Valentine Z wrote:On the note of the coup from a native in another country (I am not sure if this is even needed to mention but ah wells!), a couple of newsworthy (or noteworthy) events have happened.
- Well, for the second consecutive year, Thingyan (Water Festival) was more or less cancelled. Last year, it was thanks to COVID screwing things up and not permitting large gatherings. 2020 was perhaps the first time that we have to cancel the festivities since 1988. In short: 1988, 2020, and now 2021. Well, this year's festivities was technically cancelled. I mean, people are not going to enjoy it when they have guns pointed at them, and when the military was doing this. Not so for the military, obviously. If you know where to look, there are various military/cronies-sanctioned water stages and festivals held here and there. If you go there and are found out, you can and will be marked under the ire of the people around you (and this can include your friends and family if they are anti-coup), and I am not threatening anyone here or exaggerating. This has happened even to the celebrities, and what you would call a "cancel culture", except there are bigger consequences for supporting military's blood-soaked (not literally) festivals; you are not going to get killed by the citizens, but expect A LOT of shunning and loss of reputation. In short? These people are mostly pro-military folks who are enjoying the festivals while people are dying. Many of the citizens are just celebrating in spirit.
- In a twisted way of "life imitates video games", pagodas and sacred grounds are becoming actual safe-zones whereby no violence or weapon can be drawn. Yes, I have stated about how temples were seemingly looted (I am not denying it, but I can't find a legitimate source just yet, so it is possible it has happened small-scale and left unreported), but being a Theravada Buddhism-majority nation, no one is going to be blasphemous enough to do such a horrible act. Case in point, this was from a day ago. I am not here to discuss the role of religion here and on whether or not secularism will help, so please bear this in mind with me. I am simply here to share that yes, there are places where not even the military dared to touch, perhaps excluding the possible looting that I aforementioned. Interestingly enough, it rained yesterday, which we usually regard as something nice and wonderful. April is part of Summer and the hottest month in most of Burma, and rain like this is occasional. In short, people go to pagodas for a peace of mind, doing religious/traditional errands, and yes, to celebrate Thingyan in heart and in spirit.
How active are non-Rohingya Muslims in the movement.
I’m hoping that info will get my dad to be more on the protesters side than he already is right now.