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Ma Thida: ‘I Want a Public Apology For Me and My People’

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This article originally appeared on the Women & Girls Hub of News Deeply, and you can find the original here. For important news about issues that affect women and girls in the developing world, you can sign up to the Women & Girls Hub email list. By Ruth Carr

For surgeon and author Ma Thida, writing is what drives her political activism and her fight for education. When it led to her being thrown in jail for 20 years, however, she used the experience as fuel for a searing memoir.

 

Ma Thida’s love of literature started when, as a young girl growing up in the Myanmar capital Yangon, she discovered a cupboard full of books in her grandfather’s house. She went on to become a surgeon, but continued to write and self-publish short stories. In her 20s, she became an advocate for the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party and traveled with party leader Aung San Suu Kyi throughout the country, recording Suu Kyi’s speeches and helping write and distribute NLD literature.

Thida’s outspoken blend of politics and writing led to her being jailed in 1993 by the military junta. She was sentenced to 20 years in Yangon’s infamous Insein Prison.

It was there that Thida contracted tuberculosis and severe endometriosis. After intense lobbying from groups such as Amnesty International, she was released from prison on humanitarian grounds in 1999. Fourteen years later, and by then a nationally recognized writer and speaker, she founded PEN Myanmar, a local branch of PEN International, the worldwide organization fighting for freedom of expression and the rights of writers, especially those silenced by authorities.

Since Thida’s time in Insein, Myanmar has seen many changes. Scores of political activists have been freed from prison and Aung Sang Suu Kyi has been elected to parliament. Yet behind the signs of progress there is still a palpable tension. Bloody clashes between ethnic groups and security forces are frequent, and key positions in parliament are still assigned to the military.

Recently, Thida’s prison memoir, “Prisoner of Conscience: My Steps Through Insein,” was published for the first time in English. She spoke with Women & Girls Hub about the importance of literature and the power of voice.

Women & Girls Hub: What work is PEN Myanmar doing to defend freedom of expression?

Ma Thida: Because of past censorship and heavy propaganda, writers have had no interactive way of reaching out to their audience and I really wanted to break this. I wanted more interaction between writers and readers and vice versa, so we have been organizing public discussions where writers can read their work aloud and we have had discussions in public places, like on trains and in bus stops.

Women & Girls Hub: How can literature enhance society?

Thida: Literature is about people, it digs into the heart of a society. Unlike journalism or media, which is about facts and figures, literature provides deep insight into people’s true nature and their thinking. My country has been in a big black hole of isolation, so we really don’t know each other enough, especially the minority groups. I feel everyone should learn about each other, and the easiest and most effective way to do this is through literature.

Women & Girls Hub: Is it hard for people to find their voice after so many years of not just state but also self-censorship?

Thida: Even though there is no more state censorship, there is still peer and self-censorship and we are still seeing the symptoms of our past isolation. People are still struggling to [write] a page; there is still an inertia and people are struggling with their own feelings of authority.

Their identity has been lost for such a long time that they do not even know their own potential. And we still have so many ethnic groups fighting each other. Censorship, propaganda and a substandard education system have meant there is a struggle for mutual understanding. It’s why promoting freedom of expression and all the different voices is the most important thing right now.

The most dangerous thing about censorship is that it affects people’s way of thinking. After five decades you can imagine. For example, certain subjects might be considered taboo and over time people become indifferent to these topics or issues. They don’t feel the need to investigate or think beyond, and due to substandard education, they don’t know how. So people’s way of thinking becomes designed and this is a big problem.

Women & Girls Hub: Do you think your experience of being in prison was different to the experiences of the men who were incarcerated at the same time?

Thida: I think the experience was very different, especially for the political prisoners as there were not so many female political prisoners during my time, yet there were many in the men’s section, who were able to form a strong collective. They smuggled in shortwave radios, they kept themselves very motivated and updated, and they would continue to have serious discussions. Also many male guards secretly helped them, while in the female section that wasn’t the case. Sadly sometimes women can be enemies amongst themselves. And the female guards were suffering themselves, through a lack of knowledge and education, and were powerless compared to their male counterparts. So they didn’t dare to help us.

Women & Girls Hub: The perception is that Myanmar is on the road to real freedom and democracy, yet you recently stated that you are “not optimistic about the current political system.” Can you tell us why and what you think needs to be done?

Thida: What I really want is a public apology, not only for myself but for my people. There should be a mechanism to acknowledge and admit what was wrong and who is responsible, without any bitterness or hatred. It could reduce the tension and people’s psychology of hatred and wanting revenge.

