Transcript: Episode #80: The Story of Magway
Following is the full transcript for the interview with May, which appeared on November 28, 2021. This transcript was made possible by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has not been checked by any human reader. Because of this, many of the words may not be accurate in this text. This is particularly true of speakers who have a stronger accent, as AI will make more mistakes interpreting and transcribing their words. For that reason, this transcript should not be cited in any article or document without checking the timestamp to confirm the exact words that the guest has really said.
Host 00:28
I'm really excited to bring you the upcoming interview with a very special guest. You'll hear her discussing all the great and courageous work that she is currently engaged in. And if you feel inspired to help her with these efforts, please consider making a donation earmarked for her projects, or feel free to give a general donation that will support the wider movement in Myanmar. Our ongoing support is so helpful and appreciated by the Burmese people during these dark days. Simply go to insight myanmar.org/donation to contribute today. Or stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear more options. Now let's hear from that guest herself.
01:17
It has been almost nine months since the Myanmar Hunter says power. What followed was violent protests
01:23
and was ousted leader. He has returned to court she missed yesterday's appearance due to Motion Sequence. Miss uchis next hearing is set to resume next week. She is on trial over several challenges including violating COVID-19 protocols and breaching the Official Secrets
01:37
Act Myanmar's military could be preparing for a talk aimed at its opponents. The UN Human Rights Office believes that this attack could be imminent.
01:47
After months of living behind the bars about 5600 and community protesters having a fresh fighting has emerged in Myanmar between the military and resistance fighters. The release of these passports most of these days
May 02:19
what has happened now, over the past few days we've seen a real reinforcement of substantial deployment of heavy weapons and troops lawyers have rejected
02:29
all of the allegations.
02:33
Agency has warned that the deployment of troops and artillery is by the Myanmar military into the key states and central Zaga in city and Maguey regions may pose as a threat in these areas are UN Human Rights spokeswoman has said that the agency document and intensifying the talks by the army in the Korean state and other areas. The deployment of two special operations commanders in these areas have escalated the rise of potential attacks on civilians and opponents.
03:06
However, activists are seeing the latest decision by the hunter as a ploy it has been now alleged that the Myanmar regime is trying to leaping into international reputation.
03:14
At the same time, hundreds of civil society groups have urged the United Nations not to recognize me and mother's military government. The body is considering who should represent the crisis torn country at the UN General Assembly. This young white kid looks at what's at stake for Myanmar, as the country faces a new wave of violence
03:36
or warning comes amid a buildup of heavy weapons and troops observed across the country.
May 03:48
sighs a young man from Northern Shan State who migrated to Yangon for better work in education opportunities. He was interviewed on April 4, the frontline fighters are very young, brave and smart. They know how to lead and how to instruct others. I feel so proud and hopeful seeing them. It makes me think there is a bright future ahead of us. I had had a few drinks that evening so I was quite thirsty throughout the night before February 1. When I got up to drink some water at around 4am I saw a message about the coup in a group chat I have with my classmates. After I read the message. I started shouting to wake up my two roommates and a friend that was staying with us at the time. We checked the Facebook pages of various media outlets to confirm if the news was true. And it was we were all shocked and just kept saying shit. This is really happening. It felt as if somebody foreign from the outside took our independence from us. We didn't really know what to do but or at around seven or 8am We went to a tea shop near by to see what was happening, who was pretty quiet. The day passed by and the night came. But we couldn't sleep and just wondered, what should we do? How should we respond? What kind of future awaits for us now? For years, I had been working hard to pay for my three younger sisters education. My family back in Shan State was finally doing okay financially because of that. But how could we do that now with this coup, I felt like I had lost everything with so many others like me and Jamar that had been trying to escape poverty. before February 1, I was working in Yangon while preparing for university in the US, for which I had recently received a scholarship. I was getting ready for my English proficiency test, and discussing visas and other practical issues with my classmates. After the coup, all these conversations stopped. I didn't want to talk about these things anymore. It just felt wrong. Instead, I wanted to focus on what to do in the present. How do you react to the current situation in the country. And so my first priority became participating in the protests in my Township, San Zhao, while trying to catch up on my work at night. Most days, we gather at around nine or 10am on one of the small side streets and then go to the main road together. The police are usually already there. I tend to stand close to the front line, so I can see exactly what was happening. The frontline fighters are very young, brave, and smart. They know how to lead and how to instruct others. I feel so proud and hopeful seeing them. It makes me think there's a bright future ahead of us. Apart from protests, banging pots and pans every night is very important as well. It boosts people's courage and motivates them. It is a daily reminder of what we still have to do. And it also allows you to release all the anger and guilt you feel about not being able to protect our younger people from dying every day. Both of my roommates have already left Yangon. But if I go home to my family, I don't think I will be able to do anything in my village. Both in terms of work and my participation in the protest movement. There is no internet in my village anymore, and soldiers are now camping in the school compound. I am also the first person in my village to graduate. So I think I would attract too much attention. What helps me get through these difficult times is the memory of the very first protests in February. Remembering the female factory workers who started these protests are all the people out in the streets who supported us. Since none of them wanted to live under the military regime. I feel hopeful about the future. I believe everything will get better. People now talk openly about the suffering that the various vulnerable groups in the country have been enduring. So I think the chances of reconciliation are quite high. I also got a lot of energy from listening to a band that was playing at the protest at some point. It was a group of young very skilled musicians that gathered next to penta pathoma Park. Under a simple vinyl poster proclaiming music for civil disobedience movement and entertained everybody with revolutionary songs. They stopped playing after the first crackdown, though. Unfortunately, Nima doesn't really have great neighbors, at least when it comes to their respective governments. So I would like to appeal to ordinary people living in these countries instead, to put pressure on their governments to not support the military regime in any way. It just want everybody in your mind to be able to build a good future for themselves.
10:04
AV A Good Day
May 10:47
Have you ever experienced or witnessed a life changes story, so the negative changes in your life. So on March 27, in your protest, I experience a very tragic life changes event of a young pupil in my region. He was at the time he was just a difference team member in the protest. He did not have any dangerous weapon or gains. However, he was brutally tried to treat a pint the military troops. So on that day, there was a big protest, not not so big a big protest in McWay, the capital city of the McWay region. So the troops crackdown the protetta protester and the Chi he experienced a very tragic event in his life, his right ham, the plan of his white, his right hand was blown off by an explosive device of the troops, then his left hand and both legs were short, with rubber legs behind the military troops. And also a hit right mine. Worse also enjoy buying the can counter fire buying the troops. It was all current in there on the street. And then it was he was carried to the hospital, the military hospital, and his right hand was amputated. And he is now in prison. He didn't get any proper medical support or care. The end he also charged with some accusation like find, find five no five, eight. Is it was it was very hot, threaten moment moment for everybody had or witness that event? Yeah.
Host 13:02
Thank you for sharing that. And we're here with me who as she said is in magway, and is going to update us about how things are going there. This is a very traumatic event that you described that happened. Were you in the street when he was hit. Yeah. And this forgive the question. I don't know how else to ask this, although I'm sure the answer is somewhat obvious. But how did you feel when you heard that news? What was your reaction when you heard what happened?
