The truth and the reality will set us free, not our status quo
It is a time to celebrate ourselves the achievement of our people all over the world at their line of duty despite whom they serve, a time to embrace the truth and a time to look onto our common future. We shall put our old ways or status quo behind us and we shall move on to set ourselves free.
Our human life with the world we live in has never been fully understood since our existence. No one has ever witnessed the existence of two identical persons both physically and mentally. Even the most identical twins do not have identical mind. But we lead or for most people from Myanmar we survive our life the way we were brought up by our parents, the people around us, our cultures and beliefs. In fact, the experiences and the practicality of the environment and situation we encounter have stronger influence as the time passed by. However, when one is on surviving mode it was a struggle to see things through. No choice, we faced the adversity even if we know history repeats itself. Decades later, I learned that the wisest one learns from the experience of other people, but it needs so much personal integrity, courage, energy and will power to realise.
In Myanmar, the 3rd day after the new year day is (used to be) the rule of Law Day, the 4th day is the Independence Day. The 12th February is the Union Day, to commemorate the day our grandfathers signed the agreement to collectively reclaim our freedom from the British Empire. The matter of truth is that the original purpose of the agreement is yet to materialise today even after 72years. It became a done-deal or just changing over of hand or annexation to Burma proper in the eyes of minority people who yet occupying majority of the land. Unfortunately, it is a vicious circle, too difficult to get out of it. At the end, it is not hard to see who the winner was then, still now, only a handful in the name of a majority.
Especially to the people who are still inhabited in Chin State as well as the ones living abroad originated from Chin State, the first two months of a year come with a lot of mix feelings and blessings. The 51st day of the year is the 20th of February which is known as Zomi-nam /Zo minam Ni. For the outsider, it is understood as Chin National Day. It used to be known as the day of the people unanimously made the declaration for the end of hereditary feudal system, or the second Independence Day from such a system. Now a day, especially this year 2019 on the 71st day, some tried to twist or distort the known history for some yet unknown purpose. It is important to note that the big day was born after Myanmar (then Burma) gained the independence from the British. Some may want to say the struggle for the independence of the Union of Burma might be the brainchild of the movement to come thus far.
Around the world the day will be observed and celebrated by the people felt connected to it. Some will put their hearts and minds for the unity of the poorest, marginalised or the forgotten people of the world’s one of the poorest countries, but some will indeed play a political game and use it for their political gain. The vulnerable will always be exploited. If we give it a little attention it may not take long to see who they all are. It should be a time to share our common vision for a better future. A time to celebrate and praise our people who tirelessly and diligently work at their line of duty regardless of whom they served. Because we were too simple, and we did not have the capacity or the chance to know who our foes or friends were. In hindsight, our used to be colleagues were supposed to be our rival who we should have fought against instead.
In the mind of a simple man it would be a level playing field with an equal share. The deal was too good to be missed but later proved too good to be true as well. Quite true to the cycle of life the operandi modus of the world of politics gained the upper hand as usual. Who dare breaks the chain or cycle to be free. Unless one’s heart and mind break open with a good moral conscience the spinning cycle will never ends. Until one acquires the wisdom to see, admit and the courage to start taking responsibility of his or her own weakness at this moment in time or the grandfather’ short coming due to lack of knowledge, capacity or in fact conscience the truth will rarely come our way. Out of destitute and pride, we may rather continue to cover the truth or play a blind at whatever cost.
The English will say “What goes around comes around” and the Burmese believes “Life is like a cycle”. We say a “Spitting towards the sky”.
There claimed to be two types in world of school education. Both are so powerful that even a single person can change the lives of uncountable number beyond one can appreciate and imagine. Some will seek the education to support themselves and others to have a better life. Some gain the knowledge to perpetuate his personal power and to mislead others regardless. However, this fragile world of us needs a great number of accountable good Samaritans to survive but it may require only one black sheep to destroy the whole in no time. In educational term, it is called a good educated pundit or a mis-educated one.
A good school and experiences told us a plethora of heroes. The history only tells us who were the good ones and who were the bad ones, and why. Regardless of our own context there are accepted standard criteria a hero to be classified as good. Obviously, Hitler must have been a good leader until his chapter came to an end and the full story was exposed. It is said a leader must be a reader and educated. Hitler was indeed not only a reader he was a prolific writer as well with owning one of the world’s largest personal library. He might have been the hope for some, if not all. It is important to note that if a leader is fallen so are the followers. Therefore, it is worth remembering that all died during the conflict of world war II, but it was taken as if the lives of Hitler’s soldiers were sacrificed for nothing while the soldiers of the British empire were remembered every year of the human history for all good reason. It comes to a point that it is important to know what we die for and why.
In the western world, to facilitate and encourage people to speak up they are given a small dose of short term illusion or liberal thinking by saying “there is no right or wrong”, of course within a given circumstance. The hope is to bring up as much information or thought to be able to reach to best conclusion. As always, some will take the starter as a true gospel and never wait till the arrival of the main dish to consume. Some people suffering from hearing deficiency and only heard what they wanted to hear, which is called selective hearing. We must wait till the end to enjoy the full feast, the full meaning of it before we left the table.
It has never been a case in my life that I ever question the authority of my parent, the elders and the people in charge of society. It was taken for granted and business as usual for all of us until such a time the balance off centred and the tranquillity was disturbed. Of course, no one really likes changes unless experienced some powerful force internally or externally. We like to maintain the status quo and focus our life around it if not for the much better one. It was not worth a risk to argue. The popular (not so wise) guideline used to be was to be ever ready to say “yes” and be a blind, at least pretending, or the worse “cover up”.
After 71 years, here comes the time yet again, never greater needs to focus on our common future by opening our hearts, by seeking the truth and our common ground to fulfil our true vision. The nation shall not dwell in the past but walk in the light with the help of Our creator. Let all the people enjoy their freedom of choice given at Eden, and they must, without fail, choose the right one for a better future for us all. Nantal’suan
(Only a personal reflection on the national day)
Thuumna: British Empire a uk England te’ leh leitung ah gamhau pen a hi USA te’n neihkul leh kisam sanawmlo a hi-uhtam, minamni cihbang nei seselo-in ih thei hi. A hizong eibang minam te-in ih manthanloh nading leh ih thahaat semsem nading in, midangte’ hong theihpihding zonkul cialkullai mahmahte ih hi uh hi. Tua a hih man-in Kawlgam pan a khangkhia, mangkang kampauna ah a omte’ tawh kizui in, kicinglo ding a hiphialzong, manglai-in ngaihsutna a sungkhia kahi mai lel hi. Topa thupha tawh.
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