BANGKOK (Reuters) – Han Lay of Myanmar did not win last week’s Miss Grand International beauty pageant, but she will be remembered as one of the most passionate contestants.
The 22-year-old turned heads in Thailand on Saturday during an emotional speech pleading for “urgent international aid” for her country. power.
On Friday, she said her countrymen in an anti-coup movement would not go back from a struggle that has so far claimed nearly 550 lives in the two months since the generals overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.
“I can say one thing, we will never give up Myanmar residents,” she told Reuters.
“They told me they will fight on the street and I am now also fighting my way on the podium. So I think if they don’t give up, we’ll win. “
Myanmar has fallen into chaos since the coup, with daily demonstrations and strikes to paralyze the country’s government, many of which have been fatally suppressed by security forces with live ammunition.
The victims were mostly young people, born in the closing years of the military’s half-century rule before giving way to a brief era of democracy and economic reform in 2011.
She recalled Saturday’s game and said that her speech, in which she held back her tears, caused deep grief that she was unable to contain.
“I was controlling my feelings at the time because I have to speak out to the whole world for two or three minutes,” she said.
“I have to speak up,” she said. “I cried a lot and all night when I got back to my room I cried a lot. Until now, when I talk about Myanmar, I also cry a lot. “
She said she couldn’t focus on the competition and felt guilty about people suffering at home.
“Beauty queens have to smile every time, they have to be in touch with all people, very personally,” she said.
“I can’t be happy here because (while) I do daily activities here, so many people have died in Myanmar.”
The contest’s founder, Nawat Itsaragrisil, said Han Lay’s decision to speak out against the junta means she must stay abroad.
“If she (is) going back to Myanmar right now, she’s not going back home, she’s going to jail,” he said.
Written by Martin Petty, published by William Maclean