“ No Dam … Dam is Damn”

While we were demonstrating in front of Thai Embassy, I remembered a day I took a trip along Salween River. Under a bright sunshine, I was looking at beautiful scenery, touching and breathing fresh air that came through the river and taking pictures of flying birds above the river. Looking at both sides of the river, I noticed the different green colors of the forests in the two lands. On Thai side, as a replacement of the past complete deforestation, there were many young bright green trees artificially planted due to the plan of Thailand Queen’s soil and environmental protection program. On Burma side, the dark green trees, those were quite aging and naturally grown, made me having more affection to the nature and what Burma is.

Suddenly, one of my friends told me to stop taking pictures because our boat was approaching to the area where Burma dictator’s troops were stationing. We disguised as traders to hide the military group who were looking at us through the binoculars. I was encouraging myself that we were safe from their attack because we were traveling in the area of Thai territory. However, no one could certainly tell you that you would not be shot if they, the Burma brutal army, found out that you were from the opposition group. I saw a golden temple near their tents but not any fence. By using the temple as their firing ground, I felt bitterly that they were abusing Buddhism which never supports wars and violence.

Fortunately, we passed their area quietly without any problem. Half an hour later, a cluster of tents on the shore of Burma loomed. I thought there was one more troop of the regime’s army. Then, I saw a man in partial army uniform on the shore holding a gun in his one hand signalled us to stop our boat. We went within reach of him. He got on the boat and talked to the operator that he wanted to go to a place which was on the same direction we were heading. We did not talk to him as we kept ourselves pretending we were villagers or traders. Then, I found he had a peacock figure engraved pendant on his neck, and realized he was one of the ABSDF( All Burma Students' Democratic Front) soldiers.

Minutes after we dropped him, I saw a group of people with two or three boats crossing the river from Burma to Thailand. On their boads, there were several big plastic bages filled with unknown stuff inside. I supposed they were traders. Our boat paused on the shore of Burma for 15 minutes. Meantime, I took some pictures of Karen soldiers who did not respond me with smiles. I felt it was very unusual throughout I did not get warm response when I greeted the villagers in their language that I knew a few words.
Almost a half hour after we departed that place, my friend told me that the village we just visited was burnt down on ground by the regime's soldiers as a strategic plan for building a dam on the Salween river. As soon as I got to know these awful atrocities, I felt shocked and the beautiful scenery I enjoyed along the way disappeared suddenly. I did not have any idea about the recent skirmish and the soldiers' vicious attack until my friend told me. I did not realize when I was in their village because I did not understand what they were talking and nobody explained/translated to me.

I, after all, felt strangely that no one seemed very much frightened of the battle even if they knew it was coming. They are no longer crying not because they have no fear but because they have no tear left.

Then.. I again shouted “ No Dam … Dam is Damn”