Ko Lin Lin's Oral History, Round 1

Item

Title

Ko Lin Lin's Oral History, Round 1

Synopsis

• Ko Lin Lin, Male aged 29
• Ethnic Myanmar, Muslim
• Seaman working on a cruise-ship in Caribbean and returned to Myanmar as his company terminated his contract due to COVID.
• Was on the ship for four months without job or income for four months, until he could return to Myanmar.
• Feels Muslim people have been discriminated on the grounds of ‘race and religion’.
• Private donors came to community to distribute rice and other basic food items.
• Felt people wanted to party and gather in the name of ‘election campaign’ because festivals like Thingyan [Burmese New Year] were cancelled due to COVID-19.
• Could not convince his mother not to join election gatherings.
• Thinks the government COVID strategy could be more effective but “if we were still under military rule they would just abandon all of us” as it would be far worse.
• Feels the government should create job opportunities, ensure job security and protect the rights of labourers in order to promote post-COVID recovery.
• Feels that a pandemic election was ‘risky’ but fears that if elections were not held and “someone else” gains power “it means the end for all generations in Myanmar”.
• Voted for National League for Democracy in November 2020 election partly as he felt the government supported the return of migrant workers as COVID-19 worsened across the globe.
• “It is better that NLD party win most of the seats because our fight is against the military.”

Date Created

First interview: November 4, 2020
Second interview: December 3, 2020

Language of interview

Burmese

Related interviews

Index

Border closures/restrictions 1
Discrimination 1-2
Elections (2020)
-Election day 3-4
-Impact of Covid-19 on
-Holding elections 2
-Voting decision 4
-Personal hopes for Myanmar 5
-Precautions during Covid-19 3-4
-Pre-election 2-3
-Previous elections 3-4
-Views on election outcomes 3-4
Job 1
Psychological impacts 1
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 1-2
-Breaking rules 1-2
-Consequences for breaking rules 1-2
-Government measures 2
-Local measures 1
-Quarantine 1
-Reactions to measures 2

Item sets

Ko Lin Lin's Oral History (translation)