A Defected Captain Speaks

The following story is made possible from the team behind Breaking Brainwashed.

In my 15th batch of Defense Service Technological Academy, I served as captain in the No. 915 Battlefield Engineering unit until the end of 2019. In 2019-2020, I was transferred to the No. 2 Construction Engineer Corps in Taungoo. After the military coup in Myanmar, I was frequently summoned to meetings where I was told that the coup was not a coup, but rather a temporary suspension of authority. The military also restricted the movement of soldiers' families and told them that social media news was fake, limiting their access to information.

Initially, I was confused by these statements as they seemed to contradict what was happening in the outside world. However, I eventually realized that the military was not acting in the best interests of the people and I did not want to be a part of it. Thanks to the help of people outside the military, I was able to safely reach a liberated area. There was also a significant amount of discrimination within the military, not only among soldiers but also among the officers.

I am proud to have broken away from the dictators and to no longer be living under their pressure. I have personally witnessed the support being provided to those participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). After almost a year of involvement in the CDM, I am proud to be able to contribute to the revolution. It is gratifying to see so many different people and organizations coming together for this cause.

Even within the military, there are those who can help from the inside, even if they are unable to leave for various reasons. I encourage anyone who is able to join the CDM to do so as soon as possible, in order to support the revolution.

As a CDM captain, Pyae Phyo