May 13:38
So honestly, I was shocked. And I was so good, some trauma about that new because he was so young. He, he was he is so young, and he is the same age as my brother. So he has so many trees. And I had said he is also a junior from a university you want to the Technological University, and he had a dream to become a professional engineer. So it's just really sad that his hand was imputed, and he has no longer he has no longer had a chance to become an engineer. And he is also now in prison. It's really sad that the young people have dreams after the military cope in February 2021. Every dreams of the young people have been destroyed. And that was really sad.
Host 14:47
And you say he was charged with something but he wasn't actually doing anything. He was just out on the street at that at that time, just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
May 14:57
Actually he involved in the protest He is a member of the Tappan sligh procedures. He didn't have any, any dangerous weapons or cans is just and protest. Just protest and defense. Yeah.
Host 15:18
Is there anything you know about his condition now?
May 15:22
As far as I know, he is now in prison. But he doesn't have intense medical care. And his right I can see very clearly, the doctor said that he needs intensive medical care for his arms and other legs. His right hand is important. And he can do anything with the right hand. His his legs are also needed to have a regular Medicare checkup. But as far as I know, he didn't get any proper medical treatment for his legs.
Host 16:05
And how old did you say he was?
May 16:08
He's 22 years old.
Host 16:11
22 years old. So we're facing prison time with problems in all parts of his body. And I think one of the things that is important to keep in mind for a story like this, a tragic story like this is when one hears about the numbers being affected by the military coup. One might hear about the deaths or other other of those numbers that come first. But we forget outside of the deaths, which is obviously the most impacted all the other ways that people are losing family members losing income, losing opportunity, in this case, losing limbs, losing years of their life, sometimes not just these years, even for people like you the trauma that you're carrying, if this was to be over tomorrow, you would still have years and years of trauma to have to deal with. And these are kind of the unseen costs and impact that this call was having on so many people.
May 17:08
Yeah, yeah, we could normally remember who our dad who lost their family, and who are now in prison, but he is the most significant chase that he is still in the prison and he can get he will never get his normal life. He just, he currently doesn't have his right hand. His legs are also endure and he can't walk. I can't express how he feel. Yeah.
Host 17:44
Right. So let's get to some of your story. You're from magway. But you haven't spent your whole life there. Although you're back there. Now. Can you tell us a bit about your upbringing and what you've been up to until now?
May 18:00
Well, actually, my native is I'm originally from liquid region. My father is a cavernous town in iron Chromat in Memphis, a small city in Macquarie region. So Chai, Chai foods I, I came from the low income family in some of my needs, and wants are limited by the by the by the many, let's say by the many. And so since childhood, I like freedom, I want to get an international education. And I want to study at a prestigious university. So after I graduated, I tried to pursue my dream to get in error free kinds of freedom, like Academy freedom. And, you know, in my, in my country, the university education is was not so good. So that's why I want I want to get an international education. And then I I'm trying to achieve my dream. In 2019, I had a chance to study at the University of all claims in New Zealand, and then I never think of to settle at a foreign country. And then after finish my program, I returned back home in 2020. July, everything was quite good except the COVID-19 cases. But in 2021, February, everything was term entered the military coup. So I was shocked. I was really frustrated on the first February where the What the military sites where the senior German me ally ceases power and States Military Coup. And I was frustrated that one day and I, I do not, I do not want to, I do not know what I need to do or what I want to. And I talk about it with my friends, and and then we are involved in the protest. And then in March, in the last week of the last week office, or maybe in the first week of March, I involved in the group activity. So we have a small group, so that, since that time that in that time, that was a small group who support the public sector staff, to these were involved in the Civil Disobedience movement. So we support them. So the first three weeks was quite quite work quite easy, because we get internet access, and the mobile banking was quite watchable. And so everything was easy going bad in in April, I think the second week of April, they shut down the mall to shut down the internet. And we can assess the but when banking or other social media platforms like Facebook and messenger, and then we have ran out of our vending. So at that time, my role came in, as I have some friends and acquaintances from overseas. And I tried to respond from them. So one of my friends contacted me, the ethical person from the UK, Mr. campaign and inside anymore. So I have another contacts to raise the Fenton. Yeah. So currently, I am responsible for the relationship with other organization and engagement for our organization, every single band, or the CDM CDM support McCree and other humanitarian assistance, group therapy internally displaced person shooter the attack of the military and to to the war. I think my guess a brief about who am I and what am I doing? Yeah.
Host 22:43
Yeah, thank you for that. So one of the things that I was interested in your description, as you describe the moment when the coup happened in February, and then the couple months after that, and February, March and April, and the different stages of protest, and internet and mobile banking. And I think for many listeners, we would have no idea what we would do and who we would become if we found ourselves in a society where literally overnight, all the rules just changed. And the normal way of things going just disappeared. And suddenly, with no roadmap and no background training for what was to be called upon. This is like kind of a movie a disaster movie where the characters just have to make decisions to turn into something that they haven't been before. But this is cinema, this is this is art form. This is on the screen, you're facing something in real life. So I wonder if you can describe a bit about the mindset, not just the mindset on February 1, but the mindset on that day, and then the next couple of weeks, the next few months, and even up to this point of how one makes the decision of if you're going to do anything, what you're going to do. And with that, I think that a number of observers have thought that whatever the protest movement, especially of Generation Z was going to show it was not going to sustain it was going to be kind of a spark, and it was going to make some noise, and then things were going to go back to how they always were. We're recording this entering the ninth month of protests and the morale we'll talk about exactly where the morale and the energy is later, but it certainly hasn't gone away. It's certainly at some point of engagement and determination. So can you describe just take us from the beginning and then over time? If one was faced with this decision, how do you decide that? How do you figure out if you're going to do anything and what you're going to do and then start to do something radically different than anything you've ever known your whole life?
May 24:52
Well, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I remember when I made my decision, so On on the first job I've already, like I said before, I was so frustrated, frustrated, and what, what I want to do, I'm not so sure I should stay in this country, or I should move to another country as soon as possible. I'm so interested, because my parents, especially my father is a cabinet minister. And there had tensions between my brother and myself. So I moved to another place where my family I lived with my parents, at my parents place, and after the coop, I moved to another place because I need to, on a neat, I need to have some space for my parents, and I need to have the right decision for my life. And then I assess the situation. So what's going on in the outside? Where are the protest? What comes next. As really, in the first week of the February, the first week, second week, I have no clear vision, I am i i involved in the protest. And so it's just like, it's just just like, an activity that that everybody do, and I show to. So that's I joined in the protest. But in, in the last week of February, and after talking with my friends who is very well I read in my he's like my mentor, and I've talked with him, and I found that what I need to do, because I have been watching for a look at base civil society organization for about 10 or 11 years, and I have a separate of volunteer, volunteer. And I think I was born to to help people. And I have a passion to help the pupil and to suffer the community. And I think that separate drives me to where I am now. So I'm in the last week of February and I started I stopped going to the protest and I I like to make a very low profile, because be in a low profile is quite safe to and you can too you can do whatever you want very secretly and silently. So I started connecting with people from overseas and I started asking for the firm and asking for the friend and I explained the situation here. So they helped me a lot and I have recent many. So I got motivated because I my action. My issue in our my issue affects the the activities of the CGM support McWay. And we can we can support certain amount of money to the to the CGM staff. So I think it was my decision walks and I still continue, stick to the decision and raise more friends. And I involved in the the higher level proposal. So currently, as of the first step, start with the CDM support. Then I moved to the a wider range of activities like CGM support Maguy and dust provision, provision of support to the to the people from the IDP camps. Yeah.
