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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday August 30, 2008 - 3 Doctor refuses to recognize borders Experiences in Cambodia prompts MD to write book By Hiba Kesebi SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER "There were a whole bunch of people that came together to build this organization. At the beginning, we had no name and people kind of thought it was a slightly crazy idea." ith his passport sewn to his pants and armed with a piece of paper containing the names and addresses of two Canadian pediatricians who worked in Uganda, 22-year-old Dr. Richard Heinzl crossed the border that separated Kenya and Uganda -- on foot and alone. It was hot. There was no shadow and very little mid-day wind. But he was accustomed to Africa's climate. He had been in Kenya with several other medical students from McMaster University on elective in Africa. But visiting Kenya didn't give the doctor much satisfaction. He wanted to visit war-torn Uganda. It was 1985, and the entire world knew that neighbouring Uganda was not a safe haven. A military coup in 1971, and a shift in power from former Prime Minister Milton Obote to dictator Idi Amin, had left the country in horrific circumstances. Amin, who titled himself as Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular, was ruthless. Those who threatened his rule were persecuted and murdered. "The country was really just committing suicide," recalled the 45 year-old doctor of International Health. That did not deter Heinzl from going, rather the circumstances made him more keen, more persistent and more determined to visit the country. "I don't have a reason," said Heinzl, when asked why he left Kenya for Uganda. "I just had to see it...and make some sense of it and how it can possibly happen... how people can get into war. "My overall objective was to really see what happens to people in populations that are caught up in war." Through the help of residents, Heinzl was able to get to Kampala, Uganda's capital, where two Canadian pediatricians were working at Mulago Hospital. The journey to the capital proved to be more life altering than he thought. It was during that trip that he saw the flag of the organization that would change his perspectives and goals in life for the years to follow. The flag had the image of a "red-onwhite cross but the reverse of it, like a colour negative," and it was that of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF or Doctors Without Borders). The organization, which was based solely in Europe, W Dr. Richard Heinzl, founder Doctors Without Borders Canada RIZIERO VERTOLLI / OAKVILLE BEAVER MEMORIES: Oakville doctor, Richard Heinzl, is the founder of Doctors Without Borders Canada. He has written a memoir of his time in Cambodia, doing field work for the organization. before Heinzl brought it to Canada, is an international, humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 70 countries. In July 1985, Heinzl returned to Hamilton, Canada. But the images of Africa, the images of war, and the image of MSF, remained carved in his heart and memory. "Like everybody here, I had seen this stuff (world crisis) on TV and for whatever reason, I had an interest in international health and human rights and wanted to do something for this important cause." In 1988, with luck and networking connections by his side, Heinzl was able to meet with Jacques de Milliano, the president of MSF Holland. Together, they schemed ways to open an MSF chapter in Canada. Heinzl already knew two other people who were interested in taking part in this vision. All that was left was to get the support and approval from the French. But that proved to be a difficult task. France refused. Francis Charron, one of the French leaders for MSF at the time, said there wasn't going to be a chapter in Canada and that there weren't going to be any new sections, especially outside of Europe. The refusal did not deter Heinzl. Just as he was determined to visit Uganda, Heinzl, along with other supporters, was determined to bring MSF to Canada. "There were a whole bunch of people that came together to build this organization. At the beginning, we had no name recognition and people kind of thought it was a slightly crazy idea," he recalled. "But we had a group of very idealistic people who believed in the cause and wanted to do whatever it took." In 1991, Heinzl and supporters of MSF Canada saw their dream realized. Thanks to France's approval, Heinzl was sent to Cambodia. Cambodia, an ancient Buddhist nation and a former French colony, avoided most of the Vietnam War, however in 1975 the pro-Western government started to crack. The communists and Maoists took charge, opening the door for the Maoist Khmer Rouge. In 1976 and 1977 the killing was intense. Dump trucks filled with corpses were driven around the capital. In 1979 the Vietnamese moved in and, for a decade, occupied most of the country. The situation, although slightly improved, saw millions of broken families and fractured cities. And like many other previous missions, MSF was there to help. For Heinzl, the most touching and memorable experiences involved kids. "Kids are important to me, they're pretty much the same all over the world," said Heinzl, his lips stretching across his face to reveal a caring smile. During his stay in Cambodia, Heinzl grew to know and care for the communities in which he worked. He would wake up in the morning to the sight of children hiding behind bushes waiting to see him. See A Doctor's page 4