European partnership for democracy, EPD

"How I started my political work and what the Foreign Affairs Training is giving me now"

"Try not to be self-seeking". That is the phrase that touched my heart when I was in the advanced English class in Taunggyi, the capital of Southern Shan State. My teacher, who was a deep thinker and well educated person, showed me the way towards working for the sake of our society. At that time I was trying to acquire English skills in order to study abroad and toil away in  foreign countries. But as soon as I heard those words, I changed my mind. And some of my friends who were already in the opposition movement urged me to join them. They told me how the military regime was oppressing us and how we should work to change that and be self-sacrificing.

At that time I left my helpless mother and younger sister behind and threw my entire life into the meaningful movement, because I had no future to live for there. I did not want to work as a civil servant in a government department or in a private company or  like some sort of robot in a foreign land, leaving my country in its poor situation. I wanted to use my energy and quality for the sake of my society. I know and acknowledge that I am but a drop in the ocean. But I really believe that "every single drop matters". So I worked and served as much as I could in the organization dedicated to my ethnic group's youth, focusing mainly on capacity building.

When I was working as an intern in the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, learning about political ideas and office management in Mae Sot, I heard that there was a school which trains and generates qualified students, who can then work for the sake of our country in many ways: in political, educational, social and international affairs. That school went by the name of Foreign Affairs Training (FAT). We had had two former FAT students in our organization before. They impressed me greatly by their commitment and became my heroes. One is now in prison and one is still on the run.

And then I was given the great opportunity to attend the FAT course.

Now FAT is giving me the necessary English skills to follow foreign policies regarding Burma and is preparing me to work with the international community in order to bring about change in Burma, an exploited country.

I now understand what democracy and human rights mean for building a better human society, and how to practice them in appropriate ways in order to bring democracy to my country. FAT also teaches me about how we can make foreign and domestic policies to build a perfect community and the impact of neighboring countries' attitudes towards Burma in bringing about change or blocking it.

Although it is very hard, we have to follow and understand current affairs so we can compare what is happening around the world to our country's situation and find better solutions.

With public speaking and lobbying skills, FAT is really teaching me how to work with the international community in order to change Burma into a democratic country and how to share what I have learnt here with my friends inside Burma to educate them.

After the FAT, I believe that I will be able to work for my organization and my country more than ever before in dealing with the international community and other activist groups both inside and outside Burma, and, ultimately, I will be able to work for the sake of my people until I die.