Host 28:57
So you mentioned that your father was a government official, and when you made the decision to have to be involved in the protest, it sounds like it might not have been completely supported by your parents. Is that the case?
May 29:13
Yeah, yeah. Actually. So you know, my my family is a little bit conservative. So the to know when we to evolve into politics or political conflict. So they think that be in the protest and be in the protest is kind of in is a kind of involved in the politics. So they think that I met, I might get arrested or I might get killed. So it's very conservative. Yeah. So so he doesn't want me to he did just do his due he, he doesn't want me to involve such kind of activities.
Host 29:57
Right. So if I may ask being As a government employee, and having the military then take over the government, what were your father's feelings and reactions at the coup?
May 30:13
I truly I could say that he has no sort of 1988. Also. So in Nigeria, in 1988, there was an also an uprising movement. So he, he has passed through that evidence. And I think he has some kind of fear of the military government, because he know how they did in the past. They killed people. They imprison the protester. So he has, he has bad experience. And he, I think, honestly, afraid of the military. Yeah, yeah. Free talk the military. But he doesn't, yeah. Yeah. But he doesn't know is that it's not the same time is 98 days over a year is 2021. Yeah, we can change we can, I think we can defeat the military.
Host 31:28
Yeah. And that's really the mindset of this generation z that is putting their energy and sacrifice and risk into it. And now that we're entering the ninth month of this protracted conflict, what is what are your father's feelings now about your continued involvement?
May 31:47
I truly, she doesn't know all about what I am sorry. I just let him know, the very small portion of my tax. So and we can get to now we can't, we can't get we cannot get a proper conversation related to the military cope, or pretest or supporting CDM or somebody like that. So I just let them know that the very small portion of my text,
Host 32:24
you can't get a proper conversation because of communication, like technical difficulties or because the topic is too sensitive that you don't feel comfortable opening up to him yet.
May 32:34
Yet, because of the I think, because of the understanding and because of the mindset. Yeah. Yeah. can get a proper conversation. Yeah. Just fear. And I have very active in what I am to. So we can miss it. We can get agreement. Yeah.
Host 32:58
So there's a bit of a generation gap.
May 33:01
Yeah, I could say that. Yeah. Mark, because of the generation gap and the experience that we are, particularly that the experience that we particularly have, because I I spent two years, almost two years in other country, and I know what the changes in the world, but my parents, my father is still in the old era. Yeah. So yeah.
Host 33:38
So you mentioned that your father has fear. And that's why he's not so involved and doesn't want you to be involved. And yet any has that fear because he seen what this military is capable of. It's not that he's paranoid, it's that he's lived through some days of absolute terror and absolute control. So you must also have fear, I mean, you one of your your associates, was horribly wounded and imprisoned. And I'm sure there's many more things that put that fear in you. So, like your father, you also have fear. And yet that fear has not kept you in a closet away from engaging so how are you able to have that fear? And what shape does that fear take and how are you able to continue with what you're doing in spite of it?
May 34:26
Yeah. How can I overcome my fear, I also have fear I am. As I am a woman, I am afraid of being in prison and so making my own as being a prison and getting some of the sexual violence. So that's my biggest fear. But how can I overcome that fear is that I believe that we are now in 2020 when we have very stronger strongest generation So I always tell that we are passing through a very hard time in our history. So we have to change the old, the old history. And I, so I've got some modification from my PR. So every time I feel distressed I talk with very reliable friends of mine. And they got Sam import for my thinking. So I, I have fear, but I overcame it with the motivation and the very, so very practical prospect for the future. So we can defeat them, because the are not so so. So Ay, ay, ay ay, assume that the military has power, because they have weapons, but they do not have the people power and belief in the people power. So I think that's my that's my perspective on the, in the current problems, so we have people power, so we can do with that power, and we can defeat the military. But we need to be resilience. We need to get resilience. Yeah.
Host 36:30
Right. Another thing I heard in your description of how you've moved since February is you described in the early days going out into the streets, and a sense of excitement, a sense of possibility, maybe there was even a bit of fun being with friends, I haven't been I wasn't there during that time. But certainly in seeing pictures. It's incredible the numbers that were out and how people were dressing and what they were protesting. But then the protests, they started killing people on the streets and the protests have been less. And then you had to move into another frame of mind from kind of going with your friends, and you're all young and you're out and you're, you're in numbers, and you're feeling confident. And there could be a sense of real kind of excitement and and everything else with that. But then you have to move into another phase, which is much more serious with much higher stakes. And I assume that transition also requires a higher level of confidence and commitment and determination. And that I know for a fact there are a lot of people who went out on the streets in those early days. And then when things got more serious, they they disappeared somewhat. So I guess that that transition was another point of checking in with yourself to figure out who am I really willing to become and what am I really willing to risk at this phase? Would would you say that's accurate?
May 38:03
Yes, yes. I made that decision to shift from the live on the street and to the to grow the background of the background of a cutting. So, it seems that nobody knows I am working for the civil society out No. So I nobody knows I am working for the CTM support McWay so, very close, the very closest friend in my inner circle know who actually I am. So, some people think that I am just a lady and who live with her parents and posting some posts in this social media status. So, apparently, this is virtually this is who I am, but actually I am. So I think is a very safe space to show the people that I am doing some stupid things. So the cover is story bed. In reality, I am walking for the for I am walking to support the CTM staff and to support the people in the IDP camps and to connect with people who are working for the IDP camps. We have actually, I am still living in McWeeny. And there are some IDB cameras in the northern part of the McCoy territory. So we have to contact with very Atavist people in that area. So we connect with people. And so raising the fans and talking to be to the toner, or something like that. Yeah. I could say that I am during Yeah. So more passionately. About the CIO engaging, and fundraising because I, I was out walking leading, so that I think my proficiency is, is planning and arranging things, rather than involving in the protest. Yeah, I think it's suitable place for me. Yeah.
Host 40:20
Yeah. And I think that's what everyone has had to do as the protests go on, is figure out exactly. What are my skills? What are my weaknesses? Where do I fit in best, and not every single person is meant to be on the front line. There are people that are better suited to that, and there are people that their skills would be wasted, my skills would be completely wasted, if that's where I was. But there's other skills I have, that can be used in a different way. So I do want to learn more about the CDM movement and IDPs in magway. But before we do, I want to go to magway itself. I think we you're speaking to a number of listeners who have maybe never heard of magway before may certainly who haven't been the I've never been to magway The closest I came was pa which i i loved. But, but introduce us to magway Tell us, tell us a bit about the history, the culture, where it's located, the geography, anything that you want the new listener to understand about this region who's never heard of it before?
May 41:21
Yeah, well, yeah, I've had the prison about my gray. Yeah, my central region is located in the central region of Myanmar. And he said that most of the oil came from the Macquarie region, there is the biggest offshore block offshore oil and gas exploration and protection is located in McCoy region. And Maguy is also it has its neighbor include the guy mentally she the guy Mellie, chin, chin state and Rakhine State. So it shaped like shape shake, like standing lady. So I think is yeah, the region is like the standing lady. And it's, it's as it's, it has so many Asian vocoders and quiet night to visit a lot of Asian vocoders. And you can have different taste from the hilly region or the Delta region. So the weather is quite hard, you can get very tropical weather and the fruits are really good to have.
