Our Mother

This essay is written by my mum, Dr. Mya Myintzu, translated by my middle uncle, Po Than Joung and I am privileged to post this lovely sentimental piece on my blog for the dedication of my late grandma's (Ludu Daw Amar) birthday. She would be 97 on 29th of November this year if she was still alive. The Burmese version is published in Mizzima journal in Yangon this week and you can also read in http://bobolansin.wordpress.com/2012/11/.

Aphwar

After reading the passages about my mother written by my younger brother, I felt something was missing. It is not complete. As one who has left home in 1976 and was away from home for more than thirty years, his writing has limitations. He was arrested in 1966 and was released in 1972. The family did not have a chance to see him during his six years' detention in Mandalay, Inn Sein and Cocos Island jails. When they came and arrested him in 1976 owing to suspicions of his connection with Brigadier Kyaw Zaw's family who joined the armed revolution, he fled. I am sure his escapade to the liberated areas must be full of adventures and very interesting. You can easily understand why all the other family members were left with their hearts in their mouths after he had left. One of my mother's most earnest wishes was to see her son again before she died, and that could not be fulfilled. In March, 2008, my younger brother telephoned her after thirty-two years absence. When I visited her the next morning as I used to do everyday, she told me that my younger brother called her the evening before. "I couldn't make out his voice, it has been more than thirty years," she remarked.

With two younger sons, Po Than Joung (middle), Bonyo and elder daughter, Than Yin Mar

One year after the arrest of my younger brother, Po Than Joung in 1966 and in 1967, Anti-Chinese riots occurred in Rangoon. Some of the students from the University of Mandalay gathered to march to Ludu house as they considered Ludu was sympathetic with Chinese government. But, their column was dispersed by troops at a street corner not far from the campus. Perhaps, that was the action of U Ne Win (former regime) who did not wish to see riots flowing out to other places. At that time General Sein Mya was the commander of the North-west Command and Mandalay Division was under his administration. As consequence, our Ludu Newspaper, which came into existence on 19 April, 1946 had to stop publishing. My parents devoted their lives and hearts to this newspaper and one could imagine how hurt they would feel when the paper they had nurtured for 21 years had to close down. But, luckily, it was not "nationalized." If it was "nationalized" as it was with other newspapers in 1968, the buildings, machinery and facilities would all be confiscated.

In front of Ludu (The People) newspaper house, people awaited for the matriculation results

 1968 was the most unfortunate year for our family. In that year, the first son of my parents, perhaps their dearest one, passed away in a remote land. We haven't mentioned this matter in our family. However, we make donations for him every year on 30 September, his birthday, until today.  

Closing down the newspaper gave way for my parents to do other writings. They could found abundant time. My mum continued to write books on talented Burmese artists like The Artists Loved by the People, Aungbala - Po Sein - Sein Gadone (The famous traditonal artists), Shweman Tin Maung (The famous dancer/artist/director), Anyeint- a kind of Burmese street performance, Myanmar Classical Music and Shweyoe Bagalay (The famous cartoonist/ artist). She approached their subjects from a different angle not tried by other people with a pair of keen eyes of a journalist. Her books about artists of various talents left remarkable volumes of record for later generations.

At her work

Another time that our family got into deep trouble was in 1978, when my parents and my youngest brother were arrested relating with Po Than Joung's activities. My father was detained for ten days, my mother one year and one month. My father developed diabetes following his release from the jail and on August 7, 1982, he passed away after struggling against his illness for about a month. 

With Aphoe in their younger days

Two years after my mother had lost her better half, U Kyargyi Fire razed a large portion of the city including her printing house and buildings. This deprived our family of our means of living and it took two whole years to rebuild it again. The day before that fire, my mother told me, she saw my father sitting beside her bed in her dream. My father looked depressed, she said. 

In their last trip to Yangon just a few days before Aphoe passed away

During the 1988 Uprisings, my mother published The 8888 newspaper in the name of Mandalay Writers' Association. That uprising was a nationwide upheaval meant to overthrow the one party military-dictatorship. My 73-year old mother wrote editorials pointing way to democracy for The 8888 newspaper from behind the scene. That newspaper was published with the aim of providing the people with true information at the time when rumors ran wild and to politically educate the masses. But after the coup d'état on 18 September, the military intelligence ransacked our place and took away the newspapers and manuscripts.  

In one of her local trips

My youngest brother Bonyo, writer Nyipulay, was arrested again on the Christmas Day, 1990. He was released only in February, 1999. My mother came to Pakokku, where I was working. She said she wanted to go and pay respects to Abbot Thannudaw, who was said to have extrasensory perception. However, she couldn't reach there as he was not well at the time. My mother was worried and restless as her youngest son has a wife and three young children. In fact it was not her habit to seek fortunetellers or astrologers in times of troubles. 

My parents were not lucky enough to live with their sons. The eldest son went into jungle at the age of twenty-one. The second son was arrested when he was 21 and then had to flee to the jungles after six years' detention. Once, my dad went to his sons' room and called out "Win—" (my elder brother's name is Soe Win). Then he called "Po Than-------" again. Finally, he recalled himself and called "Bonyo." At that time he intended to call out Bonyo, but his mind was occupied with all his sons missing from home. Our family members were separated from each other by death or by other means on account of the existing military dictatorship. We all have to face the ordeals through thick and thin.

with their remaining family

Beginning from 1985, we celebrated her birthday every year at Taunglaylone monastery of Sayadaw U Pyinnya in Amarapura. It used to be a day when writers, poets, artists and all those who cherish my mum gathered every year and meet my mum. We couldn't celebrate the occasion in 1992, 2006 and 2007 because the authorities didn't allow us to do so.

In her birthday, 1985

In 1998, Nadi Myanmar U Aung Khaing came to my mother and said that his dad passed during the Japanese Occupation and their family could not carry out proper burial. So he wanted to form a kind of social organization that would help people who cannot afford bury their dear ones without charge. My mother eagerly agreed to the idea and they went to ask permission from the head abbot of South Salin Monastery to allow them to set up the association in his precincts. They thought ordinary citizens would not like to see such an organization functioning in their residential quarters. The Brahmasoyah Asocciation was set up in March, 1998 with the participation of public figures from Mandalay. Many of the patrons and other members of the association who worked with my mother are still living today.

In her birthday, 2005

Since 2000, the association donated medicine for patients in Mandalay Public Hospital. It was the first organization of this kind and more organizations followed in Rangoon and other cities.

I miss these wrinkled  but kindly hands

I shall definitely say that since Burma's independence in 1948, despite civil war and dictatorships our family has stood firm for national unity, ethnic solidarity,  peace and truth.

Happy birthday, Aphwar!