Ahn girl kneeling at the armed police. Reuters = Yonhap News
A nun, who knelt at an armed police with a gun to protect protesters against the Myanmar military, recalled that time, “If I shot me, I was willing to die.”
On the 13th (local time), the British Daily The Times published an interview with An Nu Taung, 45, a member of the Convent of Saint Francis Saberio in Michina, northern Myanmar. Sister Ahn is famous for a picture of her kneeling in the middle of the road last month and appealing to the armed police for peace, saying, “If you really want to shoot, shoot me instead of the protesters.” With this single photo taken at the time, the violence and oppression of the Myanmar military was further criticized, and Sister Ahn’s sacrifice and courage became the object of praise.
Sister Ahn said, “When I was a child, I saw the military killing a neighbor. So I am afraid to see only people in military uniforms.” However, he said he had no choice but to step out of the situation. Sister Ahn said, “The protesters who were chased by the police and security forces at the time were in a state of refuge in the cathedral.” “If they shot me, they were willing to die,” he said. “I couldn’t just watch them kill innocent people in front of me.”
Sister Ahn compared Myanmar’s present to war. “I’ve seen a man shot in the head fall right next to him,” he said. “We ran to live, and the police kept firing.” “The police have to protect the citizens, but I couldn’t see it,” he grieved. Sister Ahn said, “I have been really happy for five years under the Civil Government. But now people are trembling with fear, day and night, not knowing when they will be captured or when they will die.”
As the Myanmar military launched a coup on the 1st of last month, protests against it continue. Casualties are increasing rapidly as the military brutally suppresses the protesters.
Reporter Jang Joo-young [email protected]
