Chronicles of War: The War Experiences of a Burmese Teenager
The following submission was shared by Tommy Joel García Sánchez, a Mexican journalist who also conducted the interview below.
“Unlike situations in Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Palestine, Myanmar is persevering through its unique struggle for democracy and freedom.”
2021: The world is suffering the coronavirus pandemic, while the world is a mess there is a country in the south of Asia where it seems the winds of war will take the peace of the country. This country is Myanmar, in February of 2021, the army betrayed the government and the country, they rejected the elections and arrested many prominent political figures of the government. The country is in chaos, people being kidnapped and nobody know what will happen after. The international media groups doesn't seemed to be interested in this conflict, which is forgotten the next month, but there is a genocide ongoing and the world must be know more about this tragedy: corruption, racism, terrorism and censorship. This is the story of a war.
I had a interview with a teenager from Myanmar, her name is July (pseudonym to remain her real identity anonymous because the military dictatorship is kidnapping people who share information about the crimes perpetrated by the dictatorship) who told me about her experience and personal thoughts about living under the war.
¿What was your experience when the military dictatorship taken the government?
I never thought that a "military dictatorship" would happen again in our country in the 20th century. Unfortunately, this has happened for the third time: the first in 1962, the second in 1988, and the third in 2021. I have read about the 1962 coup and the 1988 uprising in books, but I have personally experienced the 2021 Military Coup. Until January 31, I felt free and had no pressure in my life. I went to bed early that night because of my plans for the following day.
However, at around 5:25 am the next morning, my dad's friends called and told us that the military had seized control of our country again, arrested the president, state counselor, and other elected officials. They also informed us that some phone connections were down, and we should check social media for news. When I woke up and checked social media, we hoped that it was not true, but unfortunately, it was.
On the morning of February 1, 2021, the State Media Television Channel confirmed the military coup. Vice President Myint Swe handed over all the power to the Coup Leader Min Aung Hlaing. Min Aung Hlaing claimed that the election held in November was fraudulent, which is why they took control of the government. However, I was paying attention to the election and can confidently say that more than 80% of the elected government side won the votes across the country. Although I was not allowed to vote in that election because of I’m under 18, I saw elders from 18 to 80 years old go and vote and come back with beautiful smiles on their faces.
Returning to February 1, 2021, starting from 9 am, there were poor telephone and internet connections. What do you think what would people do next? It’s time for a revolution, and that's what the people called it - the "Spring Revolution".
I read that your country has been in conflict since 1948 ¿can you give me a brief information why the conflict started since the 40's?
For that case, there was a general election was held around April 1947. That was the first election in Burma since its separation from India. In this election, the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League by the Leader of Aung San(the father of Aung San Suu Kyi) won the landslide. On 19 July 1947, Our General Aung San was assassinated along with six other members of the party, after which the leadership of the AFPFL was taken by U Nu. Several radical assassinators were arrested for their ties to Aung San's assassin. After that, most were released as no evidence was found of their involvement, and Galone U Saw was Hung. A new constitution was approved around Sep 1947 and we the Burmese people got independence on 4 Jan 1948. I heard about the above cases from my grandma who died in 2019 and I learnt the Burmese history at my Middle School.
What is the perception about Aung San Suu Kyi in your country right now?
The daughter of Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, is an extraordinary individual who we may never have the chance to see again in our lifetime. If you read "Freedom From Fear" by Aung San Suu Kyi, you will understand how committed she is to establishing a true democracy for the people of Burma. However, she is currently imprisoned. The military has unjustly charged President U Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi with unrealistic offenses that can be compared to a comedy series. You may not have heard of the National Unity Government (NUG), but it is a government formed by members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won a landslide victory in the last election. Around 80% of the people support the NUG's efforts to eliminate military dictatorship once and for all and establish a democracy for future generation.
How was the life before the military dictatorship? The people were under calm of were intimidated? I read there was protests in 1988 and 2009 were a lot of students were against the government
Personally, I did not have pressure about politics. I am a college student who, like many others, focuses primarily on my studies. However, following the recent coup in February of 2021, I have become increasingly concerned about the possibility of being arrested or harmed by Junta forces, as I am one of the many students who oppose the coup and strive for democracy. This is not the first time that Myanmar has experienced political unrest; my parents' generation participated in the "8888 Uprising" in 1988, which was also a movement against military dictatorship. Another significant uprising occurred in 2007, known as the "Saffron Revolution," which was led by students, political activists (including women), and Buddhist monks.
More than 50% of protestors in every revolution were students, including those in 1947, 1988, 2007, and 2021.
What is your opinion about the groups of opposition of the military dictatorship? I read there are a lot of groups fighting Who are they?
Firstly, let me explain about the PDF, which stands for People Defence Forces. These brave individuals are fighting against dictatorship and striving to establish democracy once and for all. They consist of enthusiastic youths from all around the country, who are committed to protecting the people and battling the junta troops in order to restore freedom..
