INTERVIEW: “Those who created this nightmare must be blamed”

Zaw Wai Soe, the minister of health and education in Myanmar’s shadow Government of National Unity, recently traveled to Washington DC seeking support from US officials, representatives of government institutions and international organizations, and members of the Burmese diaspora living in United States. The NUG is made up of former lawmakers and opponents of the military junta that overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021 in a coup.

On Wednesday, FRG Burmese Service reporter Khet Mar spoke to him about the content of his meetings, his government’s efforts to support Myanmar’s opposition and the state of the country’s medical and educational sectors.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity:

RFA: In an interview in May, you said that during your visit to the United States you would meet with government officials, legislators, and development partners to explain the situation in Myanmar and how they can provide assistance to the country. I would like to know about the results of your meetings.

Zaw Wai Soe: I discussed the situation in Myanmar with foundations, (international) NGOs and philanthropic organizations. When I explained to them how the junta uses airstrikes against people, how our children study (in the middle of the conflict) and how we run our hospitals, they expressed their desire to help us. I am satisfied with the meetings. We established better connections. We also had meetings with State Department officials.

FRG: The Government of National Unity has been running schools in Myanmar (as an alternative to junta-run schools). But students from cities like Yangon and Mandalay can’t go to those schools and won’t attend board schools either. What do you want to tell those students and their parents?

Zaw Wai Soe: In the border areas, we have established online education using Internet access from Thailand, China, and India. But it’s hard to run a school safely in the heart of the country when the military controls the Internet. So in my meetings with US officials, we asked for help with communication systems to use in running schools and health care systems. But we cannot rely on that assistance alone.

As for Myanmar students, I would like to urge you to get your education. We are implementing a basic education completion assessment. Its goal is to provide higher education and professional training to students. A student who is 17 years old can take a test for evaluation. Months ago, some 70,000 students, including members of the People’s Defense Force (anti-junta) (paramilitary group) took the test. Students should know about this assessment. International universities accept test scores.

RFA: There are many doctors who have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement and several hospitals and clinics have been forced to close (since the coup). Many doctors have been arrested. In the midst of such a situation, what do you want to say to those who seek medical attention?

Zaw Wai Soe: As most people know, education, health, the economy and most other sectors of the country were destroyed by the reckless acts of (the leaders of the military coup). We must blame those who put the country and its citizens in this nightmare situation. But blaming them alone will not solve the problem and we have to help people as much as possible. We are trying.

We have been running a new medical school in Kachin state and a nursing school in Kayah state because we need to produce health workers. We have started a six-month course, which can be extended to a year if necessary, to train experts who can provide primary health care to the population. We have already trained more than 10,000 people as doctors. In addition, we have been building locally managed health and human resources systems in Kayah and Chin states.

To do more, we need financial and other assistance from the international community. That is why I seek that support as one of the reasons for this visit. Thanks to our efforts, six months ago, donors from European countries provided us with US$8.4 million and plan to send another US$20 million next year. We must also work together with Myanmar’s ethnic groups to provide assistance to the country’s border regions.

Translated by Htin Aung Kyaw. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.