An interview with CDM teacher Maw Thyo Myra
September 20th, 2022
Following the military coup, government employees in Karenni (Kayah) State started to participate in Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Maw Htoo Myar, 20, was a government education worker who joined the CDM as a teacher.
Currently, she is studying in Pre-GED course in hope of joining an international university in the future. She was interviewed to learn about what she had done after joining the CDM, what she is currently doing for her future, her expectations for her future goals, and difficulties that she is currently facing.
Q: What school did you go to before the military coup?
A: Before that, I went to Loikaw Education College. I finished the education. I worked at the Ministry of Education for seven months from July 2020 until the military took power. Immediately after the coup, I participated in the CDM.
Q: What did you do after you joined the CDM?
A: At the beginning of the coup, I participated in the protests. Later, the civil war broke out and many people were displaced. I volunteered to teach in a camp for displaced people. It is located in the west of the Demoso Township.
Q: Why did you start teaching in the IDP camp?
A: Because I had already become a teacher, I also felt a responsibility. And I did not want the children’s education to be interrupted. So I helped them in whatever way I could.
Q: What did you do after the fishing school and the encounter with the military coup? What do you plan to do next?
A: After I graduated from college, I volunteered to teach in a refugee camp. I want to continue studying abroad. I want to learn more. That’s why I want to get a college certificate recognized by the United States. Once I obtain the certificate, I can study at other universities overseas. Even if I can not get a scholarship right away, I will be able to work as much as I can in these social organizations.
Q: What subjects are taught at the school you are currently attending?
A: As I said before, it is an American college program. If you get this certificate, you can go on to study at foreign universities. This is the first program. After that, I will have to take the Pre-GED program. It includes four majors – English, math, social studies and science. In addition, Karenni literature, Karenni culture, social communication and critical thinking are also taught. This program is commonly referred to as ‘refugee education’ or ‘education for displaced persons’.
Q: Why did you join the GED program?
A: Mainly because it opens up to children who have lost their right to education or are unable to continue their education. The program opens the door for them to continue their education. This program provides the opportunity to study in foreign universities. Therefore, this program will help to produce good people for the rehabilitation of their own community or social organizations.
Q: What difficulties and challenges have you faced while studying at this school?
A: I face many difficulties when I attend this school. Since the school has just opened, there are still many shortcomings. There’s a shortage of teachers. The foundation opened the school as self-supporting and there are still no donors. Parents are also not able to support the school sufficiently. We also don’t have enough books. And the students still need proper housing. Since I came here to escape the war, I don’t have a place to live. Since the school has no donors and therefore has financial difficulties, the parents from Myanmar have to support their children while the parents themselves are fleeing the war.
Q: Did you come here with your family to attend this school on the border?
A: I had to come alone to attend this school.
Q: Why did you decide to come to this remote place? How difficult was it to come here?
A: The main thing is that I wanted to continue my education. Nowadays, education plays a very important role. We need education to solve problems we face. That’s why I want to continue my education. That’s the reason why I came here. It was quite difficult. On my way here, I’d to walk for four days. We need our own food and support. And we can’t live in our village anymore. It was very hard for me to leave my home and come here. It was very exhausting. I even became depressed and doubted myself if I could overcome this situation. I was worried about myself. And I’d never thought that I’d have to come here. So was worried about my safety here.
Q: When do you think you’ll be able to return to your original place?
A: I can’t tell you exactly when the situation will allow us. It depends on the current political situation. If I can return home, I’d be willing to share my knowledge with others as best I can.
Q: The coup has prevented some young people from continuing their education. How would you encourage them?
A: Those who cannot continue their education are depressed. Some friends of mine are also among them. They feel lost and don’t know what to do. But let’s not be depressed and instead participate in the revolution wherever we can. If you don’t have a chance to educate yourself now, you can still participate in this program and keep learning. We can share what we know with each other as we continue our studies.
Q – What’re the other difficulties and challenges?
A: I want to continue my education and study abroad. That’s the reason why I came here. On the way, I’d to walk for four days. It was hard because I’d to carry my own food. I’d to overcome mountains and cross streams and rivers for one day.
Q: Domestically, there are many study programs in neighboring states and I know some young people go there to study. But why did you choose a school on the border in particular?
A: I’d financial difficulties to attend other courses or schools. So, I thought that this school would be a better fit for me. I’d heard that this school was supposed to be good, too. So, I was more interested in going to this place.
Q: Have you ever been to your village after coming here? What’s the current situation in your community?
A: Three or four months after the coup, fighting broke out in our village. The armed fighting spread to our village, so people cannot stay in the village until today. Since then, I’d to flee from the war. Then I started to work as a volunteer in camps for displaced people. Our village is no longer safe to live in. Some houses were burned down. Also, there may be landmines laid in the area, so it’s not safe to return there.
Q: If the military hadn’t seized power, what would your goal be? What do you think you’d be doing now?
A: If the military hadn’t seized power, I’d be working at my job [as a teacher]. I’d be doing my best at the school I was assigned to.
Q: What was your goal before the coup? What happened to it after the coup? Did it change?
A: At that time, I wanted to do my best at the school I was assigned to and continue my education when the opportunity arose. With the coup, the situation has changed a lot and I wanted to pass on what I learned while rebuilding the community. Then I’d like to continue to improve my education.
Q: How did the coup change a young person’s dream?
A: Before the coup, I’d a better life with my career. Then the coup came and I lost my job. My dream and hope were destroyed. My friends also had their own dreams. The coup destroyed all our dreams and hopes. Because we were no longer allowed to go the way we wanted to go and the goals we wanted to achieve. So the goals and ambitions of the youth were destroyed by the military coup.
Sent by Maw Mi Myar (The Kantarawaddy Times)