NUG essentially serves as the government of the people and provides ammunition supplies to support the PDFs. These PDFs operate under the Ministry of Defense of the NUG. That's all I can share for now. Just to let you know, there are various groups with different names associated with the PDFs. For instance, there are the Mandalay Defense Forces in Mandalay Region and numerous other groups from the Shan state & Chin State & Karen State & Kachin State & Yangon Region & Sagaing Region like that.
Do you have friends, family of someone you used to know which was attacked or killed by the dictatorship? Why the dictatorship killed/disappeared them?
Yes, I do have. One of my friends from college got into a really difficult situation. Along with her brother and two aunties, she was arrested by the junta troops in August 2022. It was a shock for all of us because we didn't even know the troops had taken them away. We searched at the township police stations, but couldn't find any trace of them.
After about a week, we finally got some information that they were being held in an Interrogation camp. It took about a month until they were sent back to the township police station to face their court cases. It was during this time that she and her brother were given a harsh sentence of three years in prison by the junta's unfair court, under the charges of 505 (a), in December 2022. Unfortunately, her two aunties are still waiting for their court hearings, which have been delayed for months.
My friend and I have always been very close since 2019. We were not only study buddies but also hung out and even participated in the protests together on the ground in February 2021. Since that unfortunate day, I can't stop thinking about her. It's been really tough for both of us. However, there is a tiny silver lining to this dark cloud. We have received letters from her! She's been writing to her family every month, assuring them that she's trying to be strong and cope with the situation.
She constantly tells us how much she misses all of us. I hope that someday soon, this difficult period will come to an end, and my friend and her family will be reunited with us, safe and free. Until then, we will continue to support them and cherish the letters we receive from her, knowing that she's still staying strong despite the circumstances.
There is censorship in the tv, radio, press and internet? How the people navigate through the social network in Myanmar? I read that the military dictatorship is spying in many social networks like telegram
The Junta has been prohibited from accessing popular social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) since February 2021. However, people are cleverly using VPNs to bypass these restrictions and continue using these platforms. It's quite surprising that despite numerous cases of people being abducted for speaking out on these social media platforms in 2021, some cases are still occurring. The use of the internet is something deeply personal to us, isn't it? The Junta's violation of human rights and suppression of freedom is one of the main reasons why we, the people, are resisting them. But guess what? We don't let them get to us, we continue to use social media and bravely share our stories of suffering under the Junta regime.
What is your perception about the future in your country?
The victory belongs to the people this time. Starting from the youngest to the oldest, every person despised the military from the core of their hearts. They resorted to various resistance methods, all while carefully avoiding arrest. Even those who took up arms and fought against the military forces only desired to return home. Most of them, aged around 20 to 30, have nothing left to lose except their freedom. Personally, I am fervently hoping for an end to this revolution. It has been over 1000 days now, and it has been heart-wrenching to witness the loss of countless lives at the hands of the Myanmar Military.
What would you say to the rest of the world about the situation in your country?
I just wanted to express my deep gratitude to those who are still giving attention to the people of Myanmar and our ongoing spring revolution in the quest to eliminate military dictatorship. Unlike situations in Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Palestine, Myanmar is persevering through its unique struggle for democracy and freedom. We, the people fighting against the dictatorship, truly understand the value of democracy, which comes at a great cost. Words can't describe how thankful I am to those supporting internally displaced persons (IDP) or freedom fighters through the National Unity Government (NUG) or any other organization. Your support means the world to us. That's all I wanted to say!
How is being attacked the people in your country? I read the dictatorship use airplanes and drop bombs against the people and they are building concentration camps against people who protests and fights the dictatorship
It's really disheartening to share that since 2021, there have been bombings on innocent people in various regions of Myanmar. The most affected areas include Kachin State, Kayin State, Sagaing Region, Shan State, Kayah State, and Mon State. Tragically, last year in Kachin State alone, more than 100 people lost their lives due to these bombings. You can verify this information through news sources if you'd like. What's truly distressing is that the bombings are happening indiscriminately, without any regard for the safety of those on the ground, including innocent children. This year, we've seen an alarming pattern - whenever the Myanmar Military loses battles against Resistance Forces, they retaliate by targeting residential areas with bombings. It's deeply saddening to witness the military's disregard for the lives and well-being of their own civilians.
The military dictatorship is losing power? There is information where it says the resistance is winning many battles against the corrupt military and many soldiers have surrendered Is correct the information?
Absolutely! Let's go back to 2021 and reflect on something incredible. The people have been expressing their concerns peacefully, standing up against the dictatorship and calling for the release of our president, state counsellor, and others who were arrested. However, the junta seemed indifferent to our voices and responded with heart-wrenching brutality during those peaceful protests. They resorted to using real bullets to shoot peaceful protestors in the head, leading to countless deaths and arrests.
Now, observe the remarkable shift that has occurred. The junta's soldiers are now witnessing the loss of support from those very people who once protested on the streets in 2021. It's a perfect illustration of karma in action! This year, many soldiers have chosen to surrender to the People's Liberation movement. It's a powerful sign that change is taking place, and the people's determination for freedom and justice is prevailing.