The landmine that saved our village
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Transcript of The landmine that saved our village
“I’m Pho Khwar…
“I’m Pho Khwar…
…age 9…
“I’m Pho Khwar…
…age 9…
…standing on a landmine…”
“I was born in a remote tribal village in Northern Kachin
State where…
“…the weather is really cold.
“…the weather is really cold. But the residents are were even colder.
“Mommy said
daddy died before
I was born.
“She never picked a man again though she was still young enough.
“She never picked a man again though she was still young enough.
“Tough woman in a tough village…
“But we weren’t alone though…
“My uncle, along with his daughter, came to see us…
“My uncle, along with his daughter, came to see us…
…every three to four
years.
“An unfriendly atmosphere, indeed.
“Would you believe me if I
said…
“Would you believe me if I
said…
A LANDMINE
“Would you believe me if I
said…
A LANDMINE
changed all that?
“This is what happened.
“It was a tribal festival…
“It was a tribal festival…
…everything was going fine until
“It was a tribal festival…
…everything was going fine until I noticed something under my bare feet.
“My soles knew the earth well:
“My soles knew the earth well:They were also familiar with rocks, pebbles, mud, logs, water, snow but…
“My soles knew the earth well:They were also familiar with rocks, pebbles, mud, logs, water, snow but……that thing under me?
“My soles knew the earth well:They were also familiar with rocks, pebbles, mud, logs, water, snow but……that thing under me?
It wasn’t any of
these.
“An elder nearby noticed what was happening and whispered to me…
“Boy…you gotta be very, very calm and hold your weight where it is…
“Boy…you gotta be very, very calm and hold your weight where it is…“…for you’re standing right on a landmine.”
“God, it was what I thought it
was…
“I gathered what strength I could muster…
…concentrating on my balance as it was literally the difference between life & death,…
“I gathered what strength I could muster…
…concentrating on my balance as it was literally the difference between life & death,…
“I gathered what strength I could muster…
I warned the crowd surrounding me…
“Get away from me! I’m
on a landmine!! Please…”
“I lost my voice soon…far as I can recall, I was already crying. That was when the magic started: The very first instance I noticed those folks looking at me…
“There was something in their eyes which I had never seen before…
“Instead of
“Instead of
and
“I saw
“I saw
“I saw
and
“Heeding my warning, they backed
off slightly but it wasn’t even 15
meters from where I was standing.
“Heeding my warning, they backed
off slightly but it wasn’t even 15
meters from where I was standing.
A man whom I had seen every now and then my whole life but never talked to me…said in a very concerned voice…
“Boy, what do you want most that I
could do for you?”
“Shakily, instantly, I replied…
“Shakily, instantly, I replied…
“My momma, of course!!!
“After a while, he came back with my mom. Though dramatically anguished by the very sight of my situation, she kept her head cool as she approached me.
“…Pho Khwar…I wish I AM the one standing on it. I can’t…and won’t…live without you…so I’m gonna take what little chance impossible has to offer. Now…listen very carefully…do exactly as I say or we both die…Understood?
“…I’m going to transfer my weight onto it as you withdraw yours. There’s a mighty good bet for it to explode during the transfer…
“…I’m going to transfer my weight onto it as you withdraw yours. There’s a mighty good bet for it to explode during the transfer…Stand ya ready?”
“Those words…
“Those words…
…that courage…
“Those words…
…that courage…
…that decision…
“Till today do they resonate in my heart. I was lost for words to the sheer exposure of her strength that I could only nod my head…
“She got hold of my shivering
head between her palms…looked
at me straight in the eyes and
said…
“She got hold of my shivering
head between her palms…looked
at me straight in the eyes and
said…
“Look at your foot. YOUR FOOT!”
“As our eyes landed upon the mine, she said, as she slowly advanced her foot…
“Try to shift your weight from your ankle to the tip of your toes. Slowly.
“As our eyes landed upon the mine, she said, as she slowly advanced her foot…
“Try to shift your weight from your ankle to the tip of your toes. Slowly. SLOWLY, PHO KHWAR. YOU’RE GETTING US ALL KILLED!”
“I withdrew my foot calmly as hers took my place…
“I withdrew my foot calmly as hers took my place…
“There you go, Pho Khwar. That’s it. That’s it!!”
“Unbelievable but true, my foot was eventually clear off the mine and she had taken my place in her entirety…
“Unbelievable but true, my foot was eventually clear off the mine and she had taken my place in her entirety…
“Laughing with tears flooding her eyes, that expression occupying her face could only be described as
“Laughing with tears flooding her eyes, that expression occupying her face could only be described as nothing but beautiful…
“So many words to say and yet…
…so little power to speak…
“So many words to say and yet…
…so little power to speak…
“So many words to say and yet…
…I just hugged her…
“She embraced my hug with a secure place in her arms
“She embraced my hug with a secure place in her arms and whispered into my ears…
“I love you…”
“That obviously touched the entire crowd. I could hear long sighs as all of us probably forgot to breathe during the last few minutes. Some of them later went home…only to return with blankets, food and water for us…
“After some forty minutes or so…I offered to retake my stand so that she could rest. She gave me a nice warm hug…
“After some forty minutes or so…I offered to retake my stand so that she could rest. She gave me a nice warm hug…kissed me gently on the forehead…
“…and we carefully repeated the ‘advance and withdraw’ procedure once again…
“…and we carefully repeated the ‘advance and withdraw’ procedure once again…successfully…
“We took turns for a few cycles and then my uncle came…
“We took turns for a few cycles and then my uncle came…
He voluntarily requested to step on that mine so that his sister could go free…
He voluntarily requested to step on that mine so that his sister could go free…
…and then his daughter came to replace him and…
“I think you got the
picture…
“It’s been ten years
now…
“It’s been ten years
now…
Every able person in
our village has stood
on it.
“It’s been ten years
now…
Every able person in
our village has stood
on it.
20 minutes a shift, 72 shifts per day.
“Never was drafting necessary since everyone volunteered.
“So…
“Dear Traveler,…if you’re lost for directions near our village, just come to our mine post because…
…night…
…or noon,…
…rain…
…or snow…
…there’ll always be someone…
…there’ll always be someone…
…sober…
…there’ll always be someone…
…sober……and standing.
“I’m Pho Khwar…
“I’m Pho Khwar…
…age 19…
“I’m Pho Khwar…
…age 19…
…standing on the same landmine I stood on 10 years ago, on my 353rd shift.”