We also need a new or amended constitution, because with the 2008 constitution, it’s like having two parallel governments at the same time. The army is still in control of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Border Affairs and the police are still under the control of the military. Although we have three pillars – executive, legislative and judiciary – separated by the law, the power sharing is not clear.

‘It Was Death or a New Life’: The Teen Who Fled Syria in a Wheelchair

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This article originally appeared on Refugees Deeply and the Women & Girls Hub of News Deeply, and you can find the original here. For important news about the global migration crisis and issues affecting women and girls, you can sign up for the Refugees Deeply email list as well as the Women & Girls Hub email list. By Charlotte Alfred

Nujeen Mustafa didn’t realize fleeing from Syria to Europe in a wheelchair would be considered extraordinary. Now in Germany, she has written a book about her journey. Speaking to Refugees Deeply, she says she hopes the attention will demonstrate that refugees are more than numbers.

The first time 17-year-old Nujeen Mustafa saw the sea, she and her wheelchair were hauled on to an overcrowded dinghy headed for Europe.

Growing up in the Syrian cities of Manbij and Aleppo, Mustafa – who was born with cerebral palsy – rarely left the house.

Last September, Mustafa traveled 3,500 miles across hostile borders and perilous seas to Germany in a wheelchair, with the help of her sister.

She describes the odyssey in a new book “Nujeen: One Girl’s Incredible Journey from War-Torn Syria in a Wheelchair,” co-authored by veteran British journalist Christina Lamb.

A year after her journey, Mustafa lives outside Cologne, Germany, with two of her sisters and four nieces. In Syria, she was largely self-taught and learned English by watching American soap opera “Days of our Lives.” She now attends a school for people with disabilities and has learned German.

Meanwhile, Mustafa is still waiting for documents to allow her to stay in Germany and apply for her parents to join her from Turkey.

Nujeen and her sister Nasrine on a train near the end of their journey to Cologne. (Nujeen Mustafa)

Refugees Deeply: What are your happiest memories of Syria?

Nujeen Mustafa: I mostly remember my home, the city, the balcony and our family gatherings to watch soccer. That was really fun.

Refugees Deeply: What do you wish more people would know about why people like your family are leaving Syria?

Mustafa: I’ve come to realize that people who have left wars, or witnessed wars, have just become numbers, and they are usually forgotten. It is the politicians who are the ones who are mentioned, and they are not good people for people to read about. I am terrified that in 50 years I’ll hear the names of the people who caused this tragedy in my country, and they’ll be the ones who are remembered, and not me or my family.

Refugees Deeply: What do you hope people would learn from reading your book?

Mustafa: The goal of the book was that people should not think of us as aliens. I speak the words of many other people when I say we are trying really hard, and we are trying to adapt ourselves to the new style of everything. People have to understand, living as a refugee is not easy. I’m not eager to learn German grammar. To rebuild your life from the zero point is not an easy thing to do.

When you end up sensing that people are skeptical, or are mean to you, after all you’ve been through, this is a really unpleasant feeling because you feel like a stranger, like an outcast. I’d like to reassure everyone that we are only guests – I hate the word “refugee” – and if we ever get the chance, we will gladly go back.

Refugees Deeply: What were the best and worst moments in your journey from Syria to Germany?

Mustafa: The best moment was when we decided to go. You think: “I’m going to pass a whole continent, and I’m going to be so far from home.” I told my sister, “This is going to be fun! You’ll never have this experience again in your whole life.”

Because I had this circle of people in my family that were trustworthy and my life was totally normal apart from not going to school, I think that caused me to be oblivious to how my condition was. So even with the wheelchair I thought, let’s try it, we have to do it. You never know what you are capable of until you try. The worst fear was death, but the journey looked possible. Either it would be death, or a new life.

Nujeen and her sister Nasrine wait for a bus to take them to a camp in Germany. (Nujeen Mustafa)

The worst parts were the registration, the fear of getting fingerprinted, that you have to trust Google to know where you’re going and you are surrounded by police all the time. They treat you well, but you also feel like something they will gladly get rid of.

Refugees Deeply: How did doing this journey change you?

Mustafa: Now I know what I’m capable of doing, and that made me more determined, because I know more about what I can do. The reaction of other people to my journey really shocked me. My life was so normal to me, I forgot that it’s going to be considered a weird thing for a wheelchair user who didn’t go to school, to speak English and do this journey across Europe. I was really happy, because I have people’s support, I have friends and to feel useful was awesome.

