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via Osocio

“Though imprisoned they are everywhere with us. More than 2,190 political prisoners are currently incarcerated in the most horrendous of prison conditions in Burma’s notorious jails. Since the 1988 popular democracy movement inside Burma was crushed in a ruthless crackdown by the military regime, thousands of people have been arrested, tortured and given long prison sentences for their beliefs and political activities.
“Even Though I’m Free I Am Not” is a global documentary photography project about Burma’s political prisoners. Traveling across the world to South East Asia, Australia, Japan, Europe, USA, Canada as well as into Burma itself, hundreds of Burma’s former political prisoners who have fled the country and are now forced to live in exile often as stateless people, will be photographed, coming together to raise awareness of the tragic plight of their colleagues still detained in jail.
This simple symbolic gesture of the palm being shown in the Buddhist Abhaya Mudhra with the name of a colleague currently suffering silently in prison written on it, becomes a combined act of silent protest, remembrance and fearlessness. Qualities instilled in all of Burma’s political prisoners.”

Full details of the project can be found here on their Blog – with live reporting from wherever we are in the world and visit www.enigmaimages.net to see more than 160 former political prisoners that have been photographed for this project from countries all over the world.

Yee Yee Htun, Norway. 5 years in Insein Prison and Tharawaddy Prison.

Cho Saint, Norway. 7 years in Insein Prison and Tharawaddy Prison.

Lae Lae, Thailand. 4 years in Insein Prison and Shwebo Prison.

Aung Gyi, UK. 4 years in Insein Prison and Shwebo Prison.

Dr. Aye Chan, Japan. 7 years in Insein Prison and Tharawaddy Prison.

Thin Min Soe, Thailand. 4 years in Insein Prison.

Help me get to 100 portraits while I still can
“Before my diagnosis of motor neurone disease, I was an artist. Now the disease has affected my arms and hands and I am finding it harder to paint. I want to continue to work for as long as possible and use both my work and my story to help the Motor Neurone Disease Association create a movement of incurable optimism. This is why I’ve set myself a challenge to draw the portraits of 100 incurable optimists before I lose the ability to paint forever.
I’m looking for incurable optimists to paint. If you think you or someone you know is an incurable optimist, nominate that person here. Just tell me why you think they are an incurable optimist in a few words and leave your email address, and we’ll get in touch if we like your story.
And your portrait may just end up hanging in a gallery someday…

Kath is supportive, loving and caring. Without her I would be lost. The writing in her hair is something she said to me when I was first diagnosed, “I will always look after you, right until the very end.”

Martin is a neurologist and a tireless and innovative MND researcher. He has become a friend and has inspired me to become an amateur neurologist. I feel lucky to have met him.

Sarah is an inspiration to me. As a single mum she has brought up two lovely children, despite being unable to walk, speak or use her arms. She helped me when I first got MND, when I felt very scared.

Sarah is there every morning to help me get up. She is always cheerful, always looking for extra things to do to help me. She is a wonderful person, and makes the world a better place.

Mark is my friend, and has bulbar MND. He struggles to breathe and has just had a tracheostomy, which is the ‘Cut Here’ bit in the picture. He is a lovely man, so full of life.

I am an amateur inventor but I bow down humbly before Earl’s talent. Despite having bulbar MND and being unable to speak, he has set up a business making his inventions for disabled people.

Visit Patrick’s website or his blog for more information about this wonderful man and to find out how you can help.
Follow Patrick on twitter or like him on Facebook.
Thank you, Osocio, for sharing!

via ibelieveinadv