'March for the Beloved' in Myanmar

   We commemorate the anniversaries of the Gwangju Democratic Movement at this time of year, which is evaluated as valuable spiritual asset in the history of the Korean Pro-democracy Movement. It took quite a long time to establish the movement’s identity and to break away from the distorted disgrace entitled 'the revolt of the mob.' In those days, many innocent Gwangju citizens involved in the movement were killed under the military despotic rule 'without leaving love, fame, and name.' We came to know that democracy feeds on blood. 

   Now the song, 'March for the Beloved,' which was often sung in Gwangju in the 1980's, is chanted in Myanmar, which is under the rule of military. Although the spiritual and political leader of the Burmese democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi, won an overwhelming victory in the Myanmar general election in 1990, the military regime didn't turn over the reins of government. Nowadays, 80's Gwangju is a model for the Myanmar of today and Burmese people are inspired to come to Korea by the struggle for democracy, especially by the history of democratic uprising led by Gwangju citizens. However, our government turned down the application of people from Myanmar who were working for democracy and applied to our government for permission of refugee recognition.

We should take a cautious attitude to them.  We Koreans experienced dictatorship and struggled for democracy like the Burmese are doing now. We should remember our history of struggling for democracy, and that democracy activists had to flee and live in exile. Also, we should help their song of victory with 'March for the Beloved’ sung in Myanmar by offering help.

 [#265, 266 Desk Column]