Bodies may be killed but belief and stand never die
(Photo credit to Falam CDM Supporters/FB)
Philip Nun Uk Thang
Time has gone by but memories of sacrifices made for others never die. Today marks the 45th year of the execution of Salai Tin Maung Oo, the student activist who was the first to be hanged under the junta’s rule in Myanmar’s history. In response to his fair fight, the regime of the brutal dictator, Ne Win, sentenced the Chin hero to death on June 26, 1976. The ethnic student leader paved the way for generations today in fighting for freedom in Myanmar.
His famous last words read, “You can kill my body but you can never kill my beliefs and what I stand for. I will never kneel down to your military boots!”
History repeats itself. Generation Z, the young citizens and students, has selflessly continued fighting against the ruthless dictator, Min Aung Hlaing, since the coup on 1 February this year. In Chin State, the brave Chin people cannot just tolerate and watch the devilish violent acts of the military regime. In fact, they are fighting against the military junta in a similar manner that Salai Tin Maung Oo had done in his lifetime over 45 years ago. In other words, the new generation follows his path of resistance to oppressive and dictatorial regimes.
Chin people have never been tardy and coward in fighting against the enemy. Their forefathers protected Chinland and the Union with their lives. The leaders have been, for decades, fighting for self-determination, which was the promise of the Panglong Agreement, the foundation of the formation of the Union of Burma, which has not been properly delivered and constantly ignored by the extreme Burmanizationalist and cruel military.
Today, the young Chin people have eventually decided to form the Chin Defence Force (CDF) in an attempt to defend and protect themselves from continued violent crackdowns inflicted upon them by the military council. These civilian resistance groups are determined to fight till the unjust military regime, the main freebooter of freedom, are uprooted. They firmly grasp their beliefs and stand which will never be abandoned. They are tired. They are short of weapons. They don’t have facilities to protect themselves. Their houses are raided and close contacts including family members are being targeted. They leave homes not because they are afraid but because they want to fight. They run away, hide, walk up and down the hills, roam and stay in the jungle infested with mosquitoes, snakes and harmful animals.
Nevertheless, their belief and stand have never flinched from challenges and difficulties, and never been short of new energy. Committed and ambitious, they have strong beliefs and mentalities. Surviving with limited resources in the jungle is not strange for the Chin people who have suffered from brutalities of the successive military dictators for almost a century.
Many innocent lives have been sacrificed. Many bodies have been killed and some amputated! Rape, torture, and the use of civilians as human shields during armed conflict , coupled with an introduction of the ‘four cuts’ strategy, has been applied in Chin State, the poorest region in Myanmar whilst the UN, ASEAN, G7 and international communities are just wrestling with mere statements which utter only ‘worries’ and ‘concerns’, with no tangible actions taken.
To give a life is the biggest thing that one can do for one’s fellows. We love our nation and the best time to show love is now. We are fighting for our nation, our generations and our future. We will never bow down before the military! Our bodies may be killed or burnt and our organs be sold. But our belief and stance will never be killed. We will never let the fair fight wane. Let’s stay the course!
“You can kill my body but you can never kill my beliefs and what I stand for. I will never kneel down to your military boots!” – Salai Tin Maung Oo#
