Transcript: Episode #191: Resisting Until Victory
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Host 0:31
Thank you for taking the time to listen to today's episode. As you know, the current crisis in Myanmar is extremely concerning. And we appreciate that you're taking the time to stay informed. There is even value in just becoming more aware and helping to inform others. So please consider sharing this episode so that more people may learn about what is happening in the country. It's critical to ensure that this issue remains present and public discourse. But for now, let's get on to the interview itself.
Host 2:06
Myra, thanks so much for joining us here at insight Myanmar podcast.
Myra 2:09
Thank you for having me.
Host 2:12
So let's get right into your story. Let's talk about where you came from your family growing up, we'll get to what brought you here to the US and the work you're doing now. But take us back to the beginnings.
Myra 2:24
Um, why? Well, I was born as an internally displaced person in the fifth brigade in current state, Eastern Burma. And as an internally displaced person, I had to flee for live since I was a baby, along with my parents, and my three siblings, and of course, many other villages that we live in the in the area together. And sometimes I used to use the word homes or villages, because I got to live in many different bit villages. Because when one village was burned down, and the Burmese troops planted land mines in and around the village, then we literally had to move away from that village and build up another one. And it's happened several times. So that's why I ended up having many different homes and several different villages. And I think as far as I remember from what other people told me, and when I was probably about three, that's when my father died, and then by five of my mother also died due to the brutality of the Burmese military. And I grew up with my uncle's family. And I live to live as an internally displaced person probably for at least 1213 years. Before I got to, at the time, we called playball Lu, it technically it was a refugee camp, because we had the location the village was based on the village was based on Thai soil on the Y River on Thai side, but at the same time back then in sort of like mid 80s to late 80s. Back then we didn't really have the refugee camps that are recognized by the US HCR international community as the refugee camps, although I, myself and many other villagers who moved on into Thai side, we weren't technically refugees, because we crossed the border into the Thai side. And so I, I lived a life like that for another good probably 10 years before the fall of the Korean headquarters man of law, but back then, it was a very stronghold for the Korean community. Yeah, that's in by early 1995. I remember very well, 1995 January 28, afternoon, about 3pm. That's when I got on the last boat with many people from the village where I stayed at the time with a big church piano. And that was it. It took another probably about two decades for me to step on Burma soil again until 2015, my first trip back to Burma. And so of course, when we started fleeing from the Burma side to Thai side, at the very beginning of 1995, everything was so chaotic, specially from the month of January to March. That's when everyone was fleeing people trying to search for family members. I stayed at the time at a totally different missionary school and I had no connection with my aunt and uncle, my cousins, my grandmother at the time. And we just had to live a life like that and make the most out of it. We were thankful that we were survived, although we had to leave pretty much everything behind. And I remember at the time, because the village where I I came from, we were lacking in security personnel as well as medical assistant. And so I joined in a doctor and a nurse that look after the people at the area where we we lived as a nurse aide, I didn't know anything about nursing or anything, but I had to literally learn quickly learn how to give injection, learn how to measure the temperature, the blood pressure, trying to learn to use microscope to check out the virus for malaria and all the stuff. And I enjoyed it because I feel as if life has a purpose in what I do was very beneficial for the people who need my help. And at the time, we also had to be scared of the the de kPa democratic Buddhist army, the Democratic Korean Buddhist army at the time. Because when we've we've fled onto Thai soil, although we were on Thai side, I mean, think about in march over there, it was already drying season, all the rivers sort of like shrinking water was going down. So at some places, we can even walk across the river, where are some places we swim across the river. So those do kPa troops put together with the Burmese troops, they can cross the Moy river anytime and come into our location and started killing our people on the Thai side, which they did. Oh wow. And so to my best ability, I learned how to shoot I had to carry a gun in order to to guide the village along with other men and making sure that our people are safe. So literally when we went out to look to look after different patients from the beginning of the one side of the camp to another side of the camp, we always have to carry some kind of safety to the with us to to to make sure if there's anything happen, we are some we have something to protect ourselves. Right. Right. And over the other side, I learned much later in Miramar back at the time the camp wasn't named or more yet, because everyone moved in from the village I used to live before that I called that I said, it's called playball Do they move into another location, which now it is called Mira McCampbell. But at this at that time, they were not able to figure the name yet. And I heard that the DKB troops came in, and literally chasing people burning down the houses, the sheds that the refugees over there built up. And I believe at the time, one woman was burned, alive. And so of course, she died. And I remember when I met my grandmother, sometime later on, she was like, I just told them, I cannot walk anymore because I'm old enough. And if they wanted to kill me, just kill me at this moment. And but apparently, the, the troops didn't really didn't kill her. So she was still alive for several years later on. She died at probably when she was about 90. And at the time, as a young girl, I was still very much wanted to continue my education, but there was no opportunity at the time. So I literally went into Thailand to miss out and then later on to Chiang Mai illegally, trying to find something to do so that I can figure out a way for my further education, which later I ended up in Bangkok. And I heard about an ESL classes that was given by an NGO called OSI. So basically, it was open societies Open Society Institute funded by Soros Foundation. And
I went to apply for it, I was accepted to take some ESL classes, along with many other 88th generation students who will, at the time, will resettle to the third country but didn't know any English. So they were taught some basic English. And it's happened that the office also needed a librarian. So then I was like, okay, when are they applying for the librarian position, which I've got it. And so that's how life started off. That's how I started learning Burmese. That's how I started mingling with people from other ethnic groups, including Berman. When I was a child, I couldn't think about anything good about Berman, because the Burmese troops came out and kill us, burned down our places, planted land mines, people were brutally murdered, even including those in my own family members, my relatives, my aunts, uncles, cousins. And so when I was a child, the only thing I could visualize the, the Burmese or the Burman is that they look like monster with big horns and big teeth. Then I later figured, no, they are just like us, they're fleeing for lives, they are also persecuted. And that's how I, I developed my thinking and figuring that we all are needing each other. And that's how my life as as an advocate, activist started off I guess.
Host 13:56
Wow, that's, that's quite a story. It's quite a number of things you've passed through and your lived experience up to this point. I guess one thing that's coming to mind now is from knowing you personally, as well as just the energy with which you're telling your story now, it's quite obvious you're you're a very cheerful, positive, optimistic person, you have a really positive energy that you bring to your life and just just the way you talk, and yet the life that you pass through from childhood from the probably the first memories has been one of of really lost and terror and trauma. And so this kind of optimistic attitude that we're seeing now, is this something that was natural from those early stages of life or is it something that you've had to develop along the path?
Myra 14:46
I would say both. I mean, as I was, when I was a child, and when I was a teenage Uh, when I was a teenage age, and then of course, coming through my first early 20s, though, at those times, I guess, to a certain extent, it came naturally. But also at the same time, I think religion also molded me to a certain extent to be positive, but also at the same time, I'm so blessed that I've been surrounded by positive people. I mean, my aunts, my uncles, they came through a lot worse than me, they lived through a life worse than me, my grandmother, she lived through the end of the Second World War, when the Japanese came into her villages, her village and the surrounding area. And then back then she was a younger teenage, and she had to hide because the Japanese troops came in and raping all those girls and took them away from the family members. So and she saw a whole lot of brutality worse than what I saw. But she was always positive, thinking about things in a positive way. But also at the same time, as a, as a very strong Christian, she always think of things in a positive way, I think growing up around them, is also a positive outcome for me, that life can be hard, but it is not really hard to the point that my life was perished. And so I think with that, I carry that with, with my, my, my entire life. And even until now, I mean, thinks things are terrible. But then I also, to a certain, a certain extent, believe that at the end of terminal, there will be some light. But at the same time, I cannot just sit and watch and wait, that something will happen. Of course, I as much as I believe as much as I want it to be positive. I also have to do my part.
