My name is Maybell. I am 26 years old and I have a 3-year-old daughter. I work as an education officer. After the Myanmar military seized power in the country, I participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) as a form of resistance. As a result, I was charged under Article 505 (a) and faced arrest. On July 29, 2021, at around 4 PM, soldiers from the military junta came to my house to arrest and search for me. That evening, my daughter and I had just returned from buying snacks at the end of the street. We saw several military vehicles and a large number of troops arriving. Realizing the situation, we hid in a corner of the house, trying to stay hidden while keeping a close watch. The soldiers soon came into the room, seized some photographs and a motorcycle, and destroyed the house before leaving. Later, around 8 PM, my daughter and I had to flee without any clothes or money. We managed to find shelter in a house around midnight. That night was truly a disaster for us. Throughout that night, as we navigated through our thoughts, we moved to a different village with the help of a local person by 5 AM. We then managed to escape to a place of relative safety, though it was still within Myanmar’s borders, so we weren’t truly safe. We faced numerous hardships for about 8 months, including scarcity of food, exposure to harsh weather without adequate clothing or blankets, and overcoming the challenges imposed by the military. Due to ongoing conflicts in our area, we had to continuously move from one place to another. Eventually, major battles broke out, leading us to be displaced again into the forest for an extended period. Life was tough, especially as we lacked proper shelter and food, but I kept striving to make my daughter happy while enduring the hardships imposed by the military. Over a year after the military coup, around May 2022, we finally managed to reach Thailand through an irregular route. Living in Myanmar was no longer possible. Despite enduring for a long time, I decided to leave Myanmar for the sake of my daughter’s and my survival. Unable to bring my daughter along due to circumstances, I left her with relatives and came to Thailand. Crossing the border into Thailand, I had to navigate through military checkpoints with great risk. The journey was arduous; we walked through the dark for hours, pulling each other along, until we finally arrived in Thailand after three days. With the help of friends and acquaintances, I began working informally in a factory in Thailand. Despite facing language barriers and difficulties adjusting to the work, I have been able to set aside part of my wages to continue supporting the resistance. My ultimate hope is to see the downfall of the military regime and return to Myanmar as soon as possible. As I enter the coming new year in Thailand, I will be waiting in the factory while missing my family and daughter back in Myanmar. I am determined to continue fighting for a free and democratic future for Myanmar. Hopefully, one day, I will be reunited with my daughter and family. With love, Maybel
Zar Zar Maw
