23.07.2006
.
Join Democracy for Burma Alliance
.
.
A short tale of solidarity
_By Raluca Enescu
Great ideas come when you least expect them. It all started one year ago, when the students in my class, at National College “Spiru Haret” of Bucharest, have been assigned to write a short project concerning a river of our choice. At that time, as I had just finished writing my History project concerning Burma’s democracy movement, I was still deep down into research, and also definitely willing to get involved.
So, when our deadline for Geography projects arrived, I came in with…not really a project. I had the idea to write about the Salween river, and that’s how I came across the case of the Tasang Dam: a huge project supported by the junta, which would lead to the eternal loss of rain forests and floodplains at this time containing not only human settlements, but culturally unique-ones. I knew I had to do something about it.
The result of my work looked more like a campaign leaflet than actually like a project. Fortunately, however, my teacher got the idea immediately. “We should do something about it!”, she told me.
And that was it. Two days later, our action was to be started at any time: students and teachers in my College would petition the UN to oppose the construction of the dam. I was still very worried: how would everyone react to our idea? “We try to speak to one class,” my teacher told me. “If we get positive feedback, we go on, if not, we drop it”. OK, so now I’ll have to speak in front of them, and explain, and collect signatures…Guess I should count to ten before taking the chance! It was more than important. It was the only chance I had.
For my very good luck, the class we’ve chosen to speak to was the one in which most of my friends were. After I explained the whole matter calmly to them and answered a few questions, our teacher asked them: “Anyone who thinks this is a worthy cause, raise your hand”. From all around the class, all hands raised. I sent them a hippie “peace” sign and everyone responded. It has worked! And, the next minutes, while the petition circulated from hand to hand, I realized I can do anything.
It’s been the starting point of three crazy weeks I spent running around from class to class, but, at the end of which I had obtained 300 signatures from both students and teachers. Two weeks later, I was determined to continue the campaign on my own, outside the College. 300 more signatures, from all around the world, and a strong message to be sent: we believe in solidarity. Six months later, I was about to start my own campaigning group for Burma, in Romania. And the story goes on…
We still don’t know yet whether we will be able to stop the construction of the Tasang Dam. But we know that we tried and we did our share. Even now, from time to time, classmates and friends ask me: “So, how’s going on? Did you manage to do anything about that dam?”
It’s all a bit funny: students of a Bucharest (Romania) National College collecting signatures in solidarity with Burmese and Shan farmers. We were faced with a reality we were, until there, quite unaware, and we had our will to try to speak up. Definitely, the world is getting smaller and closer, and this is beautiful.
We, at the National College “Spiru Haret” of Bucharest, we believe in solidarity. We believe in freedom and in justice. And we hope that one day we will be able to say that, somehow, in-between classes and exams, we once took our time and help you. That’s what really matters…. As long as it’s still worth believing that we can make a difference in this world.
Raluca Enescu
......................................................
Comments
Feraya said _
Dear Raluca, thank you very much for all your effort and all your friends' help to stop the Tasang Dam. I am sure it has made a great difference in a lot of ways.
Hla Bu Kay said _
It was great job, Raluca!!! Thanks
Your Comments here_
Request: If you can kindly volunteer to translate BURMA DIGEST English articles into Burmese, please let us know BDeditors@tayzathuria.org.uk .
Please download from http://www.tayzathuria.org.uk/BD.pdf a simple, portable and printable version of BURMA DIGEST and send it to all your Burmese friends.
.
Click here for This week’s articles
Last week’s English articles
Assassinations in Burmese Political Culture
Interview with Colonel Khun Okkar
An International Liability: Is There a Win-Win Solution?
A Visit to Moscow Museum in Mae Sot