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Killian O. Doherty Environmental Justice Fellow Joins ELAW from Myanmar
We are pleased to announce that Aye Mon Thu will work with our team as this year’s Killian O. Doherty Environmental Justice Fellow.
Aye Mon Thu is a human rights and environmental justice lawyer in Myanmar. She is co-founder and former Director of the Dawei Pro-bono Lawyer Network, which provides legal support to impacted communities in and around Dawei, Tanintharyi Region.
As a young lawyer, Aye Mon Thu helped lead the Heinda Tin and Tungsten Mine case, one of Myanmar’s first tort cases, to successfully obtain remedies for local communities impacted by the pollution from mining operations. In addition to litigation, Aye Mon Thu has worked tirelessly with local communities to raise awareness about their environmental rights and provide training on environmental legal advocacy. She has also worked as a legal advisor, trainer, and advocate on other issues, including unlawful detention, anti-discrimination, fair trial rights, and free speech.
The Killian O. Doherty Environmental Justice Fellowship will fund Aye Mon Thu as she conducts new research to analyze local campaigns against illegal mining in Myanmar. The area she will research is a hotbed for the mining of rare earth minerals, jade, and other materials and is also largely under the control of non-state armed groups. Aye Mon Thu aims to take lessons from successful campaigns and share those strategies to strengthen communities’ capacity to protect themselves.
Many thanks to the Doherty Family and all those whose generous support helped make this Killian Fellowship possible!
Killian O. Doherty Environmental Justice Fellowship
Killian O. Doherty was a beloved member of the ELAW Law Team, where he used his legal and linguistic skills to collaborate with lawyers around the world to protect communities and the environment. We are proud to honor Killian’s legacy by creating opportunities for advocates to work with ELAW to advance environmental justice and defend Indigenous peoples’ rights.
Please donate to support ELAW’s work with Killian O. Doherty Environmental Justice Fellows and other advocates worldwide.
William Schulte
Attorney
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide