This November 5, we, as a Free Burma movement, lost a dedicated colleague. Although Terry died young, he had made towering contributions to not only the Free Burma campaign but also to numerous other social justice projects. Some of us had a privilege of meeting or getting to know Terry -- a slim, bearded-man from Canada who kinda resembled President Abe Lincoln, minus the height.
In November of 1996, the Canadian Friends of Burma hosted a Burma activist working gathering. After the event, a group of Burma activists from Canada and US went out for a drink in downtown Ottawa. When most of us in the group danced to the music, Terry just sat at the table. When we asked him to join us, Terry politely refused seemingly enjoying the vicarious taste of the unruly dances.
We occasionally glanced at Terry who had a blank stare as if he was engaged in deep thoughts on how to boot Pepsi out of Burma. Sure enough, Pepsi bowed to activist pressure and withdrew its business from Burma the following year.
Terry, your name has been permanently inscribed in our collective memories. And we very look forward to the day when it is possible for it to appear on the "Free Burma Memorial" wall in Rangoon.
May your name haunt those corporate killers and predators, whereever they may be.