Chaw Su last saw her husband in March when he was forcibly conscripted to fight in Myanmar’s civil war. Four months later, she received the devastating news that he had been killed at the frontline. With three young children to care for, life has become much more difficult for the 25-year-old widow who relied on her husband as the breadwinner. The military regime in Myanmar announced compulsory conscription for men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27, leading to a significant loss of life since the coup. The junta’s response to the uprising has plunged the country into a full-blown civil war, with resistance groups gaining control over large parts of the nation. Conscripts are sent to conflict zones without proper training or support, leaving families like Chaw Su and Soe Soe Aye in distress. Some, like Kan Htoo Lwin, have taken extreme measures to escape conscription and join resistance groups. Women like Zue Zue have also been affected, with some choosing to join the fight against the military dictatorship. However, others, like Engineer Min Min, have fled to neighboring countries like Thailand in search of a better life, only to face challenges such as finding legal work and the threat of deportation. The situation in Myanmar remains dire, with many individuals struggling to survive in the midst of conflict and political turmoil. “No tengo otra opción que buscar trabajos de mano de obra manual”, dice. También señala que se da prioridad a los nacionales tailandeses, cuyos derechos están protegidos, mientras que los empresarios tailandeses a menudo explotan a los migrantes que trabajan ilegalmente. “También he visto que los ingenieros birmanos trabajan ilegalmente y solo reciben alrededor de 12,000 baht tailandeses ($355), similar al salario de los trabajadores manuales migrantes”, dice. De vuelta en Myanmar, Chaw Su ahora trabaja en trabajos esporádicos en el pueblo, ganando apenas lo suficiente para alimentar a sus hijos. “Es difícil explicar a otras personas la lucha por la que estoy pasando”, dice.
