PodcastFinal_UnhealthyYangon_Kaung

This podcast visits the Yangon, Golden Land of Myanmar or formerly known as Burma, a country that is situated in Southeast Asia that is currently enduring political turmoil. While other places in the world face a single issue due to some underlying problems, the problem in Yangon is due to the military control, military coups, and the military governance. As the pandemic intensified with waves and waves of new covid variants, the people of Yangon and Burma are fighting against covid and coup.

On February 1st 2021, the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s notorious military took over the country by arresting democratically elected representatives and officials. Soldiers began forming barricades, imposing massive surveillance, and cracking down political activists. Nevertheless, for the people of Yangon, this was not the first time living under military regime. Due to decades of prolong military control since 1962, the coup on February 1st brought nightmares and trauma back to the people. Drawing the facts and personal experiences, the podcast pays close attention to the disruption of health and social services as well as physical and social environment that was caused by the military and its brutal treatment towards the people they sworn to protect.

 As people showed their resistance through civil disobedience movement and other forms of peaceful protests, the military looked for ways to diminish the people’s efforts. The military began shutting down oxygen facilities which were used by the people to fill up oxygen tanks for covid patients. Since one third of the population of Yangon contracted covid, the oxygen scarcity became a weapon for the military.

Moreover, the military shutdown internet access, blocking social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to prevent internal information from reaching the international community. Electricity were shut as military began cracking down civilians who participated in the movement in the middle of the night. The trauma and the fear that the people face is paramount. Some people were sent to military detention centers where they were brutally tortured, assaulted, and interrogated.

In conclusion, the podcast address some optimism although Burmese people are still a long way from the end of the tunnel. The people are fighting back as we would fight the disease or unhealthiness. The determination and fighting spirits of the Burmese people along with the enduring city of Yangon will prevail and hopefully and soon to conclude in triumph.

Bibliography

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Solomon, F. (2021, February 18). What 'The hunger games' three-finger salute means to protesters across Asia. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-the-hunger-games-three-finger-salute-means-to-    protesters-across-Asia-11613649604.

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