"Our Beliefs are Stronger than our Fears"
Real Stories Not Tales is a dedicated team in and out of Myanmar that aims to bring more awareness to the reality of young people's lives since the Myanmar military staged a coup on February 1st, 2021. Stories are collecting through interviews with each protagonist, whenever they are, presently, in Myanmar. Ma Ei is a Dawei activist. She was interviewed on March 29th.
“If I stay home, I start feeling depressed. This is my daily work. This has become my duty.”
"When I woke up on the morning of February 1st, I wondered why the internet wasn’t working. I didn't understand what was going on. Then a neighbor knocked on my door and told me that Myanmar was under a military dictatorship now. I couldn’t believe it: was it a bad joke, was it fake news? I tried to contact my family and friends, but there was no phone signal. It was only after a few hours, and once I was able to talk to my mother, that I understood it was no joke.
I live in a hostel with other youth in Hlaing Township in Yangon. I have been working for a couple of months as a Monitoring and Evaluation Intern with an organization focusing on gender equality. I felt so confident and excited about the future. But the news of the coup completely changed my perspective on the opportunities that lay ahead. The military takeover was now a terrible reality we had been thrown into. I felt numb; I couldn't speak. What about my dreams? What about my future?
Once the internet was reconnected, I was finally able to start exchanging messages with friends, making plans, and organizing resistance, which energized me. First, we heard that things might get back to normal after three days, so we stayed home. But nothing happened. I knew that this wasn’t a solution—if they had stolen our future, we needed to fight back and stand up for our rights! Shortly after, I joined the first protest with a group of eight friends. It took place near the Hledan Center, a big shopping mall in Hledan Township. The crowd was incredible!
I continued protesting with the same group of friends. Some are Kachin, others Karen, and I am Dawei. During the first weeks we met many people out in the streets and made many new friends. The unity of the crowd was so impressive; people respected each other and many were giving out donations. We organized ourselves online, day after day. Throughout March, however, we have been going out into the streets less and less. The situation has become very dangerous in Yangon. It is basically a battleground, but only one side has guns. But in Hlaing Township, Generation Z is still out in the streets, taking huge risks. Boys are worried about girls being at the frontline—they want to protect us so have asked us to stay further back.
Most of our group members have gone back to their states and regions; there are only two of us left. My mother is calling me every day and asking me to come back home and stay with them. She is very worried. But if I go back, I won't be able to join the movement. My hometown is small, and everybody knows everybody. The security forces would know what I am doing, and I would end up in jail quickly. I would rather stay here and contribute to the movement as much as I can.
Our beliefs are stronger than our fears. Even though many people have lost their lives, I believe we will win. We will get our democracy. Our hope for a better future is so strong! My generation, Gen Z, is showing so much determination. Every morning we assess the situation: if we can, we go out, because we must fight. If I stay home, I start feeling depressed. This is my daily work. This has become my duty."