A flooded house in Myanmar, where CWS is assisting communities affected by flooding in the Irrawaddy River delta of far Southwest Myanmar (Burma). Photo: Adam Royston / CWS
As I went to sleep in a very quiet Yangon last night, I was hopeful that all of Myanmar would remain calm as results from historic elections, which I am privileged to witness, came in. Waking up to the news that the National League for Democracy – the opposition party of the famous democracy activist and leader, Aung San Suu Kyi – might carry the popular vote, I am most happy to realize that peace and calm are prevailing.
Since we were unsure how things would go with public reactions to results, our CWS team members, along with most other international organization staff, are staying home today. I am having a quiet day watching the news while catching up on some project planning and reporting. Mostly, I am hopeful that things remain calm for the good of the country and especially for the people with whom we and our partners work in the southwest Ayerwaddy delta region and in the southeast Kayin State.
As soon as it is safe and secure for us to move, Ko Ye, Ko Soe, Ko Tho and I will be back in the field doing our work to help end hunger and poverty and, most important these days in Myanmar, to promote peace and justice
Yoko Ito is CWS’s Myanmar Country Representative.