Host 17:21
Yeah, of course. And it also strikes me in your story that you you were homeless and on the run and persecuted from your earliest memories from from childhood, you mentioned you, you were born and grew up in an IDP camp. And then after the fall of metaplot, 95, you then had to, to escape even the IDP existence to go into refugee camp in Thailand, which certainly is no better upgrade the life of Burmese and ethnic immigrants into Thai refugee camps are a whole other thing. But from this early age, you've you've had a, you know, a very non traditional and an unusual, early years kind of compared to the stability other people have. And yet, you know, as a child, we don't really know our that our situation might be different, or usual or anything else, whatever our situation is, as a child, that's what the norm seems to be. And it's only many years later, we grew up and realize that some of the things in childhood maybe weren't so normal, but it was normal to us. And so going back and looking through your childhood lens, and just remembering how the world looks to you and how you made sense of it. As a child, you're living through an experience that unfortunately, many children do have to go through. But for many of us listening, it's probably very, very foreign to us. It's something that we can't even begin to imagine what that's like to grow up with that kind of instability and trauma and loss and every and fear and everything else. So describe some of those early years in childhood, just how you made sense of the world and what what you were actually doing during those times and the ups and downs and how you came to understand what was going on around you through a child mind and child eyes.
Myra 19:09
Thank you, um, I think probably when I I was around 1213. I came to realization and asking myself a lot of times and also asking my, especially my grandmother, so basically my grandmother is not my biological grandmother. It was my my uncle that I grew up with who, who is the brother of my father, but then the grandmother is the mother of my uncle's wife. So she's not my biological mother, grandmother, but since I lived with her for almost seven, eight years. So yeah, it's like my own grandmother. And a lot of times especially during summer, although we live in Primo Liu in a Thai Thai side of the way River, every summer, specially the month of March, February, March, we had to go out specially students who are sort of like upper upper middle school to high school, we have to go out to the grant side, back then it called I forgot the name of the village. That's where the current the key and La the Korean national liberated army are based. And they have sort of like a very nice stronghold, where that'll be sort of like the last spot that will the last frontier that will protect the Korean headquarters. And so every year, we would go up there, I believe the location is, was called no day, we have to go out there trying to clear out the ground, or the trenches and all this stuff to making sure that because usually during dry Caesar season summer, that's when the Burmese army like to come out and attack our areas, right. So we had to go out there help helping the our soldiers to clean out the trenches, the ground and all this stuff, picking the bushes, taking out the branches, all the stuff. So and also that is one thing. And also another thing is especially when it comes to summer season or dry season, we have to go and collect rice carry rice from the bank of the river to the RAS barn. Somewhere in under the woods, where, yeah, we can keep the rice there for a whole winter and raining season. So sometimes I got to I remember my earliest memory was that, why why we have to do all this stuff. And then, like you said earlier, to a certain extent, it feels as though this is our normal life. But to me, I also wonder like, where do people live like this everywhere in this world? Yeah. Or is it just us? And so I would come back to my grandmother and be like, why we have to do such a thing. And my grandmother was like, well, especially like I said earlier, especially when it comes to dry season, Summer, that's when the Burmese troops can can come out and maneuver through different frontiers that we have. And then they can get to the headquarters and they can wipe us out. And then I was just like, so why they're doing what they're doing. Or why can they just stay at their own place? Or did we go out and fight them? My grandmother was like, no, but they wanted to take over our land. They wanted to wipe us out in the face of this earth so that there's no more credit and they don't have to fight us. And so as a as a teenager, I find it very unfair. And then another thing also was that in the village, I saw a lot of women who sometimes have had to come to the the Korean woman organization and talk about their problems in their household. They've been beaten sometimes they come with process. And once again, I was just like why this stuff are happening to some people, but not everybody. And so I guess that's where my sense of justice came about. And then of course, following is accountability. Like, well, if these people are doing this terrible thing to other people, then shouldn't they be punished? The husband beat their wife, shouldn't they be punished? Right? It was kind of realisation came about at around that age. So when I started moving into high school and then started joining the current woman organization, and later on moving into Thailand, joining OSI, although those experience put together and that develop my sense of justice and accountability that the perpetrators should be hold accountable. Sure, in order for our community to be somewhat safer, and better and more peaceful.
