My Escape from the Union of Burma

Tu Hkawng Saga
Facility Maintenance
North Grafton Job Corps Career Academe
H.B.I USA

In the morning, the window opened slowly from the small house. The fresh wind around the small house waved like the princesses. Suddenly the blue sky cried after the thunderbolt’s anger. The birds took shelter from the rain. At the same time a baby was born at the small house. The baby was a boy. That baby was called Tu Hkawng Saga. That baby was me and today I am known as Yaw Yaw Hpaga and this is my story.
I was born in Northern Kachinland which is between India and China in the Union of Burma. When I was growing up Kachinland was in control by the Burmese Government (Military Junta). The Kachin populations were less than the Burmese population so we were considered the minority. The Burmese people are mostly Buddhists while the Kachin are mostly Christian. The Burmese government hated us for practicing a different religion. I was also hated in school because of my different religion. I was not free to talk about independence from the government. When I was growing up I questioned why I couldn’t speak freely in school. I decided to do something about my situation in school. In 2005 begin talking to fellow students about equal rights for the Kachin people. I started fighting for the freedom for Kachin people.
I was warned to stop speaking about freedom from the Burmese Police Department. I was told I was too young to talk about politics the police said. I refused to listen to the police and continued to speak out. Not too long after the police incident a Buddhist student attacked me for what I said. I was expelled from school because of this but still vowed that I wouldn’t stop doing what I felt I had to do.

After the by the Buddhist student, I did not spread propaganda to anyone but was still put in prison for three months. While in prison, I believed that one day I would be free from the Junta government. I needed to be free because the Burmese Government wanted to end the ethnic minority in Burma. They destroyed villages, raped, shot, beat, rob, stole and killed innocent people including babies. They also burned down Christian churches. They made us live like slaves. I understood that there was no more slavery in the world. I was wrong. This problem shocked my heart but I never gave up. I vowed to one day say I am free.

I was forced to join military after I was released from prison without my parents knowing. My parents looked for me everywhere but I was nowhere to be found. I wanted more than anything to escape! When I was at the Burmese Military Training camp no one expected to be free. I planned differently. I organized the others in the camp to make our escape before the soldiers knew we were gone. We started to run at midnight before the soldiers could cross the river.

We didn’t eat for two or three day because the smoke from the fire would enable the soldiers to find us easily. I knew they were looking for us but I knew how to hide from the Burmese soldiers. We knew we were in extreme danger but God protected us at all times. After four days we arrived home by foot. I saw my mother’s face, a face so unhappy until she saw me approach her. She cried and told me she was very happy to see me but that I wasn’t safe staying at home because the soldiers were looking for me. She told me I had to go to my uncle’s house for safety. When I arrived at my uncle’s house he told me I had to go to Malaysia to ensure my safety. I didn’t want to go because I was never very far from my mother but I had no choice. I could no longer stay in Burma.

I went to Malaysia to become a refugee. I had a dream to come to America so I applied to become a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) member. I received an UNHCR card from the KACHIN REFUGEE COMMUNITY that granted me permission to stay in Malaysia. I was so excited when they gave me the UNHCR card. I felt relieved that they chose me.
In July of 2008 my phone rang. I answered the call and found out the call was from a woman form the United States Migration Office. She told me I was being granted permission to go to the United States! I never imagined I could really go to the United States.

In August of 2008 I left Malaysia for the United States. I now live in Worcester, Massachusetts. I was able to go to school where I was put in the ninth grade. I dropped out of school when I was in the eleventh grade because I needed to save some money for my parents and my future. I soon regretted my decision to leave school. I found out information on the Job Corps program and applied for entry. I was accepted into the program and working on my high school diploma through the Penn Foster Career High School Diploma program as well as the Facilities maintenance trade. That I believed education can help me to get free, free In The Call of the Wild, the bond between Buck and Thornton is best explained by observing my own Kachin peoples.

WP Mungdan KACHIN FLAG today is establishing in America at North Grafton, Job Corps career.

Ngai gaw WP mungdan GUMRAWNG GUMTSA kawn, Malaysia de rawt mat wa ai shanglawt hpyenla Saga Tu Hkawng re. 2008 ning August 28 ya shani, USA mungdan de numdaw mi bai htawt sit shanu nga sai hku re.

Matut n-na, mungkan hpaji hpe Pawngyawng myu sha ni aq matu, arawng la, ganga rawtjat wa lu hkra America kaw, Facility Maintenance jawnglung shakut nga ai shadang sha langai
mung rai nga n-ngai. Jawng janmau hpe gaw May shata, 2013 hta gup la lu na re lam, sara/ma ni kawn chye lu ai re. Ngai hkamla ai lam langai mi nga ai hku re, dai gaw madu up hkang masa, Awmdawm aq hkawn aq hkang hpe hpringtup tsep
kawp lu la ai hte, tinang lata hta’ “REPUBLIC OF KACHINLAND” re ngu hkamla shachying sharim da sai re. Ngai zawn sha hkamla chye ai Myu tsaw Mungtsaw WP shayi/shadang sha ni lawhtam wa u ga ngu, An-hte kamhpa ai, An-hte aq Awng Padang YEHAW WA KARAI KASANG lata hta ap da kyuhpyi nga n-ngai re.

Ya ten hta byin nga ai masa yawng gaw nang-ngai kaw sha lit nga ai n-re, yawng Kaw lit nga, nga ga ai re. Ngai gaw, n-dai Job Corps Jawng kaw, n-chye ai lam grai nga ai tim Karai lata hta up da let, madu aq Mungdan Dawnghkawn hpe n-dai
Jawng Wang hta lu sharawt da lu hkra shakut dat ai mung re. Myit kraw hta’ maroi n-ni Dik ai hkamsha lam law htam wa hkra, Sawa myen ni zingri nga ai gaw America Kaw du nga tim, tsan kabai kau n mai, pugang yang sin machyi, Mungdan kata e’ shanu nga ai Nu-Wa hpunau ni rau, maren sha re ngu n-na, tsundan mayu

Now my life is safe in America and I am a free man. I am free to speak my mind and not be afraid that I will be put in prison for it; or worse, killed. I hope that one day there is no need for anyone to escape from the Union of Burma. God bless to whoever is trying to escape today.

ai hku re. Karai aq kashu kasha ni hkrat sum mat na n-re ngu, myit dating taw tim, shi aq ga lale yang chyawm gaw, awng padang nlu hkrat sum mat chye ai re hpe dum hprang sadi nga ga. Du nga ai shara shagu kawn, myen tsadan hpyen hpe
Lamu Kasa ni rau sha jawm gasat mat na re lam, yawng gaw chye da ra ai hku re.

Myen hpyen sawa hta grau htum ai Karai gaw, an-nau ni aq n tsa, buhda Tibet, buhda Burmese , buhda Chinese, hte buhda India ni lapran lata da hkrum sai ni re zawn, n-bung, wan, mawru, aq na zinli hte n-nang nawn hpyen yawng mayawng an-hte hpang de n-du, hkoi yen mat na ten du sai.

WP sha ni e…. Rawt saga! Sai ga

shasga saga!

Gasat shamyit kau saga!

Hke la saga!

Makawp maga saga!

Atsam madun saga!

N-htu hte n-gang rau rai saga!

Christian dawnghkawn sharawt,

Bum tawng nhtu nawt,

ginding aga na myen tai hpyen hpe shagrawt kau saga looooo,

myu sha ni e’ a ten gaw daini nan rai sai looooooo……. Wp Mungdan hte WP
Kachin myu sha yawng hpe KK makawp maga bausin ya u ga.

Saga Tu Hkawng