In preparing its submission to the Tribunal, AHRC worked closely with the human rights organization Burma Issues, which began in 1997 to develop a network of grassroots information collectors. These researchers investigated hunger throughout the country. At times this work involved great personal risk, as when studying war zones or the closely watched Irrawaddy Delta. The researchers' courage and commitment are impressive. The first principle guided practice and theory alike.
Hunger lives in every vernacular, requiring no technical definitions or foreign vocabulary.
Farmers talk about their crops and parents discuss their children's health without much prompting. Such mundane topics threw a valuable cloak of discretion over potentially risky work. Theoretical benefits complement this practical advantage. A colloquial approach confirms that the lofty speech of human rights indeed reflects a common will to live a secure and dignified life. Experience with human rights documentation in remote, war-torn areas teaches the importance of solidarity.