Host 42:45
So tell me, tell me about a food that you can get in magway That wouldn't be common in the rest of Myanmar.
May 42:51
Oh, yeah. I could say there's some traditional snacks like is in Burmese is like how can I say is spammy snags more or geeky or something like that a switch themes you know, never as memory is is a neighboring country of India, we got some traditions from India, we like sweet things. So you can have when you are in McGuane you can have some sweet things we snacks in Burmese traditional style.
Host 43:30
Right? Yeah. And I know that it's also that you mentioned the oil it's since the colonial days the British develop the oil fields and there that the the oil fields there are one of the defining features I heard also that it's a lot of the sesame and the nuts also come from magway as well. And, and yeah, I've heard about the pagodas. And there's even stories that the Buddha on one of his lives at one period went to magway and visited and that it is a pilgrimage place for a number of Buddhists another reason why I like to go there to visit some of these pagodas I've heard about, but I it is a pilgrimage site for a lot of the country's Buddhists to come to at some point. Is that right?
May 44:17
Yeah, it's right. So in my career, there is a bokura called Miata loan. So it's like emerald, emerald bank for the border. So in in it is named because it has so that the Procoder was built, apparently inside Depakote or there is a bed where the Buddha lay the Batali down. So it's called the methylone vocoder. So it's I think it's the sum of the footprint of the boater in the
Host 44:56
right and how about your background, your family's background you come From a traditional Buddhist background and what role has Buddhism played in your life and your perspective?
May 45:07
Yeah, my parents are Buddhism. So they are produced their religion, their religion is Buddhism. So I might my religion is or Buddhism, but I am more or stick to the practice of the Buddha rather than pre seeing some prayers. Yeah. I like the Yeah. I particularly like the trainings of mine 100 train your mind is trying to find a border.
Host 45:44
So you practice meditation. Yeah. What tradition of meditation have you done?
May 45:52
Actually, I can save that's my own tradition. When I was in New Zealand, I'm I suffer from a kind of depression, I also have an attention, attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder, because I, I, I like multitasking. But the side effect is multitasking is I can't I can focus on one thing, some miles I, I experienced the mileson symptom of the ADHD. And then I need to slow down the thinking is the thinking of my brain, then I have my kind of my kind of meditation.
Host 46:35
And so you sounds like you started practicing this meditation more when you were facing depression and ADHD when you were in New Zealand. Now that you're living through this real turmoil here, have you been able to turn back to a meditation practice? Or is this study of the mind? Is this been helpful to you during this difficult period?
May 46:57
Is it is really, really helpful. I do my meditation, and I also studied the positive psychology locally, I studied positive psychology before the before the military coup, I think I was resilient because of that. That's steady and try to. Yeah.
Host 47:19
So these two things have been of benefit the study of psychology and meditation practice.
May 47:25
Yeah, yeah. I built up my resilience through studying it. Yeah, I think it was a like yeah, that I had had a chance to study the positive psychology and the power of thoughts and think every, so every, every kinds of your action word was driven, driven by your thought. So I think I can control my mind to certain certain extent, yeah.
Host 48:03
Can you give me an example of something that happened in the last nine months that was a traumatic or a difficult moment and either your meditation practice or your background in psychology, one of these came and helped you to be able to deal with whatever the problem or the challenge was at the moment?
May 48:22
Well, there are some of years experience I called tear, the first thing for us, two of my closest friends, were now in prison, it is so traumatic, and I do not have a proper relationship with my parents. So my my, so, in the press diamonds, the feeling worse actually, ups and downs, some do you I was so down in. So lock for one day and I do not I do not know what I am doing and what I need to do and what I have to do in my life, but at the time, at the time, every time I had conflict with my parents. Every time I had a feeling I had a fairly or trauma. And I I monitor my mind, my thoughts. And I look at the thoughts I look at my thoughts. Where are they going? Where are my thought going? They are going to the dark side or they are going to be they are trying to solve or trying to escape from the dark side. So I monitor my thoughts and I monitor my thoughts through meditation, and I reflect the techniques that I learned from the positive psychology cloud So, from that, from that prejudices, I can change the way of my thoughts. So, so you know, so you can be very positive in every situation you can have, be realistic, you have to be realistic. So that I think every time I monitor have the thoughts, I know where they are Cory, and I changed the route to the realistic view. And I think that's, that's kind of make me relaxed and focus on the to focus on during the right things.
Host 50:49
That's great to hear. And it also brings to mind how much people like you that are facing this now have to rely on whatever it is they are up to this point, whatever it is, they learned, whatever it is they've achieved, whatever strengths they have, that this is the time for all of them to come and to serve as a bedrock. I want to go back into magway. And we've learned a little about the history and geography of the region before February 1. Can you tell us a bit again for listeners who might not be familiar with the region might not be following the news closely Can you give us some kind of update or overview on how the life in the post coup in magway has progressed what have you seen in the magway region since the coup was initiated?
May 51:41
Well, I could say that. So, as I mentioned, McQueen is located in the central region of Myanmar is it's most of the towns and cities are located on the plane region. But the Wynn district called Kangol is is close to the Qin state and is a GYN and is located in the hilly region. So the hilly region favors the hilly region favors the local PDF home to locate PDF and they can host the topography that the trouble graphics saturation, host the the people who feed from the houses to hide the military attack. So, in Ganga region, there are so many forests and trees. So, so, the low cap ETF can hide and Pratchett's military training there and also the PTF can have a place to live there because it is not easily accessible by the military troops. So, so in if I say a region, so, in cancle region, the area is quite is active related to the defense and I think attack. So, in the in other plane region. So, I could say that there are five districts in McQuaig. So, can go region, it can go district, a Cago district Maguy district member district, entire district. So, they can go district is quite intense with the attack and the the the the inhumane activities of the military troops, they bend down the villages, houses and people have to flee away into the forest to save their life. Find yourself. So the kangaroo region is it's not an is still unrest. So in in other regions, so there there is a CG called tangy which is included in the Mukherjee street. They are they are separate. They're rubber revolutionist separate is quite intense. And actually, the town is a very plain area and there is no forest or there is no mountainous area to hide. But they are still attacking. They are stay like the fencing, the the attack of the military, the attack of the police and the military. So that's the significant about the town big city. So in other cities which are located to the Qin state, there are so many Atavist who protest the the military or the police you You know, every every people in in the whole region are protesting or the during evolving in the revolt revolution in their own way. But the place I mentioned the Congo region town green tea and the the places which are located to the chance to significantly active and the the obvious places that are that are resisting or defensive in the military in in the front line. Yeah, I think that's that's the that's a general brief about the McQueary region.