Host 25:57
Yeah, I can't imagine what it must be like to be a child and the teenager growing up and just have it as the norm that there's these people out there that are always trying to kill us, they're always trying to if they don't kill us, they're trying to injure us or drive us from our homes or burn our crops or terrorize us or, or do something but just to grow up with that, you know, that we in there's this in the West, there's this metaphorical metaphorical concept of a boogeyman, you know, the boogeyman is this, this kind of unknown being at night that's going to break into your house and going to terrorize the kids. And so the boogeyman becomes this kind of fantastical, metaphorical fear that the children have of some unknown terror that's out there. And in your case, you have a real Boogeyman. I mean, there is a real boogeyman that is, is always trying to make you uncomfortable and far worse. And to grow up with the presence in the sense that this boogeyman is always around the corner is literally around the corner. And you're you're sometimes how you know you're facing loss and having to run away and other types of impact, that this is just a presence that you just grow up with and take as a norm through childhood and teenage years. I can't imagine the psychological burden that places in the psyche.
Myra 27:23
Yes, yes. But I guess at the time, I mean, also in our community, I think, because we had to go through so much. And sometimes everything moving very fast paced. And we we didn't even have time to think about psychological side of life, we just have to make the best out of life in order to be able to survive. As as long as we can survive. We're very thankful for that. I guess only nowadays, we started thinking about the psychological implication that these tragedy these heart life brings, brings us.
Host 28:19
Yeah, and I think that definitely makes sense. I definitely understand as you're going through something you just have to survive. It also, I think highlights the power of being able to have conversations like this when one feels safe and, and able comfortably to open up about this. Because also, you know, the rest of the world doesn't know or hasn't been impacted, hasn't been motivated to move and compelled to take action, not just now, but for decades, you know, the Korean rebellion, insurrection, revolution, whatever you want to call it has been this is I think, the 73rd year that it's been going on, it's 73 years of continual conflict in some way, in current state. And so there's a value in being able to speak and share these stories and reflect back and try to bring this reality to our audience that some of whom are in Myanmar and our diaspora know very well about this, but some of whom are are in the west and other countries. And they may know about headlines or basic basic facts or history, but to hear the personal stories of what happened and how it felt and what life was really like. This is what it takes to try to bring the world in to understand what's been going on and the urgency needed to act into support right now.
Myra 29:43
Yes, indeed, the green revolution that is what we usually call has been going on for as long as we can remember. Very soon, actually. not even quite right at the Burma dependents, but because of the the ill treatment by the Burma army at the time. So the Qur'an already had to find a way to to keep themselves together and also to protect their community, even before the actual independence took place back in. In 1948. And yes, I mean, our current story, and I wanted to making sure our audience understand that it's not just current but every other ethnic minorities have to suffer the brutality at the hands of the Burma army's Burma army for decades. Yeah. And if we're talking about in the case of Qur'an, it has been going on for all these years. For for example, before 19, before seven days, it was really the situation was really brutal, because started off back in insulin, the Korean had to flee from one place to another while they are seeking in Independence or otherwise greater autonomy or better rights. But then, of course, back then nobody knows about it back in the 50s, the 60s, right. Our older generation had to suffer a whole lot really brutal. And then coming the 70s meet samedi, the Burmese army trying to wipe out the Korean by using the for cut policy cutting out the all kinds of sources that could get to the Korean whether we recruiting more soldiers or any mean for material aid, education, all kinds of livelihood support about it, and then it comes to the Aedes in inside the inside Rangoon, central Verma, you heard about the ADA uprising and Aung San su chi and about more than 3000 students were killed, and many were lost. And still now nobody knows there were about but then what's going on in current state, nobody knows about it. Only when it came to the 90s then the issues started coming out a little bit. So and then, of course, early, mid 90s, then I became a refugee. And still not many people talk about it. And it came 2010 When the SEMA democratic report reform took place and then we had opportunity to enjoy the that superficial democracy for about 10 years and then you came to 2021 February 1 may only stage the mail to attempt at mail to KU and still the international