Humans of Freedom

For me, it is the ability to exercise one's rights as guaranteed under the laws of the country. More importantly, it is the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints. Freedom is a concept which requires no strict definition, as all of us, as humans, are all born with the notion and desire to be free.

The struggle for freedom in our country started long ago, and saw the participation of many youth leaders as well, each of us using a different approach. In my personal struggle for freedom as a young politician, I knew that I would have to first acquire the knowledge and experience necessary for the role I wanted to achieve. By proving myself worthy for the role, I was able to harness public approval and strive towards my goal.

One of my fondest memories is the 2007 Saffron Revolution. I was merely 14 at that time, joining in the protests alongside my parents. For the first time in my life, I experienced what it was like to express our voices and exercise our true freedom of speech. It was an exhilarating moment of sheer joy, brought by our newfound ability to be free.

As youth, we are under pressure, and more often than not, under the control of our society, elders and parents. Being young, we do not receive the same treatment as a full adult, and do not get to exercise our rights and freedoms though we already count as one. Our voices, troubles and demands are suppressed and neglected. Regardless of our numbers and though we may be one of the largest population group in a growing country such as Myanmar, the youth still remain one of the most vulnerable and voiceless groups in society. We are often shunned from having our full rights, and for this simple reason, freedom for the youth is of great importance.

I have long committed my work to serving my country and the people. I firmly believe that by working for the interests of the many, we also receive many benefits in return. In striving for a society with greater freedoms, liberty and equality, I believe we as members of that society will also reap the shared rewards.

Freedom is such an important concept in the democratisation of a country, on par with the concepts of equality, respect, rule of law and justice. Though these concepts are of the highest importance, we still face difficulty as a country and a young democracy to fulfil them in our own actions. We have to remind ourselves that taking full advantage of our freedoms do not hurt the freedom of other people, and that it is equally important to respect the freedom of others in the same way that we expect our freedoms to be respected before the law as well.