Host 55:41
Right. And certainly, Ganga has been in the news quite a bit. That's interesting what you say about the geography, and the topography being some of the reasons why we might see more activity here. There have been so many people that have been displaced by in villages around Ganga Township. Before interview, I was looking at this and one statistic said that was 3000 people from villages in the Ganga region, have fled their homes 3000 of these or 3000 people of all different ages and health and everything else that are basically just living in the forest, just an open air just to escape in many cases, their homes have been burned down or have been hit with artillery. Just a couple days ago, I read a report about two men who were both 71 years old, who both died a couple of days ago, because in the process of fleeing, they just passed out from exhaustion and died from simply not having the energy to keep moving. And this also has to be counted and the casualties of what we're seeing. This is not a direct bullet that is causing a death. But these are people that would otherwise be alive, if not faced with this situation. And so Ganga has certainly been in the news for the kind of the brutal punishment and offensive that the military has taken out on the people. And I believe that the your defense force is the active one in the region.
May 57:17
Yeah, yes, definitely. They are. They are. Because, you know, so the one things that before the crew before the coup, you know, so the military has its own basis in every CDs, every CDs, and every places. Every places, so they also have factory for the manufacturing of the weapons. So, so that in can go. So in Gandalf, the turbo graphic, Turbo graphic, as saturation favors them to be more active in defense impact the military attack? As is also Yeah, as is also a new near to beach and state, they already have actually they already they already have the hunting devices like to me, so. So as I think they they are they are ready to attack back attack back the military. Because the they know how to use the to me and the other hunting devices, you know, compared to the people from the, from the mercury or in mammals, we don't know, we don't know how to do the those devices because we do not go hunting. And we have very easy life in the cities. But that's not like the people from the from the other region, those who can go, they have they have the present from the need to know how to droopy the Hantek devices like to me, and they are ready when the when when the military attacks their villages, they can defense. Yeah. Yeah.
Host 59:22
And that's provoking a very harsh military response.
May 59:25
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah.
Host 59:29
I've never been to Ganga either. But I've always I've known about it for years and I've always had this impression of Ganga being kind of a place of just exquisite natural beauty. Very, very foresty very remote, difficult living conditions, but also quite unique in terms of the nature and the wild. That's what's there. But certainly a very, a very rustic existence there is that I don't know if you've been there yourself. Certainly closer to it so you know people there but Is that how you would characterize it before February?
May 1:00:06
Actually, I have never been before but I have a lot of friends in that region. So actually the Congo which is quite peaceful and relaxing with the natural resources and speeches of their people is so sweet and so charming. So I'm particularly live love that place. But right now, so after the coop, before the coop, they are charming and very peaceful people and very kind. But after the coop, the became very strong person to fight for their, to fight for their places and to fight against the military. So they are impressively become brave. Yeah.
Host 1:01:01
They're the real warriors of the region. It sounds like Yeah,
May 1:01:04
yeah. Yeah.
Host 1:01:07
And what kinds of people live there? Is it Bomar? Or is that ethnics or who are the main residents of that region?
May 1:01:14
Yeah, I think he's mixed. The Mar, I think. And yeah, especially so the major ethnic group Omar and Chen, but there are also some minor ethnic groups. I can't I can't pronounce the name of the so do you say that the your ethnic groups or something that yeah, they say your ethnic groups because they are speaking they also speak families but their their way of speaking is quite different from what I am saying.
Host 1:01:50
Right and just overlap a kind of Buddhist history and background all of this place. We were talking before the interview and I was mentioning how Ganga on your first came to my attention. Many years ago when I learned about Monet, Sado who was one of the great monastic teachers in the Mogok lineage. And I was close with Dr. Jenny Koji, who was living in Ganga at the time from Yangon and basically found Mom They say to in the forest and, and her whole story, which we have another podcast is bringing Monet say it into Yangon, where he became a famous meditation teachers. The first courses that he gave were actually at our home in Yangon, Aung San Su Qi actually came to one of them, and attended one of the courses and, and he was just living remotely on his own just in the forest. And so the reason I go into all this story is just to remember another example of the costs and the sacrifices that are being exerted by this coup in more peaceful times, even though of course, it was a military dictatorship. So it was never quite peaceful everywhere. But in other times, at least in Ganga, you had monastics who were pursuing liberation and living in a very austere and serious life in the forest. That is the same forest where the military is now launching mortars and burning villages, and of course, killing, raping and everything else. And so this is this byproduct that we might not think of is turning the place that used to be for monks who were looking for practice and and seriously following these precepts and living by really great discipline. Of course, that's completely off the table as well. So just it's disrupted every level of mundane as well as spiritual life.
May 1:03:46
Yeah. destroying everything, everything, every situation of peace.
Host 1:03:56
Right, so we talked a bit about Ganga, and I wanted to go back to tundra and je, you mentioned that there this was kind of a peaceful, perhaps something of a no name village that wasn't really on the map. For those who didn't know the region and yet now it's become this stronghold of resistance and courage. And you had mentioned before, about a policeman being stabbed there very early on that might have been the first revolutionary activity of the whole region. So what do you attribute for the reason why this kind of revolutionary spirit has found this town?
May 1:04:37
Let me start with the, the history. I could say that it's not a history. Actually tandragee is located in the place of the Queen. Beta. No. Have you ever heard about the Queen beta? No.
Host 1:04:55
All I know about beta No, this is where the few people in the pew are the pre birth More people. It's a UNESCO site. This is one of the oldest regions of the country.
May 1:05:05
Yeah. I had a, I remember that you mentioned that you have been to Pei where they recruit Dr. Asian cities located. But yeah, the temperature there is also there is also an Asian CD is Vita no Asian CDs. It's named for the the Queen feta. No. So she was a very brief Queenie in her history. So Tommy G is quite close to that Asian city. And it has some in the in the American history, it has remarkable, remarkable revolution, revolution warrior in Myanmar history. So so it's, it's it's a small town, but it has a history in Myanmar, in Myanmar history, so that I think some people have that separate. And so it is a small and peaceful town before the protest. But after the protest the face severe problems, lack of people became jobless, and they cannot trade. They cannot trade or sell the protests. And so everything is quite changes. Everybody experience changes after the coop. So that my thinking is that my rational off that people are committing that kind of tapping the freeze or something like that, because they do no want this saturation. So they do not accept their government governing of the military Military Region. So that's the reason why they are protesting and they are committing some attack to the police or the military.
Host 1:07:09
In Sure. Yeah. I did a bit of research myself before talking to you and learned a bit about some of the the conflict that happened in previous centuries it referenced between the Bomar kingdom and the Rakhine army that there were several fights involving Rakhine resistance that came to the town and some of the pagodas are actually named after Rakhine region for those conflicts. So, this, this is a history and a memory of all the conflict that has taken place from different centuries and coordinate different groups.
May 1:07:46
Yeah, yeah. Oh, okay. I remember that actually. There are so many famous people who came from the town during, so in, in the in Myanmar literature, there is a poet has called tangerine, tangerine, she name it. So she, she, she wrote a lot of poems, poems related to the military. So when, so the one poem that we taught in our in, I think, in secondary education, so there is a poem of her. So it's the poem is about. So a girl is a girl is telling somebody about her fiancee are who led to fight for his country, who loved hard to fight, to fight the enemy, to protect his country. Like his poem is about the nationalism or something like that. Yeah.
Host 1:08:53
Yeah. And I also found that there, you mentioned this one poet that there are a whole collection of famous writers and poets and monks who have all come from this very small village. So it's had quite a history for many centuries.
