Who is Thuzar Wint Lwin? Myanmar contestant protests military coup at Miss Universe: 'Our people are dying'
The 69th Miss Universe Competition saw a number of beauties compete against each other on Sunday, May 16, for the crown. Andrea Meza Of Mexico was crowned the winner of the pageant, but one contestant reportedly attracted a lot of attention because of her unusual but bold stand during the pageant.
Myanmar’s Miss Universe contestant, Thuzar Wint Lwin, used the international platform to raise awareness against the military junta -- a government led by a committee of military leaders -- whose soldiers have reportedly taken the lives of hundreds of opponents after seizing power from elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1. In a video message for the competition, held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, Lwin said: “Our people are dying and being shot by the military every day. I would like to urge everyone to speak about Myanmar. As Miss Universe Myanmar since the coup, I have been speaking out as much as I can.”
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According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group, since the regime changed in February, nearly 790 people have been killed while more than 5,000 people have been arrested. The group also added that around 4,000 are still detained, which includes a number of celebrities.
Who is Thuzar Wint Lwin?
Lwin did not get hold of the crown, but she won the Best National Costume award. For that round, the 22-year-old wore the ethnic costume of her Chin people from northwestern Myanmar. Northwestern Myanmar is currently the region where the army and anti-junta militia fighters are clashing a lot. As Lwin paraded for the national costume round, she also held up a placard that read, “Pray for Myanmar”.
However, it’s not the first time, Lwin has spoken up for her country. She is reportedly a pro-democracy person who has used her social media pages to criticize the current state of her country and take a stand against violence. Nicknamed Candy Thuzar, the 21-year-old is a final year English student from East Yangon University. She is a beauty blogger and now works as a professional model for various brands
After the military takeover in Myanmar, a widespread protest erupted in the country. Before flying down to Florida for the beauty pageant, Lwin also joined the protests, where she held signs with slogans such as “We do not want military government,” while calling for the immediate release of Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since February 1.
She also shared the demonstration pictures on her Instagram with a caption that stated, “For the heros that sacrificed their lives in the fight for the freedom of our people, we will not forget and we will not stop. With the strength and motivation you have given us we will fight for our democracy. #whatishappeninginmyanmar #weneedR2PinMyanmar #justiceformyanmar #howmanydeadbodyneedforuntotakeaction.”
Also on February 18, Lwin took to Facebook, where she shared her black-and-white pictures that showed her blindfolded, with tape over her mouth and her hands bound. “They blind us They tie us But our cries are louder than their violence.... #CivilDisobedienceMovement #SaveMyammar #WeNeedDemocracy #HearTheVoiceOfMyanmar #JusticeForMyanmar #myanmarmilitarycoup,” she wrote in the caption. Lwin, who also goes by the name Candy, also said as reported by The New York Times: “The soldiers patrol the city every day and sometimes they set up roadblocks to harass the people coming through. In some cases, they fire without hesitation. We are scared of our own soldiers. Whenever we see one, all we feel is anger and fear.
Not just that, after arriving in Florida, Lwin shared a very different autobiographical video of hers on Facebook that showed her in formal gowns mixed with scenes of people fleeing tear gas and a soldier shooting a man who rode by on a motorbike. She stated in the video, “Myanmar deserves democracy. We will keep fighting and I also hope that international communities will give us help that we desperately need.”
Wint Lwin told NYT that she believes it will not be safe for her to return to Myanmar after speaking out against the regime; she does not know where she will go after the pageant ends.
Myanmar’s junta spokesman did not answer calls seeking comment, Reuters reported.