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Mizzima: Burmese celebrate Independ
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Burmese celebrate Independence Day in the city
Aizawl (Mizoram State of India), January 4, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)
The economic and political turmoil in their homeland forced them to
cross the border and work in a foreign country illegally. They work in
handloom weaving houses as daily wagers. They are the Burmese people who
make their home in Mizoram State of India, which is adjacent to Chin
State of Burma.
There are more than one thousand Burmese weavers currently residing in
Aizawl, capital of Mizoram State. They came from various places of Upper
Burma such as Monywa, Shwebo, Sagaing, Mandalay and etc. where
traditional Burmese weaving business was once flourished. As they could
no longer survive in their native cities and villages with this
traditional business, they left the country to neighboring Mizoram State
to work as professional weavers. Besides these Burmese handloom weavers,
there are thousands of Chin ethnic nationals from Burma living in the
state.
Unlike any other days where they do weaving from morning to night, they
took leave from their own work and gathered together to celebrate
Burma?s Independence Day. The ?celebration? of 53rd Independence Day of
Burma, organized by India-based All Burma Students League, was held at a
local hall of Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Aizawl on January 4, 2001.
Contrary to the life of their friends and relatives who left behind in
Burma, they enjoyed total freedom in celebrating (their) Independence
Day today.
The celebration, which began at 11:30 a.m., started with a political
meeting where some Mizo political and student leaders delivered
solidarity speeches. The speakers highlighted the fact that even though
Burma achieved independence from the British colonial rule in 1948, the
people could not enjoy the freedom after 1962 when the military took
over power from a democratically elected government. The country is
being ruled by the repressive military junta, which does not honor the
verdict of the people who voted for the National League for Democracy
(NLD) in the 1990 general elections. The participants of the meeting
pledged to continue their ?second? struggle for Independence in Burma
under the leadership of Nobel Laureate and democratic leader Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi.
In the afternoon, a happy and active cultural program followed the
political meeting. Young Burmese girls, boys and children with
traditional Burmese dress singing and dancing made all the people forget
their everyday-faced hardship and difficulties. More than 300 Burmese
participated in this Independence Day celebration. The day was ended
with prize giving program where those who won in the sport competition
(held on January 3) were given various prizes. It was the day Burmese
truly enjoyed their freedom and independence but in a foreign land.
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<b><font size=+2>Burmese celebrate Independence Day in the city</font></b>
<p><b>Aizawl</b> (Mizoram State of India), January 4, 2001
<br>Mizzima News Group (<a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>www.mizzima.com</a>)
<p>The economic and political turmoil in their homeland forced them to
cross the border and work in a foreign country illegally. They work in
handloom weaving houses as daily wagers. They are the Burmese people who
make their home in Mizoram State of India, which is adjacent to Chin State
of Burma.
<p>There are more than one thousand Burmese weavers currently residing
in Aizawl, capital of Mizoram State. They came from various places of Upper
Burma such as Monywa, Shwebo, Sagaing, Mandalay and etc. where traditional
Burmese weaving business was once flourished. As they could no longer survive
in their native cities and villages with this traditional business, they
left the country to neighboring Mizoram State to work as professional weavers.
Besides these Burmese handloom weavers, there are thousands of Chin ethnic
nationals from Burma living in the state.
<p>Unlike any other days where they do weaving from morning to night, they
took leave from their own work and gathered together to celebrate Burma?s
Independence Day. The ?celebration? of 53rd Independence Day of Burma,
organized by India-based All Burma Students League, was held at a local
hall of Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Aizawl on January 4, 2001. Contrary
to the life of their friends and relatives who left behind in
<br>Burma, they enjoyed total freedom in celebrating (their) Independence
Day today.
<p>The celebration, which began at 11:30 a.m., started with a political
meeting where some Mizo political and student leaders delivered solidarity
speeches. The speakers highlighted the fact that even though Burma achieved
independence from the British colonial rule in 1948, the people could not
enjoy the freedom after 1962 when the military took over power from a democratically
elected government. The country is being ruled by the repressive military
junta, which does not honor the verdict of the people who voted for the
National League for Democracy (NLD) in the 1990 general elections. The
participants of the meeting pledged to continue their ?second? struggle
for Independence in Burma under the leadership of Nobel Laureate and democratic
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
<p>In the afternoon, a happy and active cultural program followed the political
meeting. Young Burmese girls, boys and children with traditional Burmese
dress singing and dancing made all the people forget their everyday-faced
hardship and difficulties. More than 300 Burmese participated in this Independence
Day celebration. The day was ended
<br>with prize giving program where those who won in the sport competition
(held on January 3) were given various prizes. It was the day Burmese truly
enjoyed their freedom and independence but in a foreign land.
<br>
<p> </html>
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