‘Pray for Myanmar’: Miss Universe pageant turns political | Human rights

May 19, 2021 By Gail Maddox

In the months leading up to the Miss Universe pageant, most of the contestants were busy making promotional films and rehearsing for their moment in the limelight. Thuzar Wint Lwin from Myanmar was on the streets of Yangon, protesting against the country’s brutal army.

As the military used increasingly deadly force to crush protests opposing the February coup, she visited the families of those killed and donated her savings. Online, he raised awareness of military violence, despite the risk of retaliation.

On Thursday, Thuzar Wint Lwin appeared on stage in Florida, where he sent a powerful message to viewers around the world. Walking in the traditional clothing of the Chin ethnic minority, he unfurled a banner that read: “Pray for Myanmar.”

“Our people are dying and being shot by the military every day,” he said in a video message filmed for the contest.

Thuzar Wint Lwin, 22, was determined to enter the competition, she said on Facebook, because she wanted to use her platform to “make the world know about our country and how our freedom, human rights and right to live are threatened. ”. He managed to safely pass through the Yangon airport earlier this month.

It won the award for best national costume, for a traditional dress worn by Chin women in northwestern Myanmar. The dress, which features intricate weaving and is worn with a beaded feather crown, is associated with the Khwang Cawi festival, when tributes are paid to brave and admirable women.

Dr Sasa, spokesman for Myanmar’s national unity government, created by pro-democracy politicians, including some detainees, praised Thuzar Wint Lwin “for his courage in the face of so many obstacles.” His actions had helped raise awareness of “the plight of the brave citizens of Myanmar under the hand of these cruel terrorist assassins,” he said in a statement.

In recent days, thousands of people in Myanmar’s Chin state have been forced to flee their homes, following escalating fighting between the military and anti-coup activists who have formed the China Defense Force.

The group used traditional hunting weapons to fight the army in the city of Mindat, while the military fired artillery shells towards the city and used helicopters to bring in additional troops. The Chinland Defense Force told Reuters earlier this week that it had withdrawn to prevent civilians from being caught in the crossfire.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that providing humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence, or still in the city, is a challenge due to insecurity.

Myanmar's beauty queen Thuzar Wint Lwin stands before a crowd in Yangon at a protest against the military regime in February.

Thuzar Wint Lwin at a protest against the military regime in Yangon, February. Photographer: Courtesy of Thuzar Wint Lwin / Facebook

The United States condemned the use of violence by the military against the civilian population, describing it as “yet another demonstration of the depths to which the regime will sink to cling to power.” It has tightened sanctions against ruling generals, placing more members of the board on a financial blacklist.

More than 800 people have been killed by the junta, according to the advocacy group. Association of Assistance to Political Prisoners. Thousands more have been arrested, including elected politicians, pro-democracy activists and protesters.

The military has also cracked down on cultural figures who have criticized the coup, posting wanted lists on military television in the evenings. Celebrities, from poets to beauty bloggers to influencers, are among those wanted or held by law enforcement.

Many are captured during night raids, when security forces stalk the streets and search the homes of anyone they suspect of supporting the protesters. There have been repeated reports of torture inside detention centers.

It is unclear where Thuzar Wint Lwin will stay after the contest. There were unconfirmed reports on social media that the Myanmar regime had issued an arrest warrant since her protest against Miss Universe.

In an online video message, he said: “Myanmar deserves democracy, and we will continue to fight and I also hope that the international community will provide us with the help we desperately need.”

Thuzar Wint Lwin what She is not the only contestant to make a political point in the Miss Universe pageant. Bernadette Belle Ong, who represented Singapore, took the stage wearing a cape in the colors of her country’s flag and then turned to reveal the message painted on the back, “Stop Asian Hate,” referring to the growing number of racist attacks on Asian Americans.

Lola de los Santos, the Miss Universe contestant from Uruguay, showed her support for LGBTQ + people with a rainbow outfit and a skirt that read: “No more hatred, violence, rejection, discrimination.”

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