FEATURE FEATURE
10
Crisis in Myanmar
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
May 2021
Inter view by Melline Galani For months now, many have witnessed the cruelty and abuses made by Myanmar’s military against its own civilians. Demonstrations and a deadly crackdown have embroiled the nation since February. A single coup brought back full military rule following years of quasi-democracy. Week after week, the armed forces have escalated their attacks on the demonstrators. At the time of this interview, the military had already killed hundreds of people – while having assaulted, detained, and/or tortured thousands of others. Gwangju, as a city of human rights, peace, and democracy, cannot remain silent about this situation. Thus, the Gwangju News conducted an interview with Thinzar Aung, a citizen from Myanmar currently residing in Gwangju. Her opinions are shared in this interview. — Melline Galani
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wangju News (GN): For our readers, would you first tell us a little about yourself and what brought you from Myanmar to Korea? Thinzar Aung: Yes, of course. I am studying for a PhD in integrative food, bioscience, and biotechnology at Chonnam National University. I am a food inspector for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Myanmar. I came here to study and learn food science and technology. I hope this education will help to improve my potential to serve my country. GN: What political changes has Myanmar gone through in the past 50 years or so?
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Thinzar Aung: There are many political changes that Myanmar has gone through during the past fifty years. But the most dramatic of these can be classified under the names of the generals who held military power in their respective times. In the 1962–1988 period, it was General Ne Win. In 1988–2010, it was General Than Shwe. In 2010–2015, there was General Thein Sein. Most of Myanmar’s past has been under one military regime or another. Even during the last few years, although it was said to be a “democratic” government, it was a fake democracy. From 2010 to 2015, it was mainly a military-backed party, the USDP [Union Solidarity and Development Party], plus the military in power. From 2015 to 2020, the party called
2021-04-26 �� 10:00:39