community watch and not doing anything about it. And in between I'm pretty sure both you and I we know a whole lot happening between but I wanted our audience to understand. I made maybe just a couple things is that the people of Burma are working really hard. The fun enemy necessary to keep themselves alive and their community and not just the community but their language, their culture, their their everything that they have with them. That makes them an ethnic group or a group a group of people they're trying to do everything they can to survive. And if they have to give up their lives, they're willing. And so I guess my my message is that if only if only the international community, the decision makers, the policymakers have the will to help us make a difference. Because if not the efforts of the people on the ground Burma would have turned over to a totally disaster. Yeah, in the first couple of months of 2021. Right. And now you look at every corner of Burma, you look at all the way from Qin state going over to Cheng Shan Korean, a Korean bombing, airstrikes happening on a regular basis. But the international community just talked about it a bit here a bit there. They're just patching these long wound at Burma with a little bit of plaster plastering it here and there. That doesn't help great literally have to get down to the root cause of the problem, which is the military's brutality. Burma, like many other country, including our country, us, it has to be run by civilian government. The military has to come under the other the civilian government. And we cannot get there on our own because the military is using force, using their work lanes using their all kinds of their big guns, all kinds of imaginations, to to wipe everyone out. But believe me, that is not going to happen. Like I said, the people on the ground will do everything they can to keep the community alive. And that is why we as the listeners, I know some of you may be saying, Oh, I can't do much. Yes, you can. You have the voice, you have the liberty. You have your senators, representatives, your policymakers who have so much power that can help us make a difference. We need to build up political will. We need to educate them. And then probably you might say, well, I don't know enough. I understand. I don't know enough, either. I always feel like I never know enough. Get in there read about Burma read about Korea read about Korean a read about Shan Chang could chain what's going on in Burma right now. And the more you study, the more you learn, the more you will know and the more you will have talking points. Now your Senator, your representatives, your government official, President Biden has to do a lot more President Carter has he doesn't do anything close to enough. And so I guess that is my my biggest ask for anyone who listen to us today. Is that to lend your support. Because remember, no matter what we say here, no matter what we advocate for, we can still go back to bed at night and sleep peacefully. I know people in Burma are not having this luxury. Yeah, they get out there this big and the next time you know, they're killed, they're beheaded. They're put in jail. Now you have more than 1000 protesters, activist advocate, who are in the death row, just because they are fighting for freedom, they are fighting for their rights and the rights of the people, the civilians of Burma.
Host 39:27
It also strikes me in thinking about your story and looking at what's happening today, you reference how after the fall of metaplot, 95 and having to go to Thailand that sometimes Burmese soldiers would actually undertake assaults in in Thailand in a foreign country. That's that that in and of itself is shocking. That's a that's an international incident that that could lead to very bad things between countries. But you reference how in your own personal journey as a teenager at that time, you had to learn to very different skill sets, which were both very new to you. One of those was medicine and learning how to help people and save lives. And the other was defense and holding a weapon and learning how to operate a gun, in essence, how to take lives. So doing one new skill that saving lives and one new skill that is potentially taking lives from in order to defend those people that were those vulnerable communities that would be attacked. And these are skills at a young age that you're being thrown into. And as you referenced earlier in your talk, people did whether we're talking about the Krens of the last 73 years, or whether we're talking about some of the young Bomar activists that have been incited to, to, to resist the military after the coup in 2021, or any of the other ethnics, you referenced how there's this sense that you do what you have to do in order to ensure the survival of your people and protect vulnerable populations and stand for human rights and all the rest of it. And so this example, in your case of being young and being thrown into both having to step into a medical clinic and save lives, as well as as hold the gun and potentially take lives, this is something that you were thrown into, and you had to do in that role in order to protect your community when no one else was. And this microcosm this example from early in your life is very similar to what's happening across