Now I’m just happy that I’m away from bombing, from helicopters and cluster bombs. Even though it’s a really high-cost thing, because I left behind my family.

Refugees Deeply: In what ways has life in Germany been different to what you expected?

Mustafa: In many ways! Instead of waiting for lunch, I’m waiting to do my next interview. Also getting up early, doing stuff teenagers here do, and the sense of security. You have this internal peace in your heart. You dare to look forward to things, because there is no fear.

I had some difficulties. When I arrived in Germany I thought: “Oh my God, am I going to start speaking like them? Do things like they do?” You have to learn the German language very fast. At school, I was a little intimidated at first because I didn’t understand them well, and they’re always expecting something new, but you get used to it and now it’s fine.

I thought of it as the start of my new life, so I was happy for the challenge. I’m turning 18 years old soon, and it’s time to face life.

Nujeen plays wheelchair basketball in Germany in June 2016. (Nujeen Mustafa)

Refugees Deeply: What do you hope to do next?

Mustafa: I’m in ninth grade right now and I have one year left at school. I will try to do my best and be the best. I have this tendency to be number one. I’m a perfectionist and that’s crazy. I get a headache when my sisters’ pronunciation of German is totally bad, and it gets on my nerves.

I think when you’re in a new society, you tend to want to prove yourself, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m also trying not to appear awkward and adapt myself to the German lifestyle.

After school, plan A is to study physics and become an astronaut. Plan B is to continue writing. I will write about anything I know – it may be sport, or it may be stories because I have a really wild imagination. The six American winners of the Nobel prize were all immigrants, and I think that’s proof how useful immigrants can be to countries. I will try to help Germany; I will try to do my part.

As soon as I get my residence permit, I will apply for my passport and then I think directly we will fly back to Turkey to see my parents.

Refugees Deeply: Do you think it is more difficult for people with disabilities who become refugees?

Mustafa: As I said earlier, you never know what you are capable of. But I always think of people who are stuck in Syria with disabilities. I know how hard it is to wait for death to come. I think no matter what you should be happy you are alive. I think we must all have faith in God. No one is an extra number of the world’s population. I understand that our society does not understand people with disabilities as people in Europe do, but I think we can maintain hope, and hope for the best. I always say, nothing lasts forever. Even war does not.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

“NUJEEN: One Girl’s Incredible Journey from War-Torn Syria in a Wheelchair” is in bookstores now, published by Harper Wave. Read an excerpt from the book here.

Mallika Chopra on Living with Intent: 6 Steps to Living a Healthier, More Joyful and Purposeful Life

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Mallika Chopra may be the daughter of famous self-help guru Deepak Chopra, but she's the first to admit she doesn't have all the answers. That's why she decided to look for them, and to apply the answers she found to living her life with intent. It's an approach that has grown into an app, website and community built around helping others find purpose, joy, health and more--all while balancing the many responsibilities and priorities everyday life can throw our way.In her latest book; Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace, and Joy (also check out 100 Promises to My Baby and 100 Questions from My Child), Chopra delivers common-sense wisdom about gratitude, self-compassion, appreciating the moment, honest reflection and much more as she candidly invites readers to join her on her personal journey. Chopra shared with Women Investing in Women Digital the six steps she advises to live with intent. We encourage you to visit her website to learn more about living with intent.

Living with Intent: 6 Steps to Living a Healthier, More Joyful & Purposeful Life

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About two years ago, I approached my father (Deepak Chopra) with a confession. I told him I was generally exhausted, over caffeinated and my sugar addiction was out of control.  I realized I was overscheduled trying to balance my role as a wife, mom, and entrepreneur with intent.com, my start-up social media company. I felt bloated and had a lot of body pain. I hadn’t been meditating or exercising much, and at night I was having trouble sleeping. My father looked shell shocked, and it took a few moments for him to transition from concerned father to Deepak Chopra, the person that thousands go to for health advice.

Yes, even a Chopra can find herself out of balance, unhealthy, and wondering if my daily actions have any meaning or purpose. In the weeks before I confessed to my father, I had set the intent to make changes to feel better, more energetic and happier in my days. I decided to recommit to meditation (which I had learned when I was nine) and to rediscover the many lessons that my parents had taught us. But, this was just the beginning of the journey, and thus, I turned to my father for help.

As we sat together, my father and I brainstormed an exercise that would help me think about the areas in my life that needed attention. We came up with the following Balance Wheel – thinking about whether I was struggling, surviving or thriving in each area.

Balance Wheel
Balance Wheel

The exercise helped me break down the areas I needed to focus on, ask myself what I wanted, and set the intents to make change.

