Burna Soldier is a gripping tale of one man's journey from williing member of a repressive army to civilian crusader for peace and democracy. The film debuts on HBO2 on May 18, 2011, according to a press release from HBO. Burma Soldier is directed by first-time filmmaker Nic Dunlap and documentarians Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern. Colin Farrell narrates the film.
Myo Myint Cho joined the Burmese Army at age 17 for the same reason many other young Burmese men did: to find security, respect and gainful employment. Before losing a limb to a land mine, he supported the brutal military regime that has run the country for more than 45 years. After his injury, he began an awakening that led him to join the pro-democracy movement.
Burma Soldier combines interviews, archival footage and still photographs to tell the story. The film traces the history of Burma fro 1948, when the country gained independence from Britain, showing how it became the nation it is today. In 1962, General Ne Win, the head of the military, staged a coup, imposing military rule and leaving the country crippled under a socialist economy. Despite the diversity of the region, Ne Win dictated harsh rules outlining a single Burmese ethnic identity that was considered superior to all other groups in an effort to control ethnic minorities.
As he waits in a refugee camp in Thailand while seeking asylum in the United States, Myo Myint recalls the journey that brought him there. Unable to find a job as a teenager, he joined the army as an engineer mapping and clearing landmines, dreaming that he would work his way from the infantry to a better life. Along with many fellow soldiers were as young as he was (25% of them under age 16), Myo Myint underwent training that systematically normalized killing and torture to suppress insurgency.
Myo Myint witnessed countess acts of brutality in the country consumed by ongoing civil war. He was hit by a mortar and lost an arm, a leg and several fingers. His injuries led to a change of heart and he left the army. He began a secret library of banned books and started organizing demonstrations against the regime.
In 1988, on the advice of an astrologer, General Ne Win drastically devalued the currency of the already impoverished country, stating that any monies divisible by the number nine were invalid. People took to the streets in protest. Arrested at a rally, Myo Myint was tortured and sentenced to 15 years in prison. His excessive punishment was due in part to his telling the judge, “I don’t believe in the military regime.”
Myo Muint was not permitted to read or write for more then a decate, but he obtained some materials from friendly wardens.General Ne Win resigned but the military regime’s control over the country continued. Eventually, the spread of the Internet allowed citizens to communicate clandestinely, sharing information about rampant violence and inequality in the country.
Myo Myint was released from prison at age 41, but remained under constant surveillance. He made the risky decision to flee to Thailand, where he could reestablish communication with family members. Eventually, he reunited with his brother and sister in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, the s home to the largest Burmese community in the U.S. He now enjoyed the freedom he once only dreamed about, Myo Myint continues to work for peace, freedom and democracy in Burma from his new home. He is one of more than a million Burmese who have fled to other countries to escape oppression
Today, Burma’s ruling military party continues to operate a closed media where foreign journalists are banned, censorship reigns and access to information is strictly controlled.
BURMA SOLDIER exposes Burma’s abusive totalitarian system through the first-hand testimony of someone who was a part of it when the film debuts Wednesday, May 18 (8:00-9:15 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO2. Other HBO2 playdates: May 27 (11:00 a.m.) and 31 (2:15 p.m.).
Comments