the country now in terms of the young Bomar activists and all the other ethnics as well. But I just emphasize Bomar because this is a new part of the history that we're seeing the numbers and the types of urban people that have been standing in this way and joining this resistance movement in some way. This is something new and looking at Burmese history. And this is parallel. I mean, what's happening now in the cities with Damar in 2023, is parallel to the situation that you were thrown into. So many years ago when you were a young person and had to step up to that role. And in one sense and looking at this, there's a certain kind of resilience and spirit and, and independence that really we someone like me standing on the sidelines, you just have to tip my hat and two, to look at in terms of how I look at whether with a certain respect and admiration of how one stands for this in another sense. It's really It's shocking, it's shameful, it's embarrassing. It's wrong, that that these people are continually for decades and decades, put in this position. And the fact that they have to have this resilient spirit is actually a shameful sign that the international community continues to do nothing and has to and puts them in this position. And so there's something also, you know, a bit uncomfortable with honoring this resilient spirit because the fact that they have to find this within themselves in the first place, and that it's just unacceptable that that they're in this position with no support or help from the outside. I guess my question for you with this kind of extended reflection, is thinking back to your own life at that point where you were driven to have to take up these two actions, to defend your people, you just had to do it because that's what had to be done and looking at what's happening now in Myanmar, where many people are from many different backgrounds are choosing to do the same thing. And sometimes that's not really understood in the West there's this there could be a kind of judgmental attitude for and really a naivete about the level of evil and of the military and, and, and there can certainly be a naivete in terms of the international community thinking to work with them or how have donations go through them or, or or any number of things that really just expressed profound ignorance of the situation. But in terms of yourself and looking back on what you were compelled to do by the circumstances, and what's happening now with this younger generation, what are your thoughts on all that?
Myra 44:14
Well, honestly, I really respect these people. I really respect them. Now that I am in this situation, a much much, much better, will have save I can almost see a live a luxurious life comparing to if our comparing my the life I'm living now to the people who are struggling to survive on daily basis and not knowing when even when they will be killed by the Burmese military. But of course, if we compare with the lie Half of the American people, of course, just it's a normal life. And so I really look up to them. Because I see myself in them. If I were in their situation, if I were having no choice, I would have done the very same thing. And so for our listeners, I just wanted to help you all understand is that this is not a choice. But this is life and death situation. So basically, you do or die. Do we like guns, I don't like guns at all. And I never ever in my wildest life, thinking that I would have to shoot a gun. But then, when I went, when I had to, and I had no choice, either run away, or I pick it up, and making sure that my community is safe, then there, there was no choice, I just have to do it. And likewise, the people in Burma right now the civilians, who never probably some of them never even get to see the real gun, let alone having to pick it up and shoot it and protect the community. So literally, it is a do or die. situation. And I just wanted my, our listeners today to understand that these people are heroes, they do what they have to do, we don't really find everybody is not going to be like this, some people will, will want to go a different route. But at the same time, there are not that many choices. Yeah, they're not that many choices. So either you get away, you run away, or you face it, and a lot of them trying to make the choice I made, face it, pick up the gun, protect the community defend the people, and a lot of them had to pay a really high price giving up their lives. And now many of them are in death row. Last year, July four of them were executed. We didn't really want to see any of this happen. But at the same time, I am really grateful and really honor the the dedication, the selflessness of these people.
Host 48:42
Right and going back to your story, we heard a brief overview from your childhood to the fall Manor plot and then the becoming a librarian in with OSI and and we know now that you're in the US so there's there's a bit of a gap and learning where you got there and especially in learning what you're doing now what you're working on. You're you reference that you're an activist and in the US that you've been doing a lot to support the democracy movement since the coup probably before the coup as well. Tell us a bit about what you're working on now and what projects you're you're working on.