May 1:09:08
Yeah.
Host 1:09:11
And I think that what it also indicates, you know, Victor, no, I think is about 16 kilometers from Tongji. So it's not actually in that place, but we have to remember and we have to be concerned about the fact that bacon oh is one of the great ancient historic ruins sites of Myanmar. This is a UNESCO site. This is 1000 years older than the gone. So this is truly a treasure not just of the country but of the world that is capturing a a very historic civilization, the Pew people that exists no longer and if this conflict starts to spread and starts to go into other places. Of course, we're most concerned about civilian casualties and the impact to people, but we also have to keep in mind the, the some of the places that actually preserve history. And, you know, even during World War Two, when you read about the bombing of Japan and Germany, they they will they didn't bomb Kyoto because Kyoto is even though Japan was the enemy they didn't want to destroy the cultural heritage of of the country and other people because they felt they were already looking ahead and seeing that there are certain things you just can't rebuild, and you can't make up. And so even such a terrible enemy is that time they were concerned about the cultural heritage. And so I think this is something that we have to put on the map. And we have to be conscious of that one of the regions where there is so much conflict and so much destruction is one of the great historic centers of the country where there is still pottery to be found. There are still things to study, there's still hints that historians and archaeologists can come and can learn about who these people were and how they lived. And all of this is also at threat of being wiped away if the conflict spreads more and I'm just using the example of beta No, because this is close to where we're talking about but this can be substituted for anywhere in the country any any museum or pagoda or ruined site or anywhere else that these are also the casualties of what's going on now.
May 1:11:29
Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. God take them you know, we are facing the very stupid enemy. They they don't know the importance of the some archaeological historic buildings and histories or archaeological buildings, they, they will destroy everything, when they are order. Is they just stupid?
Host 1:12:06
Yeah, and we've seen pictures of Buddha statues with bullet holes in them. And, you know, this is the military that saying they're doing this to protect Buddhism and yet we're seeing pagodas destroyed monks arrested and Buddha statues with bullets.
May 1:12:23
Yeah. So, they also just tried to not only the Buddhist places, Buddhism places, but also the charges. So so the art of the topic is so in my country that the religious problem is also is has been rooted for a long time. So yeah. But destroying everything, they destroy everything, not only the charges, but also the Buddhist temple in pakoda. Everything.
Host 1:12:55
Right, right. It's just an absolute mad, brutal ego rush to just control and kill at all costs. And that's why the resistance is trying to be smart and trying to fight and to push back in different ways. I want to move to what we talked about a bit earlier, before we got into magway, we were talking about CDM and IDPs. Let's break each of those downs. So because of the terrible fighting that is going on in some of the magway region, especially Ganga and Tonto and G and other surrounding places and Qin state, there have been many people have had to flee into the forest and they're then IDPs internally displaced persons. You've also been involved in supporting and caring and fundraising for some of those people in camps. Can you give us something of an overview about the IDP situation in that way?
May 1:13:51
Well, I I can mention that I have I have very close contacts in kangaroo region. So I can share the information about the cavalry region. So, so currently, so in Ganga region, their military close their routes to so the logistic routes to support the to support the Russians to be it became so, so my contacts secretly finding the new route to transport the rides and other basic food items. So, the first thing is the the transportation and logistics. So the second thing is, so now we are so the winter is coming. So the people from the IGP can names, blankets and shelter. So for the help so so in the in the ITP camps. There are the people are from all ages from children to the old age, so they need our I'm so so compared to the mercury and member or tambourine that then can go, which is quite cooler, cooler than in the in magway and other cities in Macquarie region. So, when winter is coming, they need more blankets, and warm jackets, warm coats, and shelter for their health. And also, that's, that's the second item. The third item is rice. So, you know, rice is the staple foods of Myanmar. So currently in the in can go region. So the farmers cultivate the rights. And so sooner there will be harvest time to hoppers, the the rise. My Content said that if the attacks between the local defense force and the military, if there isn't, if there isn't any attacks between any attacks or war between the military and the local defense, the farmers can harvest what they stole that if there is if there is a battle between if there is a better in their region, the farmers cannot harvest their crops in the rice problem might be very, very hot topic or hot issue. Because if the people do not get the staple foods, the basic food item, they got hunger. So I think currently, that's the main problem.
Host 1:16:49
I see. And you've been leading some fundraising for these camps.
May 1:16:53
Yeah, yeah.
Host 1:16:56
How's that going?
May 1:16:59
Actually, I'm contacting with the funding organization, I write some proposal and I applied to I applied them, but we are still looking at it, we are staying waiting for the reply from the organization's so. So currently, so, here is the update situation, you know, that you an organization like yourself, while Bishan they really they want to be trying to support provision to that people in the affected area to the intp in the budget area, but the thing is that the thing is that and the procedure, you know, the UN has a lot of procedure, a lot of procedure. So, it takes a long time to get the assistant to be IGB pooper. So, at the time, our idea is that we are trying to contact that human organization. So, our idea is that we have very close contact, we the information flow within our close group is quite fast, quite fast, we have people on the ground, we have people on the ground and so, in that situation, the the activities or the actions of locate, locate organization like ours, match be matched better than the the actions of the UN organization. So in other words we can lie is between the needs and the people who want to donate. So that's that's, that might be the strategy of our humanitarian organization.
Host 1:18:44
So you're trying to get this donation from individual donors, because the processing time and the bureaucracy and the forms, especially when your internet and electricity are not good to begin with, and many people are in hiding, going through the UN can be quite cumbersome and difficult when the need is so great. So you've been trying to do it more informally. And more directly, have you been able to find donors given the amount of need and urgency?
May 1:19:10
Yeah, yeah, definitely. We do not blame the Asians of the UN. We, we, we really want we really, really want their help because they have huge amount of funding, but the problem is the timing. So So desaturation is date is not the Nami is not assisting people in the know message duration is like an emergency. Really emergency not a disaster. It's, it's, it's, it's better, better field, we need emergency response, so to support so. So in emergency response, they can get hunger, they can get hangry in every time. If they're they're dry rushing. ran out. So and then, so when we need money in our hand, to support them in a timely manner, so to give them an emergency response every time they need so, so that's, that's our stance. So we find funding from the other organization and we also try to coordinate with the UN organization. But if you're an organization is quite they have procedure and they're very long bureaucracy system is it's not so effective in current situation. So that's why we need to fix the problem by supporting them by responding as much as fast as we can.
Host 1:20:50
And how has that been Have you been able to locate donors casually and informally, that is been able to find the funds adequately for the emergency and the dire situation that people are now find themselves in?
