I became a U.S. citizen in March. That’s right; after 15 years of living in the land of the free and home of the brave, I decided to become naturalized. It was actually a really tough decision, but very intentional. Anyways, we are taught that our flag waves for freedom and the statue of liberty represents democracy. From a young age we learn that the USA is the greatest nation and democracy is the best form of government.
I hope everyone realizes that each country has its mistakes, issues and major weaknesses, including America (simply put). I don't intend to crucify the US; no one forced me to become a citizen after all. However, the fight for freedom and democracy is so glorified and romanticized in our nation. I wouldn't have minded being the wife of "The Patriot", played by Mel Gibson, during the Revolutionary War...as long as I could have had Mel Gibson. But, real life doesn't really work that way; besides, there's only one Mel Gibson.
In mid-March of this year, thousands of protestors called the "red shirts" marched into Bangkok and set up a camp in the city's downtown business district. Their cause? Justice and democracy. A fight for freedom.
In a sense, it was very admirable and I sympathize with them greatly. The people of the north and northeast in Thailand are not only significantly poorer than the rest of the country, but they are usually ignored by the government and regarded as a lower class of citizens. They are often treated like blacks were before the Civil Rights Movement in the US.
When I arrived to Bangkok, I knew what was going on...sort of. I knew that there were some kind of protests happening and that about 20 people were killed and 80 injured by grenades tossed into the SkyTrain (that I would be taking everyday) in April. I consciously failed to mention all of this to my family and most friends. Since there was only a travel warning to Thailand and no restriction, I went anyways.
Because everything was so new to me that first week, it was difficult to differentiate what was out of the ordinary in the city. Soldiers stationed at the SkyTrain stations didn't seem odd. However, at the intersection where my office is located, the road was blocked off with tires, barbed wire and massive bamboo sticks. Something wasn't right there. This was a blockade that led into the protestors encampment. On my first day, I went to lunch to a nearby food court with my Aussie friend. We had to walk down the street through the protests. It's definitely not as exciting as it sounds...believe me. Only one lane was open for traffic on the road that normally has 3 lanes going in each direction. Tents were set up and many people were lying on the ground; large trucks were playing propaganda speeches over loud speakers. I discovered the hard way that bus station covers were turned into shower stalls when I happened to glance through the large gaps of one and see a naked man showering. Let's just say it wasn't Mel Gibson. It was absurd actually.
Thousands of people flooded into the capital and spent months camping out in the hot, humid and polluted city in order to have their voices heard. What is tragic is that many of them were used by power-thirsty politicians who have little regard for the rights and lives of these people. In early May, the government presented a roadmap for peace, an attempt for reconciliation with promises of an election. However, the leaders of the protestors rejected this plan because they demanded immunity for a corrupt leader. The nation was shocked. What was the protest all about after all? It became clear that the red shirts were divided and the leadership had mixed motives, many of which were not justice and democracy after all. Besides the strategic location of the protests, everything else seemed pointless to me. As I walked out if the protest camp that day, I began wondering how justice and democracy could actually be achieved through such ineffective attempts.
On day 4 of my internship, our office was evacuated. Soon after, public transportation was shut down and a curfew was imposed. The government came in with a military crackdown after repeated warnings to the protestors. Over 80 people were killed and nearly 1,500 injured. I saw pillars of smoke from my apartment as Central World, Southeast Asia's largest mall, was burning. Needless to say, the damage was astounding considering economic loss over the course of the 2 months, damage to dozens of buildings, and most tragically the loss of human life.
So, what now? Where's the glory? Thousands of people spend months on the streets in scorching heat, showering from hoses in make-shift stalls...only to be run off by the military without any promises of elections or reform. Not only were their lives disrupted for months, but they caused an enormous inconvenience to the capital. Just imagine thousands of people storming into Times Square, stopping traffic, closing businesses and camping out for 2 months. Who can blame the government for the crackdown? No other country would have tolerated such a demonstration.
There's no answer to my previous question. What now? Bangkok is relatively calm. I've been enjoying life since I've been released from house arrest and the curfew was lifted. Again, I'm very sympathetic to the red shirts' cause, but not their management. I think the government needs to take steps towards reconciliation, but I cannot blame them for the actions they took earlier.
It's such a difficult situation. What is democracy all about? This is not only about Thailand, but countless nations in the world. What is the cost of justice and human rights? Must human life be lost for human rights?
I don't want to end my blog this way, but I struggle with what to say next. In fact, this is my third attempt at a final paragraph. Unfortunately, I don't have the answers for such tough questions. Apparently, nobody does since we're all still fighting. But, let us strive to be sensitive, compassionate, tolerant and proactive individuals, not to see everything from the lense of our Western upbringing. There's so much more in this world that we don't even begin to comprehend, so many angles that don't fit into our American understanding. Ignorance is only bliss for those who are not being affected. We have the responsibility to know, care and act. As many people, I often feel a heavy responsibility those in need. However, I remember that I don't answer to anyone except God. BUT, Jesus said that when we serve "the least of these" we are serving him. And this explains the burden on my heart. We have the OPPORTUNITY to know, care and act; and as a result, we carry the responsibility to do so. Perhaps the toughest question of all, one which is answerable, is what are we doing to make a difference?
No comments:
Post a Comment