Myra 49:22
I am still working heavily involving heavily with the United States campaign for Burma, an organization that we're trying to raise awareness on behalf of the ethnic minority ethnic and religious minorities in Burma. So basically, we don't really have any specific group that we are focusing on but instead we're trying to be as inclusive as possible. And yes, we trying to partner with organizations on the ground from different ethnic states in order to collect their information from them to to make use of those information and to bring it a step further to the officials at the Congress, the State Department and some, some other times, also to the to President Biden attention. We're trying to rally and educate the grassroots the diaspora here in the US to making sure that well, when we're building up support in the, in the government in the Congress, as well as in the State Department, we also have the grassroots support because they are our strength, the more we can rally, the more support we will get and our voice will get louder. Because the people on the ground like I said earlier, they won't be able to make their way to the US. They weren't even able to make their way to to Rangoon, Naypyidaw to the embassy to tell their stories. And even when some officials make it to Burma, their trips controlled by the Burmese military. So they can only go to places where they cannot there allow and they can only talk to people that they are allowed to talk to. So they never get to hear the real story, what's going on with real people. And that is why it is we take it as our responsibility to do this. And for me, it is a responsibility. Because for as long as the people of Burma don't get to live in peace and security. I wouldn't feel secure either. Although like I said earlier over here, we can live peacefully go to bed every night, not worrying about being chased or the bomb will be dropped or when the Burma army will come into my place. And I will have to jump out from the other side of the house. There is no such thing. But the people of Burma are still suffering a great deal. And for as long as they they have to suffer. I won't be able to leave if Pismo for mine either. And that is why we're doing what we're doing. And at the US campaign for Burma, we all are volunteers. And we we are a team of ladies, for ladies working together for the past years in order to to keep the information to keep everything flow together. But at the same time we have with God tremendous help from these amazing interns every every semester, we put up the information, the advertisement and a good number of them applied. And we had sometimes we had a hard time to choose, but they're so devoted, they're very supportive. So literally, it is an organization run. And led by at this moment, women and interns and we're very grateful that we can get this far. But at the same time, of course, if we have people who wants to donate and support us, we will be very grateful. Because our Managing Director right now, she has to do another job in order to pay her bill but at the same time, she also doing us campaign for Burma work full time. And so I just wanted to put it out there that if there's anyone out there who wanted to support us campaign for Burma, you can make your donation to us campaign for burma.org. And we will be really grateful for that. Otherwise, we do want to invite you to join us in our advocacy for the people of Burma by getting in touch with us finding out more information or otherwise is read the news and educate yourself. And then make sure you pass the information on to your government officials, your senators, representatives, your governors, your state senators. And if you need any help any information, please feel free to come to us because we're very happy to work with you. We are very happy to see you, being the voice of the people of Burma, bear in mind that the people of Burma they are not voiceless, they do have the voice. It just says they're not given that opportunity. And until then we have to use our freedom and speak up on their behalf.
Host 55:45
Thank you for that and definitely encourage listeners to check out those links and to give a donation if they have those means as and also to do the things that are free just to use your voice your safety and, and your free time to be involved and learn more educate yourself. I have just one more question before I let you go. Looking at the Korean community, you're ethnically Korean you your life has been a story really of the trauma inflicted on the Korean over all these years and looking at the history of the Korean movement. They've been splintered by all kinds of things I mean, historically splintered by the communists as the CPD Communist Party of Burma splintered, many of the ethnic groups up until 8889 When it was dissolved, splintered by different associations with the military and and different deals that have been done. There's of course the Christian Buddhist split among the Korean community and then as with any movement, there can be egos or clicks or different directions that different groups want to go. And so looking now at the state of the Korean movement and the Korean people and and what the the the main political and armed Korean groups are doing in Myanmar outside on the border and abroad, how would you describe the general status and makeup of where the credit movement is today? What you're seeing and where you'd like it to be?
