people more vulnerable to being trafficked or lured into other forms of exploitation, Tong founded the School for Shan State Nationalities Youth. The school works to empower and build the capacity of students to become leaders in their communities. It is regarded as a model for human rights education and training of young people from Burma and elsewhere.

Tong has also been instrumental in launching a campaign to bring attention to the systematic use of rape of Shan women by the Burmese military. The campaign, based on a report called “License to Rape,” has received considerable international attention.

Tong has received several international awards, including the Marie Claire Women of the Year Award and the Reebok Human Rights Award. In October 2005, she met at the White House with President George W. Bush.