May 1:21:05
Welcome you. So we have our team have is about eight or 10 members. So everybody, everybody find donation from the, as much as they can. So I find that funding from the other people from the US, New Zealand and other countries, so I got fancy individually and got fancy and I transfer money to them. So other people got buying from some individual donors like individual donor, like from their sibling who are working in Korea, or Singapore, or something like that. So currently, we are solving the problem by collecting the money from the individual donors for setting amount is, is quite low. So the individual donation is not that much. But if we collect the individual donation from so some people we can, we can support such a model many to the camp, but it's still need many. So our hours provision, our support is not adequate. And now
Host 1:22:26
right and through our nonprofit, better Burma, we have allocated before some of the donation we had to the projects you're working on. And this is a reminder to listeners to those that are hearing this, that we do have an effective way to be able to bring your donations directly to magway, and so many other places. So for those that are listening to this and would like to support these IDP camps that are having to be filled. Now, given the the conflict that's going on, it would be possible to give directly to our nonprofit and to earmark, these IDP camps and magway. And that would be a way to support and we are also going to have next next couple of weeks, we're going to start a major campaign to be able to support IDPs all over the country magway being one of them, because this is the sad reality that the conflict is turning many, many 1000s of people now into displaced persons that are leaving in the open. So this is becoming an urgent need everywhere due to the conflict ramping up.
May 1:23:31
Yeah, exactly. Because the need is quite large. So we need large amount of money. But what we can do now is is quite very low compared comparatively to the needs of the people. But we are still trying and we are welcomed. We are welcome every kind of support, funding or other provision, we are welcome. So we can we can contribute the support from the individual donors to the hands of the needy people.
Host 1:24:10
Right. So let's switch to CDM. We were talking about IDPs. And with the civil disobedience movement, this was something that was very active in the early protests to try to shut down the military from controlling the country to make an ungovernable and to have more and more office workers leave their job. We haven't heard so much about CDM in the last few months. So in looking at least him magway What can you tell us about the involvement of CDM in magway, at the moment how that's impacting the military and the state of those civil servants that are on CDM?
May 1:24:52
Well, yeah, yeah. The proudest thing is that the CDM is also nominated for the Nobel Prize award for 2022. Yeah, that's what very good news for the CDM staff. So in my gray region. So before the, I think, let me start with the chronological order. So in March, I think March. So until the third week of the, I think until the might be the last week of the April, the the movement of the movement of the CDM CDM. The CDM movement, civil disobedience movement had reached his peak, every almost every people, almost every government staff and public staff involved in the Civil Disobedience movement. Bad unfortunately, unfortunately, after John, and doing after Sam returned back to the office, at the end of April, or some of the people, government staff were returned back to the office at the end of June, because, you know, they can't, they can resist, they can resist to be an employment problems, without, without a job, they do not have any income, and they have problems for their survival, as really CTM support we can provide, let's say we can provide 50 pounds in for one person. So it, that amount of money is okay for a single person, for a person with family. So 50,000 per month is not survival. So some of the CDM style for 10 back to the office bad. So blessing in disguise, the do not perform very well in their government tax. So we could say that the government mechanism is, is it's just trying to some a stand by the Civil Disobedience movement. So in McQueary region, I think most of the cabinet staff when I say when I say most, I think surrounds health of the government staff return back to the office fat How to abandon or sacrifice to their job, and continue during civil disobedience movement.
Host 1:27:47
And at this stage in the protests, now that we're nine months in, and we don't know how long this is gonna keep on what and especially also that the PDFs have become so much more of a part of what's happening. And before, what do you see as the value or the role in CDM at this moment, and going forward.
May 1:28:10
So, um, so currently, I can't say that, so. So people say that Nan CDM and CDM. But I caught I will say that nem Nan CDM people are also during civil disobedience movement in their own way they want to the job they got they get the salary from the government, but they do not perform the attacks very well as much as stated before. So that's kind of does candor just reading the mechanism of the government. So, so, right now, what I can tell is that so, so in mineral in my region, there is the biggest onshore block in Myanmar is called Man oil field. So the production of the might well be is in the ordinary time in the in the before there could the protection of the daily protection of the mighty men oil fee is is 1000 barrels per day. But currently, the production is only about 10 per barrel or two entrepreneurial putty. So that's that showed that the people who went back to the office didn't perform well their job. So I can conclude that there's civil disobedience movement of the CDM stuff and nail CDS is still impacts the mechanism of the government
Host 1:29:58
and that's really good. Hear. And it's also good to remember that just because people aren't on CDM, they could be in their jobs not doing them. Well, as you mentioned, some kind of sabotage your spine can certainly be the case. So it's not just the numbers of those that are on CDM. But also what those are doing that are involved. Where do you stand with the donations you've been able to get? And how you've been able to support the CDM movement? Have you? Are you getting donations in the same kind of informal way, as you've been trying with the IDPs?
May 1:30:33
Yeah, actually, we got some kind of funding for CDM from some organization, but we are still looking for another resources. And we apply proposal because so we need many, we need many to support the CGM and we trying to have another strategy for the sustainability you know. So, in every month, we support 50 lakh let's say with the ball 50 lakh per person, but we cannot cover all the CDM staff, we cannot, and we do not get any support from the National Unity government. We are during high our own will. So we didn't get any support from the National Unity government. But we don't mind about that we can do, we can do and we will do whatever. Whatever we need. And we we are trying to stay support the CDM staff. But we trying to figure out the the a very sustainable way or strategic strategy way to in support the CDM staff, you know, some CGM staff have capacity to start up their own business. So we might, we might find some solutions to to start up for some CGM staff for this sustain for their sustainable survival. But it's just just the thinking we have to walk on that. But currently, we use that the old way, like supporting many to the studio staff, when they are asked for.
Host 1:32:25
Right, so it sounds like you guys are just really on your own of just having to not only get the funds through any means or ways that you can, but also make these determinations of who should then once you have the funds, how do you allocate them? What are given the people's needs and importance and safety and sacrifice and other means of income? You have to decide these very difficult allocation questions. And you're just a bunch of 20 year olds doing all this on your own and trying to figure it out.
May 1:32:58
Yeah. So it's, it's, it's, it's really difficult to handle the demands of the CGM staff. So we have a Facebook Facebook page. And I was the admin of that Facebook page, but I'm no longer I'm no longer the admin of that Facebook, because my my account has been hacked, I can SSH to my old account Facebook account for some security reason, so I'm not the admin of the Facebook group anymore. So when I was when I was the admin of that Facebook CDM CGM portion of the group, I got a lot of demand a lot of request from the messenger. So so we have to handle we have to handle we have to address the solution, we have to address the request. So logically, what we can do well we can own to is that if we have a lot of money, we can support them. We can support every request, but when we have limited amount of money, so we figure out, we figure out the people that we have to provide support, like those person has, doesn't have any support from the CDM support my way, you know, some people have our support for five or four times. So when we have limited amount of money to support, we check how many times do they get support from our organization, our group or other group? So that's the first criteria and then the family members of the CDM staff you know, some people have to Six or seven family members. So that does the prime two of our, that might be the priority on our list. So that's the two main things that we that we choose the person we donate.
Host 1:35:19
So you're talking about these limited resources that need to be allocated according it's almost like triage, you know, after there's been after people have been injured, and you're having to figure out who to treat. And these limited resources have to go around to people that are all struggling and all sacrificing. And I'm wondering what you're seeing of the response of those recipients because this is I keep stressing this is almost a year into the protest, this is something that has been going on for a while, and we don't know how long it's going to keep going on. So some of the more positive feelings of you know, unity and sacrifice. They're easier to have at the beginning. But as it stretches on, it can be harder to hold up. But maybe not. So that's what I'm curious about, as you're checking in with those recipients who are getting the support in Iran. CDM are what are you finding in terms of attitudes? Among them? Is there a greater sense of trying to get what they need for themselves and a fear and wanting to take more to request more? Or are you still finding some kind of spirit of sacrifice and austerity, and, and carefulness in terms of what what one accepts? And what the needs are of others? I'm sure it differs across the person, but what are you finding with the attitudes of those who are getting these these funds on CDM?
