Burma Link | August 6, 2015

Despite being on the run much of his life, Aung Than has managed to realise his life-long dream of getting a good education. For this passionate, determined, and always positive young man, however, giving back to his people was self-evident. A true inspiration to his fellow countrymen, Aung Than helped to found and worked as a secretary for an organisation that teaches young Arakanese about environmental issues and human rights. How did he end up all the way from Bangladesh to Thailand to found a movement? What was it like to spend such a long time away from his family that they could not even recognise him? This is part 2 of his story.

Havent’s read PART 1? Click here.

 

If he checked
[the ID card] very in detail, the picture, I could get in trouble

I worked two years [in the factory], and Zaw Zaw (co-founder of AHREM) was at that time already in Thailand and he contacted me. He had a plan to open a school in his village [in Bangladesh], so he contacted us. So I said, ‘If you really want to run a school I can be a teacher at your school.’ Zaw Zaw was working with David Fischer (co-founder of AHREM) and they had funds to run a school. But I didn’t become a teacher, because I was still working in the factory. […] Before we came to Thailand, their school in Bangladesh had one volunteer from America, who came to Bangladesh to Zaw Zaw’s village and he taught for two months. I joined him and I learned how to speak English and how to read newspaper. After that I went to Thailand in 2011.

To come to Thailand was really easy. At that time [it] was very easy to cross the border. First we crossed from Bangladesh on the boat, it took around 40 minutes to get to Arakan State. At that time I used my friend’s ID card, I didn’t have my own, so I used his one. I went to Sittwe and when I landed there, the police checked me and they asked me for the ID. They didn’t check others, only me. I just showed the ID and the police took it and had a quick look and gave me the ID back. If he checked very in detail, the picture, I could get in trouble.

From Sittwe to Rangoon at the checkpoints they didn’t check the ID, they only asked for money. Sometimes 1,000 sometimes 500 Kyat. That [time it] was easy to come, but now is hard to go, because we cannot go without an ID card. They check at all the check points.

 

I had a chance to study very close with native English speakers

When we came here, to Thailand, we founded the AHREM organisation. We rented a house and it was really messy. We cleaned it, arranged the surroundings, we built the kitchen and the classroom, all by ourselves.

At that time we got a first volunteer. He was originally from India, but he also had an Australian citizenship. He taught for three months and at that time there was also BVP, Burma Volunteer Program in Mae Sot. From that organisation we got a volunteer every three months. It was really good for us and for me. I had a chance to study very close with native English speakers. At that time I improved my English more than when I was in Bangladesh.

At that time I didn’t really know in detail about human rights and about violations of them. I knew about the land confiscation and portering. For example, when I was child, we were tortured by the Burmese soldiers and at that time, I didn’t know anything about that. [I didn’t know] why were they doing this, what was their cause.

 

They (teachers) cannot look after their family with their salary, so they have to find outside income

In 2012 I was selected [to study] at the ERSB (Earth Right school of Burma) in Chang Mai. It was an eight-month course where they taught us about environmental issues, human rights, [and] banking system. They also taught about fact finding and report writing.

We were learning for three months in the school and then we had a field trip for two months. All students had to do a report and every student had to choose a topic that they were interested in. I chose education of the Arakan State and I chose that topic and I did a needs assessment. I interviewed teachers and students and students’ parents. I wrote a report about the education.

I found out that at government schools they don’t really teach very well. They focus on teacher in the center. The students have to follow everything that teacher says. There is no student participation like here [in Thailand] in migrant schools. Also they have corruption at school. For example, students take the exam and if they fail, they talk with the teacher and if they give money the teacher will give them a pass. That is why in Arakan State and in whole Burma, the education is very low level. They don’t really have qualifications. They just pass, they get a degree and they pass grade ten. According to my needs assessment, teachers at university also say that [the university teachers also do the same].

Teachers they also do business with education. At school they don’t really teach well, they persuade their students, ‘Come to me in the evening, I will teach you, like tuition (extra lesson after regular school hours), I will teach you very well.’ So each month you have to pay for each subject. Teachers look for outside income. It also depends on their salary. Their salary is very low. They cannot look after their family with their salary, so they have to find outside income.

 

Thousands and thousands of acres of land, Burmese soldiers confiscated

After that, I came here (AHREM) and I taught environmental issues that I studied at ERSB. And also I taught how to found an organisation. Then I taught English and basic computer [skills]. After that I applied to Action Aid. They sent a message that they are recruiting trainers. It was interesting to me, so I applied. I also applied to ACU (Australian Catholic University). So both, ACU and Action Aid invited me for an interview.

From our organisation, me and another student applied to ACU, so I gave him the priority to apply and I chose Action Aid. Compered to Action Aid, ACU is better, since Action Aid is only two months training. But I wanted to give ACU to our student, because he never attended any school in Thailand. So I gave priority to him.

So in 2013 I went to Rangoon with Action Aid. They taught about land law in Burma and also about the procedure in the parliament on how to write a law. We also had a field trip, so we had to go to the field and look what happened with the land and how the civilians are suffering with their land. Thousands and thousands of acers of land, Burmese soldiers confiscated and they cooperated with the Thai company, which made an agreement with the Burmese soldiers. The Thai company grew sugar cane there.

