A monk who daily visits our house for alms food once said that those with low reasoning power and poor experience put all the blame on others; those with normal reasoning power and normal experience blame themselves; and those with good reasoning power and rich experience tried to find out the root cause of a problem and seek a way to solve it.

Firstly, I would like to present some salient points about myself. I never speak loudly and indiscreetly. I have suppressed my feelings for many times. So, I want to say something. I was in the tenth standard when the 1988 unrest occurred. In the same academic year, some of classmates were in the ninth standard because they failed the examination. At that time, a variety of rumours were spreading across the nation.

I was just a high school student without any experience about unrest. So, I trusted in all what I heard, and the hearsay raised my blood pressure, provoking my emotional feelings. Being a young man, I was unable at all to control my feeling of making sacrifices owing to the words of instigation such as “Won’t you people carry out any movements for that?”

Many youths became hot-blooded, trusting in the deceptions of some politicians who, staying in safe places, conspired plots and agitated the people. Some friends of mine and I claimed that we would never act without our own initiative, and we would never get ourselves used by others. However, in practice, we were unable to make correct decisions due to lack of experience and maturity.

Fortunately, before I took part in the movements, I had good opportunities to make reviews about the current affairs correctly thanks to the explanation of my parents endowed with foresight and reasoning power. Studying whatever publications and old newspapers available, I held discussions with my friends about many historic events such as backgrounds of successive Myanmar kings, social and political affairs in those times, Myanmar people’s living conditions in the times of the British and the Fascists, untold stories faced by Myanmar people, movements carried out in unison by national leaders and the people in the pre-independence period, the situation in which the people had to live in a state of panic in the post-independence period, the political situations in the parliamentary democracy period in which self-centered politicians who deceived the people for votes, tried to sow enmity among Tatmadaw members in the interests of their parties, the Caretaker Government that emerged according to the historical needs, the Revolutionary Council Government, and the founding of the Myanma Socialist Programme Party according to the prevailing conditions. We also gained knowledge about the wedge driven among national races the colonialists, racialism, the historical background and methods of insurgent groups that emerged due to their sticking to sectarianism.

Moreover, we studied strengths and weaknesses of international policies. We came to understand that we needed to catch up with prevailing conditions, to view all situations, we liked or disliked, from both points of views, and to listen to the words of both sides. Only then would it be possible for us to weigh the situations correctly. We did not know much about politics. As an ordinary public member, I noticed that those who carried out politics with their concepts did not look forward to opportunities. They were satisfied if their efforts came to fruition and they preferred to live as ordinary members of the public only. Such persons were organized and used at will by political opportunists. Selfish politicians always sought opportunities and were always ready to seize power and position.

While we were conducting self-studying, the 1988 unrest became anarchic, and evil and horrifying incidents were taking place in various places at any time. There was a sign of alien invasion of the nation, and some forces were plotting schemes to divide the nation into pieces and to rule the different regions.

Therefore, the Tatmadaw had to take over power unavoidably. At that time, all the people who really cherished the motherland and favoured peace and stability accepted the Tatmadaw’s decision. The majority of friends us were in the basic social class. My father was a government employee, so our family managed to withstand hardships somewhat in the anarchic time. However, my friends’ parents were daily wage earners. So, my friends had to leave school and share their parents with family duties to handle hardships of basic needs. So, they could not complete their education. Now, they are dealing with vicissitudes of family life. An article said that in the 1988 unrest, artless protesters did not earn a credit, but lost their name. Some friends of mine took the wrong path due to the rumours spread by politicians.

We had gained a lot of experience and learned lessons. As I had tried to become a student only after taking time and spending money, I thought that I should also become a professional in a certain field. So I and my friends continued studying the different branches we were interested in. I joined Government Technical Institute as I took interest in that subject. It was encouraging that while I was at the institute, the national economy was beginning to grow. There emerged a lot of local companies, joint-ventures, foreign investments, manufacturing and other services in the country within a short time. I was a dreamer then. I thought I would be able to do the job I like as soon as I finished my studies.

But I didn’t want to be a civil servant. A civil servant has to carry out a duty in a disciplined, precise way with goodwill without mistakes. Civil service rules and regulations are systematically laid down. That was why thinking that becoming a government employee was not that easy, I planned to work for a certain private company.

What a coincidence at the time! Some so-called experienced politicians shouted that foreign businesses should not be set up in Myanmar; investments should not be made; the existing foreign businesses should be closed down; relations should be cut; and economic sanctions should be imposed on the country. The development of the State is first and foremost important regardless of under what system or under whose rule. Think it carefully that one doesn’t need to nurture a sapling any more as it has been already grown to a certain extent. Why does one want to uproot that sapling instead of trying to nurture it to be in full bloom and bear fruits? But according to them, cuts and sanctions would help topple the government. They didn’t consider what would happen and who would get into trouble.

Consequently, I had to earn my living by opening a small grocery in my ward. Our family didn’t have enough money to send me abroad to work. I didn’t want to work as a civil servant. With some companies closed down and some withdrawing from the country, I had to choose the most suitable job I should do. No need to say who was directly affected adversely due to such cuts and sanctions. I thought then that such politicians could not consider as much as we could. Or it might be their aim to serve their purpose in disregard of the impact on others. Did they succeed actually? Their evil acts might lead the ordinary people like us who are not rich and daily wage earners to get poorer and poorer.

Eventually, we had to put blame on our fate. But I made a decision that I would stay away from politics as well as such destructive elements. I accept the idea that confidence comes from own experiences coupled with own consideration. I have never joined any organizations as I love freedom and want to speak out if necessary without taking sides with anyone. I have led a peaceful life by doing my own small business. As time went by, in last September there broke out monks’ protest marches. Initially, they recited parittas and then they came to make political demands holding various placards and flags. We Myanmar people love living and going round in groups. And we are very curious. Under any circumstances, we want to see an incident with our own eyes if we have never seen it before. Some might have participated in the protest marches together with the protesters, supporters and on-lookers because of their curiosity and interest. There might be also some who participated in the protests as they were ignorant of the true situation of the incident and the ulterior motive of the protesters. What I would like to say is that most of the people in our street want to live and earn their living in a peaceful way. They take no interest in other things. Some, as they had time, went and saw the protest marches and spread their rumours. When I told them that they should consider whether the incidents were possible or not, they looked at me as if I were their enemy. If I did my own job without going out to witness the incidents, I was again threatened. I don’t think they should do so. It would be a devastating blow to the future of our democratic nation if there were any anarchic acts by forming mobs and personal grudge whenever such disturbances occurred. Whatever we do, we should do it thoughtfully. Whatever we do, we need to look at it from all angles, political, social and religious affairs. There is one more thing that if one refuses to do a thing that another one is doing, the right of the former must be acknowledged. We have to stand on our own feet. We have to lead a life by ourselves without any assistance from any organizations.

According to reliable sources, our nation is seeing signs of progress these days. There usually comes a breeze following the storm. Due to the storm that was unbearable to experience, there were few losses but now the nation is in peace. The majority of the people are now in a position to live in peace and security. As the Sayadaw has said, the situation has been well handled. Now we, the ordinary people, are doing our jobs peacefully.