The training ground in eastern Myanmar, where over a hundred young people, mostly in their twenties, are going through intense military drills, is surrounded by a dense bamboo forest in rebel-held territory.
People from all walks of life have joined the resistance movement with the same objective in mind: to topple the military regime that took control of the Southeast Asian country in 2021. They include former chefs, ex-journalists, rappers, and poets.
A critical player in Myanmar’s resistance movement is the Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA), which anti-war poet Maung Saungkha once led.
A trainer directs the recruits’ coordinated movements while holding a whistle. Any mistake is met with severe blows as punishment. Their bodies are drenched in sweat from the intense training, and their skin is dotted with bruises from the intense heat.
The trainees’ workdays run from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., with Sunday being the only day off. They are not permitted to drink any water during the long, intense training sessions that last for hours. Their sleeping mats are laid out a few inches apart on the floor. Maintaining a tidy space is essential, so uniforms, toiletries and study books are neatly arranged on their makeshift beds.
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