So began my journey to live with more intent – the experience I share in my book (newly released on paperback), Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace and Joy

I did some thought-provoking activities, from going on a health retreat to visiting Amma, the hugging guru, and to find more meaning and purpose, I spent time with my grandparents in India, paid attention to my eating and internal dialogue in a way I have never done before, and discovered unexpected joy in my role as a soccer mom. I also interviewed brilliant thinkers like Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, Arianna Huffington, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Dan Siegel, and Caryl Stern, the President of the US Fund for UNICEF. In the book I share some of the laughter, frustration and lessons I learned along the way.

I also developed a road map to live with INTENT.

  • INCUBATE: Quiet your mind to tap into your deepest intentions; see where this leads.
  • NOTICE: Become mindful of your thoughts and actions and pay attention to what they tell you about what gives you meaning and a sense of purpose – and look for signs that can point you towards your truth.
  • TRUST: Have confidence in your inner knowing – and in the messages the universe sends you – and allow that knowledge to guide you forward.
  • EXPRESS: Write down your intentions; say them out loud or share them with others to fully embrace them and help you move ahead in your journey.
  • NURTURE: Be gentle with yourself as you try to find your way. Intention isn’t always a straightforward path, just like life, and giving yourself opportunities to try – and fail – is often part of, and even crucial to, the process.
  • TAKE ACTION: Once you’ve identified an intent, or even multiple ones, don’t sit and wait for it to magically manifest; instead take the practical steps that can make each become a reality. It may be easiest to choose one intent first and set short-term goals to help you get started.

In my book, I share my personal stories, research, practical tips and exercises for each of these six steps.  A little more than a year since it’s first release, I am happy to announce that Living with Intent is now available on paperback! I am also excited to share resources like this one about the INTENT roadmap through the Chopra Well! I had the privilege of interviewing some of my favorite examples of people who live their lives with intent, like Gabby Bernstein and Gretchen Rubin. Check out the first video here:

Mallika Chopra is a mom, media entrepreneur, public speaker and published author. Her most recent book, Living With Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace and Joy, was published in April 2015.

She is also the founder of Intent.com, a website and app focused on personal, social and global wellness. Her intent is to harness the power of social media to connect people from around the world to improve their own lives, their communities and the planet.

Roxane Gay and Rebecca Traister Talk Sex, Female Friendship, and What It Means to be Single Now

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Roxane Gay; author of An Untamed State (2014), the essay collection Bad Feminist (2014), and Hunger (coming this year); spoke with journalist Rebecca Traister to mark the release of her book All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation. Traister interviewed dozens of women from all over the United States for her book, painting a diverse and nuanced picture about how marriage has changed in recent decades for women.  Gay interviews Traister about her new book; changing trends, queer issues, gender dynamics, how the stigma of being single is changing and more. Traister and Gay discuss being married as it's shaped by choice, race, and class; women's identity as married or single people; and what marriage means to women today—and to Traister.

“Living singly in your twenties and thirties—and beyond—isn't a tryout for life: It is real life,” Traister says.

Read the introduction here, and click through to Elle.com to read the interview.

 

elle.com - In Beyoncé's ring finger-wagging 2008 anthem, "Single Ladies," she celebrates independent women who would rather be single than settle. In Rebecca Traister's new book, All the Single Ladies (Simon & Schuster), which borrows both the refrain and the feminist spirit of that song, she chronicles the rise of unmarried women in America and the different people we're becoming because of it. "For young women, for the first time, it is as normal to be unmarried as it is to be married, even if it doesn't always feel that way," Traister writes, noting that there were 3.9 million more single adult women in 2014 than there were in 2010. In 1960, 59 percent of American adults between 18 and and 29 were married; in 2011, it was just 20 percent. The book is wonderfully inclusive, examining single women from all walks of life—working-, middle-, and upper-class women; women of color and white women; queer and straight ones.

Traister has built a reputation as one of America's preeminent feminist voices through her work for Salon, the New Republic, ELLE (where she is a longtime contributing editor), and now New York magazine. Her first book, Big Girls Don't Cry, examined the 2008 presidential election and its cultural and political consequences via the cycle's cast of female power players, including women voters, Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Palin. With All the Single Ladies, she brings her trademark intelligence and wit to bear, interspersing her own experiences and observations with dozens of interviews with women all over the country, plus historical context, from so-called Boston marriages (the nineteenth-century name for women who lived together) and the Brontë sisters to Murphy Brown and Sex and the City.

Visit Elle.com to read Roxane Gay's interview with Rebecca Traister