May 1:36:43
Yeah. So we have to deal with the different people, different people from different backgrounds. Yeah. So, but what what what we can say from my experience, so till now, some people are those who are stay committed to the civil disobedience movement, they never, they will never get back to the, to their work. That's the thing I can say about them. So, some, some people get angry at us, and they shouted, and think I feel they shouted as even though they type in the messenger. So, they said that for what you are doing now, you are supposed to help us. So we need many or something like that. So, we can we can totally understand their situation, they do not have many, they do not have many to buy food. So at the time they the they have they showed their temper, but we can totally understand but their origin so great is they are stay stick to the civil disobedience movement. But they'd meet many. They need many. So the attitudes toward civil disobedience movement is quite clear. They will never back to the to the to their office, fed the sometimes angry that they sacrifice a lot. But we the people cannot support them adequately or sufficiently.
Host 1:38:18
Yeah, yeah, there are certainly sacrifices everyone has to make to be able to seek a better future. So I want to move on the last topic here. The last question I have for you, at least. And we talked before the interview about this chief minister, ammonia from your region and what happened to him. I know that you didn't know him personally, but you're aware of his case. I wonder if you can share a bit about what you know about him both before the coup in terms of who he was as a leader and then what has happened to him this year.
May 1:38:54
So as soon as on February, on, I think on February 1, one day stage military coupe. They they promptly just detained the the Chief Minister of Macquaire Region One Manyo, tada, ammonia and sonar. We heard that we heard that they sent him to the prison near the Downey stream. It's it's on the way to on the way from McQueary to him, and I think he is still now in prison. So recently, I heard that I heard that he has some health issues, but he also didn't get proper medical treatment.
Host 1:39:49
Well, right, and I've I've heard very good things about him. You know, he was in the NLD from since forever. He was an 88 activist and he's won every election that he's running in this house. In town going back since 1990, I was speaking to someone just today in preparation for the interview, who has been a Bomar activist who has been very critical of NLD in the past. And he's mentioned how, despite his some of his skepticism of what the NLD has done, he's found ammonia to be one of the real stand up members with a great degree of integrity and has just respected him tremendously as many who have come in contact with him. He won't another of my friends who knows him personally, actually, when he was in magway, a couple years ago, had was treated to lunch at his home, he said to me that he couldn't imagine when you're being charged with any kind of corruption, because he just gave things away, he was just so generous, that he was always giving and supporting everyone. But yet they didn't charge him with corruption, of course, doesn't matter what the charge is, they invent something to try to make it have some degree of legitimacy, they something about taking 50 lakh to rezone the land that denco patrol station was built on. And as you mentioned, he's now in prison with health issues. And this is someone who, from many people that I heard was really a stand up person who cared about his community, and was trying to do the right thing as a leader and as a politician. And so again, these are more casualties of this coup that is taking place, not just the number of deaths, which is terrible enough on its own, but really good caring, competent leaders who are trying to do well for their people that have been removed and are physically being harmed, and maybe worse, and but aside from their own personal plight, the benefit that these leaders could do to their community is also taken away. And so everyone that would have lived there that would have benefited from that kind of leader is also deprived of that.
May 1:41:59
Yeah, yeah. So it's quite obvious that so in in entered the government of the NLD, in 2050, to 2020, the turbo man of the deployment of the McQueen region is McWeeny city is quite obvious, we can we can see the the very convenient Road in McWay, imagery CDs, because you know, before the before, before the ramonja, government, regional government, everything is McWeeny is like, actually Maguey is the capital city of the whole region, the whole macro region, that the road is not qualified enough to the road are just trying every rainy season. But in enter the government of Guam review, the capacity of the road is quite, is quite convenient. And he also created public spaces. So I think he did a lot of thing for the community. It's free. He's now imprisoned.
Host 1:43:16
Yeah, yeah, I'm very sorry to hear that. So that was all that I had for you in terms of some of the questions that I wanted to cover. You know, this is a platform that people are listening to, and learning about the protest movement, what it feels like to be on the ground and the goals and aspirations of those that are in it. So before we go, I just wanted to ask you, if there was anything else you wanted to express and have your voice heard by those that are listening?
May 1:43:47
I have now the special to say that bad. I just want the audience who listened that there's pockets know that. So please, please involved in this revolution. So to end the military routine, we have to stand together and fight back as much as we can. And we have to stop then in our generation. If not, we will never ever decrease those evil. So please evolve in this revolution. And this and this bad hole as much as we can. Yeah,
Host 1:44:36
thank you for that. And you know, it's just been it's been so nice to hear from what you've been doing and for your perspective to be shared to learn more about magway, which I think many people probably haven't been familiar with before. And this platform is certainly doing all the weekend our nonprofit is doing whatever we can as well and want to encourage listeners as well that might want to be present. Tell donors to some of the things that you're working on and some of the other needs around me and Mara that all that information is available on our website to be able to get your donation to those who need it most. And I just thank you for taking the time to talk to us. And please do stay safe and keep us updated. And best wishes for yourself and for the whole revolution going forward.
May 1:45:25
Thank you Thanks for having me and giving me a chance to express about the McQuaid thanks.
Host 1:46:19
As a small mostly volunteer team, the production time for a single episode of insight Myanmar podcast can sometimes be as long as four months from start to finish. More recently, we've tried to increase the speed of this process for special episodes, but the fastest we've been able to manage has been around three weeks. During this current crisis, however, where even a single day can be so urgent, we simply don't have the luxury of waiting so long. We've worked around the clock to shorten this timeframe and some episodes have managed to turn around of just 36 hours. Similarly, while our previous goal was to produce a podcast once every 10 days, we are now trying to put out episodes as soon as they finish knowing how valuable it is to get these ideas out there at this critical time. However, we cannot accomplish this increase without your support. If you have found value in today's episode and think that others may also benefit from this type of content at this time, please consider making a donation so that we can continue our mission. If you would like to join in our mission to support those in Myanmar who are resisting the military coup, we welcome your contribution in any form, currency or transfer method. Every cent goes immediately and directly to funding those local communities who need it most. donations go to support such causes as a civil disobedience movement CVM families of deceased victims, and the purchasing of protective equipment and medical supplies. Or if you prefer, you can earmark your donation to go directly to the guest you just heard on today's show. In order to facilitate this donation work, we have registered a new nonprofit called Better Burma for this express purpose. Any donation you give on our insight Myanmar website is now directed to this fund. Alternatively, you can visit our new better Burma website, which is better Burma one word.org and donate directly there. In either case, your donation goes to the same cause and both websites accept credit cards. You can also give via PayPal by going to paypal.me/better Burma. Additionally, we can take donations through Patreon Venmo GoFundMe and Cash App. Simply search better Burma on each platform and you'll find our account. You can also visit either website for specific links to those respective accounts or email us at info at better burma.org. In all cases, that's better Burma. One word spelled b e t t e r b u r Ma. If you would like to give it another way, please contact us. Thank you so much for your kind consideration.