A ray of sunshine for Myanmar’s wounded rebels as civil war rages
A ray of sunshine for Myanmar’s wounded rebels as civil war rages
The Sunshine Care Centre has helped hundreds of badly injured fighters from Myanmar’s civil war recover from injuries.
Author: Unknown
Published on: 31/01/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
Wounded revolutionary fighters lie side by side within an old wooden house in the Thai border town of Mae Sot. Many are amputees missing legs, hands, and arms. The estimated 140 war-wounded fighters at Sunshine Care Centre are recovering in rudimentary conditions. They are cared for by volunteers who themselves have fled from Myanmar. Most cannot return home for fear of violent reprisal by the Myanmar military. Ko Khant was a chef in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. Before the military takeover, he was specialising in European cuisine. "Sometimes when the RPG drops they don't explode." Myanmar's military rulers imported more than $1bn worth of arms by 2023. In contrast, resistance forces are vastly under-resourced, risking desperate actions. Many of the fighters convalescing in Sunshine Care Centre have been injured by landmines. "But after we soldiers live together, eat together and sleep together, they trust me," he says. Su Pan, an ethnic Karen journalist, is learning to walk again using a prosthetic leg. It is a goal his wife supports, telling Al Jazeera that it is her husband’s duty to support the revolution. Sunshine Care Centre was started as a simple shelter for wounded fighters by Myanmar woman Ah Naw. Since then, the centre has grown to assist more than 800 injured rebels. The centre is staffed primarily by young volunteers, most of whom have also fled Myanmar. Pan Pan, a 30-year-old former welder turned fighter, was shot in the head by a sniper. After initial treatment, he was brought to Sunshine, where he lay unconscious for six months. Yu says Pan Pan regained consciousness and can now function with limited mobility. Diverse resistance groups have made significant gains and military forces have lost key positions. Amid battlefield losses and mounting casualties, the military last year began enforcing conscription for men aged 18 to 35. In northern Shan and Wa states, ethnic armed groups are also involved in the international drug trade. The Sunshine Care Centre will continue to be a crucial refuge for injured fighters and its volunteer helpers. There appears little interest from the outside world in getting involved in Myanmar’s complex conflict.
Original: 1864 words
Summary: 378 words
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