Have Empathy for the Comrades Who Sacrificed Their Limbs for the Country
By: Htwin
I still remember a story I read as a child. I can’t recall if it was a translation or a Burmese original, nor can I remember the author’s name—for which I apologize to them.
In the story, a soldier on the front lines sent a letter to his parents. As I recall, it said: “Mom and Dad, my duty at the front is over. I’m coming home soon. A friend is coming with me; he has no family to go back to, and he lost a leg in battle. Can he live with our family forever? If you agree, I’ll bring him along. Please write back with your decision.”
The parents replied: “Son, please come home. But we cannot take care of your friend for the rest of his life, so please do not bring him.”
A few days after receiving that reply, the son returned to his parents. But he wasn’t alive. It was his corpse that arrived and it was missing a leg.
The story ended there, leaving the reader to think. At first, I thought the son had been hit by a bomb or a bullet just before coming home. I told a friend, “How unlucky, to die just as he was about to return.” My friend, who understood the story better, corrected me: “No, the son was testing his parents. There was no ‘friend.’ It was the son himself who had lost a leg. He wanted to know if they could accept a disabled son. When they said no, he realized they wouldn't want him like that, so he killed himself.”
If my friend hadn't explained that, I might not have remembered the story so vividly. Today, during this Spring Revolution, whenever I see comrades losing legs or other parts of their bodies, I think of that story. It highlights the empathy and love we must show those who have sacrificed. You shouldn't have to be blood-related to feel empathy; we should treat our comrades like family.
The mental state of these comrades is like that of the son in the story. Losing a limb leads to deep depression. It feels like hope is gone—a battle with death even after the fighting stops. When the son was writing to his parents, he was desperate for warmth and love. When he got that unexpected reply, his spirit was broken.
Many comrades don't express their feelings openly, just like the son used the "friend" as a shield. People often hide their depression, and disabled comrades are even more vulnerable to it. If we don't pay attention, it feels like we are abandoning them.
There are signs to watch for: becoming unusually quiet, losing a genuine smile, isolating themselves, staring blankly, or drinking excessively. These are red flags for depression and potential suicide. They need psychological help.
In treating these comrades, there are things we must avoid and things we must do:
Avoid Harassment: Never use words like "useless," even in jest. Do not resent them if they cannot work. If you make them feel like "extra baggage," they may lose the will to live. Never mock their disability or call them by names based on their physical condition. This is inhumane and rude.
The Culture of Mockery: In Myanmar, many people have a habit of mocking disabilities or using them as nicknames whether it’s for the blind, the deaf, or even the LGBTQ+ community. Even in movies, these things are treated as "comedy." This needs to stop.
Dignity in Retirement: If a comrade cannot work due to disability, do not grumble. They have already given enough for the country. They have earned the right to a dignified retirement.
Meaningful Inclusion: To prevent them from feeling like "extra baggage," we should find roles suited for them. This could be logistics, selling "Nway Oo" lottery tickets, information work, drone operations, or even teaching in NUG schools. The work should be something they want to do, not something forced.
We must ensure they share in the fruits of our eventual victory. In many foreign countries, people with disabilities are given real opportunities in offices and schools. They use wheelchairs or crutches but are valued for their skills. We should emulate this.
If a graduate is deaf but wants to teach, we shouldn't just say "no" because they can't hear the students. We should find a solution—perhaps they teach specific subjects or age groups. This doesn't hurt the students; in fact, it teaches the students empathy and how to interact with people with disabilities.
We need to create a society where "Disabled but Capable" is a living reality. I want to see a beautiful Myanmar where everyone who deserves an opportunity actually gets one.