Myra 57:18
Um, it's a really good but also intense question. Let me put it that way. Because being a Korean, I'm pretty sure not just a Korean, but every other. Every, every other people. We do want to see peace, we do want to see unity in our community. But at the same time, like you said, we've been divided in so many different ways. And a lot of times, people don't want to hear this or sometimes people don't want to want to put the blame on anybody. But I do want to to certain extent, I think the colonizers was the biggest root cause of all this divide and conquer policy or tactic however you may put it the Qur'an have been fighting for their independence for the longest time ever since even before the end of the Second World War. And the British the colonizer didn't want to do their job. And so when the Burman also go out and ask for independence, then the British just told both the Korean and the Burman to go back and other ethnic groups to go back and talk among each other. But at the same time, one was favor over the other. And that's where the divide and conquer divide us. And now and then, you also have the the rulers which majority was from the Burman ethnic group divide us. If I were giving you a quick example, I never know about Rohingya until 2007 When I read about the drifting boat full of Rohingya gone by the southern coast of Thailand And I was just thinking to myself what on earth I've never heard of these people and they came from Burma and they are a huge number. And then I tried to go go dig in trying to read a little more. And even nowadays, because of the fighting because of the the brutality that put on by the Burmese military, everyone has to flee for our lives. Everyone has to save their lives. I just came back from Bangladesh refugee camp a month ago. And many Rohingya over there. Don't know anything about other ethnic groups. And I don't blame them. Firstly, they literally have to find ways to survive as a human being, let alone as Rohingya and and an ethnic from Burma. So putting together all this divide and conquer, if we come back to the situation of Korean, the Burmese military trying to divide us in so many different ways. And during my time, in mid 90s, early 290s, mid 90s, that was the decade ba the Korean Buddhist army and the Korean Christian, we were divided because of the Burmese the because it is part of the Burma armies tactic to divide us so that they can rip us apart easier. And it was very painful. And later, they came in with the peace process, which they make is sort of quite in a sense, quite productive, because in some places in current state, and also in other parts of Burma, where they have ceasefire agreement going on. The civilians tend to be able to move around or have access to some of the big roads, paved roads, although those roads are heavily controlled by the military. And so it's not really a real piece. But for some people more than others, they tend to experience peace and a little more prosperity, in calm money, having access to different different parts of life better live, let's put it that way. And so of course, that divide and conquer tactic is going on and has been going on for the longest time. And it's very successful, though, for the Burma army. And so this is where we are right now, where we still have the current government structure. But then the current leaders now who are in power. They are the ones that sciences fire agreement with the Burma army back in 2012. And a lot of Korean don't agree with them. Nowadays, because, yes, we have the ceasefire agreement, as a paper but not really nothing puts into practice and our people are still struggling to to be able to survive at the hands of all these heavy military fighting offensive in current state, of course, I mean, it's also going on in other states, but if I were talking about current situation, so it's really sad. And for me, I do want it to see unity cam comes to the Korean community. I do want it to see the Korean community to unite. Because if only we can unite we can be and we will be stronger, and that'll be somewhat easier to fight the Burma army. This is what the Burma army afraid of most is when people are united when people are coming together and forming themselves as a, as a unify a unified entity. And that is why they're using the divide and conquer to keep us apart from each other so that we cannot conquer them, but they can conquer us. But believe me, like I said at the beginning, and now, the people of Burma are not going to give up easily, one way or the other, they will fight back, they will find their way to keep themselves alive, to keep their community to keep their language, culture and all these things alive. And that is why if only the international community, if only our senators or representatives, if you hear me today, we need your help. Let us build our political will here. Let us bring about the change to Burma, the change to peace and stability, specially for the people who are suffering on daily basis, but they're well deserved to live in peace. And we cannot do this alone without the international pressure.
Host 1:06:12
Well, sad, thank you, thank you for sharing for your passion for your vulnerability and the story that you told and for all the work that you're doing, as you say, and the safety and relative comfort of where you are now for those that don't have it. And we definitely stand together and imploring those listeners to consider what actions you can take and within your interest and comfort to be able to be that voice from outside that supports as terrible things are happening not just now in Myanmar. But you have a history of this kind of Mafia terror organization that has held the country captive for so long, has acted with impunity, and has faced so little consequences and even really concerned and much of the outside world including the United States. So thank you for all of that. And thank you for being a guest and sharing your story on this platform and really wonderful to be able to connect and bring your voice to a wider audience.
Myra 1:07:13
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me.
Host 1:07:28
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