We found out a lot about land confiscation and that land owners were arrested and put in the prison, because they protested against land confiscation. Then I came back and I taught land law and other things. Then Wide Horizons (community development school in Mae Sot) called for students and I applied and I was selected.

 

[The government] is giving the solar power […] the reason is that the general elections are coming

Now I am teaching advance computer skills at AHREM. I am applying Wide Horizons skills. I also plan to teach them (the students) how to make a needs assessment and how to write a proposal.

The new students who come [to AHREM] don’t have much general knowledge. Even [if] in their village happened land confiscation, they don’t know what is happening. They were not taught by anyone about human rights, land law. So whatever happens, they cannot think. They don’t have any opinion for example on the Burmese government.

We had one visitor from Arakan State and she just said that everything is good in the village. The government is doing great things for citizens. In rural areas [the government] is giving solar power and people say, ‘oh, that is good, government is getting better, government is looking after people.’ But actually they don’t know why government is giving the solar power. We think that the reason is that the general elections are coming. If they have [power] at this time, the people would say, ‘the government is good, we should vote for the government.’

 

I cannot send any money to my parents

The last time when I saw my parents was in 2008. I went to Bangladesh to see my family after six or seven years. When I came home, my mother was not there. She worked in the field. I ran there and when she saw me, she was really happy, with fresh energy on her face.

My brother also came. I was sitting in front of the house. He just looked at me and went inside. He didn’t recognise me. I followed him and called him brother. He said, ‘Aung Than, is it you?’ I said, ‘Yes it is me’ (laughing).

At that time I became very sick. I was shaking for a week. They gave me some pills and it didn’t work. Then my parents called a healer who knew about spirits. He had a long bamboo stick, filled with cotton on the both sides. He said that bed spirits are inside me. I asked where are they from. He said from the river and from the mountain. He asked me, if I was at these places. I said I was. And I was really surprised he knew that. In the river I was usually taking a bath and in the mountain I went to the toilet.

Then he said that my parents should donate a goat to the spirits. They said, that spirits only want meat, so they killed two chickens instead, but it didn’t work. They called the man (healer) again. He asked my parents what meat did they donate and they said chickens. He said, ‘I told you that you should donate a goat.’ So they bought a goat at the market and killed it. They put the meat next to the river and in the hill. In two days I recovered!

Now I don’t have any contact with my parents but I do have contact with my brother. In Bangladesh some people go abroad and they work and they send money [to their family]. So whenever my brother calls, he asks, ‘What are you doing there? The other people who went to other country and work, they send money. Why don’t you?’ I have to explain that I am not working here, that I am just studying and strongly working on my education. I cannot send any money to my parents.

Sometimes I am also really sad when I think about my parents, because they are getting older and older and they cannot work now. When I was child, they looked after me and when I grew up, when they are getting older, I cannot help with anything, it is really sad.

 

They should make a better education system

Everyone says that the government is trying to be good and trying to do good things. In some way I also accept that they are helping more than before, compared to the SPDC period (State Peace and Development Council, as the regime was known from 1997 to 2011). So this period is better. The biggest thing that the government should work on is, in my opinion, that they should run a business, like a factory or infrastructure, to get jobs for citizens. Now in Burma there are no more factories or job opportunities. Because of that people have to go outside the country, like in China, Malesia, Thailand, to get a job. The most important thing is that the government should create job opportunities. At the same time, also they should make a better education system.

The conditions in Thailand for example are much better than in Burma. Also in Bangladesh, there is no land confiscation. If the person owns land, the government cannot take it. And if they want to take it, they have to give double compensation.

The main reason for me to come to Thailand is that I want to become educated. Since I was young, I didn’t have a chance to go to school for long time. This is a good opportunity. I will improve myself and when I will be confident with these skills, I will go back. And when I have skills, I will help other people. Where ever I arrive, if someone wants to learn, I can teach, I can share what I know.

 

The international community should read the news, but should also observe the conditions

Sometimes people trust and believe the news. News about Burma, political situation, human rights abuse, conflict between Buddhism and Muslims. But actually sometimes, the one who writes news writes with the biased approach. But international people don’t see that.

Before also, whenever I met with Americans or foreigners, they usually said, ‘oh Burma is changing a lot, it is getting better, why are you still staying in Thailand? You have a chance for education and good government that is helping your people.’ So I say, ‘How do you know that?’ And they say, ‘We read BBC news and Aljazeera.’

Sometimes the news has one sided focus. Let’s say for example, if you love Arakanese people, you will write good things about Arakanese, if I love other ethnic, then I will write good things about them. The international community should read the news, but should also observe the conditions.

For the future, my goal, my mission is to try to run an orphanage school in Arakanese state. Second is, if I would not be able to implement that mission, is to become a trainer on environmental issues and computer skills and other general knowledge.

This story is based on Burma Link’s interview with Aung Than. Click here to read PART 1.