Han Lin, a man described by his friends as a “modern-day Gandhi,” passed away Sept. 26 after a year-and-a-half-long battle with stage four lung cancer. He was 57 years old.

A former facilities attendant at Ithaca College, Han Lin devoted much of his life to promoting democracy and peace in his home country of Burma. Han Lin and his family first came to Ithaca in 1997 after fleeing from the harsh political scene in Burma.

Located in southeast Asia between China, India and Thailand, Burma has been ruled by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, a military regime, since 1962.

Despite cries for democracy from the Burmese people, SLORC has blocked everything from grassroots efforts to national elections in order to maintain power. Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of a former Burmese political leader, and her party won the 1990 election in a landslide but were prevented from taking office. Suu Kyi has been incarcerated for more than 18 years.

Burma has since been in a state of disrepair, with the army attempting to exterminate minorities from the country, forcing citizens into labor and military service, raping women and burning villages to the ground.

Han Lin taught at the Pyo Pan Wai middle school in eastern Burma and was an outspoken leader in his community until his political beliefs got him into trouble with the county’s leadership. He and his family were then forced to flee to the jungle, where they faced malnutrition, diseases like malaria and dysentery, and the constant fear that the regime would discover where the family was hiding and kill them.

Han Lin leaves behind a wife, Htay Htay Yee, and their six children: Ne Lin Tun, Aung Phyo, May Lin ’05, Tayza Yeelin ’07, Ithaca College senior Thuya Yeelin and Ithaca High School senior Thu Yein.

Maura Stephens, editor of “ICView,” said when Han Lin was hiding in the jungle with several friends, the group made a promise that whoever survived would spread the word about the injustices in Burma. Han Lin was the only person from that group to make it out of the country alive.

“It’s incredible, the things he’s done and experienced,” she said.

Eventually it became too dangerous for Han Lin and his family to stay in Burma and they sought refuge in Ithaca. Han Lin worked as a facilities attendant at the college from 1999 to 2006 and three of his children — May, Tayza and Thuya — attended the college.

Tayza said his father was a selfless man whose perseverance inspires him to continue the fight for Burmese rights every day.

“He was a very determined man and very compassionate,” he said. “He never backed down from his fight [for Burma] ... or any obstacles he faced. He was a very loving dad.”

With help from Stephens, Han Lin formed the International Campaign for Freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma, an Ithaca-based grassroots activist organization.

In 2005, the Ithaca City Common Council declared Aug. 8 Burmese Democracy Day as a result of efforts by Han Lin and ICFAB. The holiday commemorates the 1988 uprising in which the military killed thousands of civilians protesting for democracy in the region.

Stephens said the holiday shows Ithaca’s commitment to helping make democracy in Burma a reality. More than 100 Burmese families now live within the city’s limits.

Han Lin also participated in several peaceful marches and demonstrations, as well as lengthy hunger strikes in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Alexander Odood, an Ithaca resident and friend of Han Lin’s, participated in demonstrations with Lin and said his strength and commitment to the cause was undeniable and inspiring.

Odood said much of Han Lin’s inspiration came from a quote by Aung San Suu Kyi: “Please use your liberty to promote ours.”

“He lived by those words so deeply,” Odood said.

From 2004 to 2006, Han Lin led yearly peaceful demonstrations from Washington, D.C., to the United Nations building in New York City — a journey that spanned more than 225 miles and took more than a month to complete. Then, he and his fellow protestors went on a hunger strike to get the attention of the U.N. to push for democracy in Burma.

The hunger strike ended when a U.N. representative assured the group he would discuss the situation in Burma at an upcoming meeting. Stephens said she was relieved to hear the strike had ended, but grew concerned when Han Lin set up another hunger strike.

Stephens said Han Lin’s commitment to the hunger strike to the death inspired her to get involved in the cause.

“I never knew anybody who would be willing to make such a huge sacrifice, especially for other people, other people who were thousands of miles away,” she said. “To be fighting against these gross, horrific injustices and to not be angry or to not be vindictive … and to keep this peaceful way about him was truly astounding.”

Jeffrey Hellman ’07, who met Han Lin while studying at the college, is currently finishing a documentary with help from Changhee Chun, assistant professor of cinema, photography and media arts, about Han Lin’s life. He said the documentary will air as part of the “Across the Sky” series on MBC.

Hellman said few people took the time to meet Han Lin, but they could have learned from him. He said Han Lin was a role model and dear friend to him.

“I feel like janitors are not as appreciated as much as they should be,” he said. “Everyone is important. ... Ithaca College has teachers in the classrooms as well as in the hallways. He was my teacher and my mentor.”

Stephens said she will remember Han Lin’s heart and warm spirit most, even though they sometimes had their disagreements.

“He was a very stubborn guy,” she said. “We used to fight like brother and sister. I called him my Burmese brother and he called me his sister.”

Hellman said the amount of work Han Lin did for a cause he believed in was extraordinary, but he will always remember the passion with which he fought.

“His spirit is still here,” he said. “His spirit has come to us and has ignited us. ... The passion with which he fought for the things he believed in is something we can all learn from. I will never forget him.”

Odood said he will not stop fighting until democracy is established in Burma in honor of Han Lin. He said though Han Lin is gone, his strong spirit will remain with him forever.

“You have to remember that few people come along like Han Lin that have such an impact,” he said. “We all come and we all go, but very few of us leave the kind of legacy he has left. It is unrealistic to even try to be Han Lin. We can only try to be ourselves and follow in his footsteps.”