From an Office to the Jungle
DP28 used to work in an educational organization in Yangon. She is originally from Shan State and has joined a camp in Kayah State. Her story was collected on June 30th, 2022.
“When I first arrived, I felt depressed: this was not the life I had envisioned for myself and the conditions are rough, with so many things to do. But after some time, I got used to living within the infantry. I became and embodied DP28.”
"At the time of this interview, I am in Kayah State, close to a war zone. I am originally from Shan State, but I moved here about six months ago because I wanted to get involved and be of service to the people. Unfortunately, the internet connection here has been awful, so I need to travel to different places to be able to talk with you.
When the coup happened, I was still working in an office. I got very involved in the protests and urban movements and quickly realised I was not safe, so I decided to go back home. Once there, I continued to support the people: I was donating food and helping friends that wanted to go abroad, but the guilt was very present, and I wanted to do something else. I felt my help was limited to material contributions, which didn’t feel like enough. My bank account also got frozen, which means that the military was looking for me. So, when my brother told me he was leaving to join the People Defence Force in Kayah State, I thought I would follow him, and my parents supported my decision. I left my job and my salary and went to the jungle.
I cannot see my future at the moment. I am living in a camp deep in the jungle, and I’ve had to get used to this very new life rhythm. People here have become like family; I am with my friends. We are fighting back against the Burmese military and providing continuous support to the IDPs including food, medicine and water. I am part of the medical crew and in charge of doing some fundraising; we have so many needs here. Our battalion is under the command of the NUG, but there were many talks before it happened. We also cooperate and coordinate with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP). For example, our medical team is not supported by the NUG, but by the KNPP. When I first arrived, I felt depressed: this was not the life I had envisioned for myself and the conditions are rough, with so many things to do. But after some time, I got used to living within the infantry. I became and embodied DP28.
I’ve noticed that some old friends don’t support my decision; it’s as if we are a world apart. While I’m shocked that some friends socially punished me, I’m sometimes, on the contrary, surprised to be supported and cherished by total strangers. Of course, everything depends on our mental state and our goals for the revolution. Now I am okay with that: I make my own decision and follow through with those who understand it. Disagreements and conflicts are also part of our daily life here—we have many arguments in the camp, but we manage to find common ground. Some people have left, and some others have joined more recently. I can say we are happy with our management right now.
Coping has been challenging. The first time I saw dead bodies on the frontline, I froze. During the war in Mobye, we saw people falling and dying right before our eyes. We could not sleep or eat for a while. But after some time, we got our energy back, and we felt we had to do more. They are dying for the cause, so we have to support them more robustly and be tougher. I’m not shocked when I see blood anymore, but I am sad. I am more resilient but I have a lot of anger in my heart and mind.
Our soldiers never say they want to give up or that they want to go back. If they did, we would feel weak. On the contrary, they are courageous and resilient, invent new tactics and tools to fight back, and have ideas for better protection of our teams. They help us keep up the good spirit and keep the fight. Our camp is very diverse: there are people from Yangon and others from Kayah, Wa and Shan States.
Regarding my future, it is hard to tell. We will stay here as long as we can, maybe two years. Then, if we have to leave, we will settle at the border and keep supporting IDPs. We will persist until we win. And once we have, I will rest.
I don’t really see myself being part of the reconciliation process. There is so much to do. We need a better government that can improve our country, yet there are so many conflicts. I wish to take part in education. I want to help libraries and building the education system. Even here in the jungle I teach social subjects and computer skills when I have time."
These stories are collected by the Real Stories Not Tales team. Real Stories Not Tales is a dedicated team in and out of Myanmar that aims to bring awareness to the reality of people's lives since the Myanmar military staged a coup on February 1st, 2021. Stories are collected through interviews with each protagonist by the team, either in Burmese or in English. Each character is drawn by a professional illustrator. RSNT is an anonymous name that is used by the group to guarantee security to all parties involved in the collection of the stories.