#39: Here’s Why We Chose To Leave
Why Myanmar youths are leaving for better opportunities abroad, even as they keep their hopes up for peace to return home one day
Welcome to SEAmplified’s newsletter where we amplify the voices of youths and unravel our shared culture and lived experiences in Southeast Asia.
Today’s edition is a “Hear Me Out” commentary by James*, a Burmese who has left Myanmar for education opportunities abroad, amidst a coup back home that has not shown signs of ending soon. He shares his thoughts on the coup, his perspective on why the brain drain has worsened, and his hopes for Myanmar’s future.
Reading time: 5 minutes
*Name changed on request for anonymity
💬 Hear Me Out
A commentary series that brings you unfiltered and unique perspectives straight from Southeast Asia’s youths, touching on a broad range of societal issues that concern them today. Myanmar is facing an existential brain drain crisis. Here’s why I chose to leave with fellow youths
by James
My name is James. I am a Myanmar citizen and one of the many youths who left Myanmar to study abroad at the start of 2024. I was fortunate to come from an upper-middle-class family that could afford to send me abroad.
For countless young people in Myanmar, the coup in 2021 has led to an ever-growing exodus. Some moved abroad for education, while others sought work to escape the dire conditions at home. By February 2024, the climate of fear had intensified, and leaving the country felt like the only viable option for many.
I want to share my personal experience as a youth who left Myanmar to study abroad. I’ll explore the fear we endured, the conflicts we faced, and the motivations that pushed us to leave.
The initial crisis
When the coup happened in 2021, I was a student preparing for a pre-university examination that had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Given my limited knowledge of Myanmar’s history and politics, I did not fully understand what was happening.
However, the coup disrupted the examination schedule, leaving many students like myself and parents uncertain whether we should continue preparing for it.
Resistance movements sprung up across the country, with many protesting against the return of a military dictatorship through rallies, street protests, and online campaigns. Opposing groups pressured students to boycott the government exam as part of a Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), labeling those who participated as traitors who supported the military regime.
Armed groups also began to emerge under the umbrella term “PDF” (People’s Defense Forces) in response to the military’s brutal crackdowns.
As the situation worsened, I began to hear news about the junta’s violent suppression of peaceful protests with protestors being shot by police and soldiers.
I was worried about our country’s future, yet ashamed of what the junta was doing.
By 2022, curfews were in place, and armed units were placed to deal with protests or threats.
Power outages became a daily occurrence, with electricity available for less than six hours a day in most neighborhoods. Rural areas faced even harsher conditions, with some villages losing access to electricity permanently and having to rely on firewood for cooking.
Parents began to seek alternatives as they were worried about their children’s education and future. Some families who could afford it chose to enroll their children in private or international schools offering programs like the IGCSE or GED (a U.S. college preparation exam), while others chose to leave the country.
I opted to attend private online tuition for the IGCSE O Level, but my friend took the GED and left with his two older sisters, as his family feared for his safety and felt that it was no longer viable for him to stay in Myanmar.
The last straw
Unfortunately, the introduction of a conscription law in early 2024, which made military service compulsory for young men, forced more students and professionals like myself to leave Myanmar. Parents also scrambled to send their children abroad, viewing it as the only way to ensure their safety and future.
For me, leaving Myanmar was a difficult yet necessary decision. Like many of my peers, I sought refuge in education abroad, hoping to build a better future.
Another friend of mine faced mounting family pressure to leave the country before being forced into military service. News circulated—some real and some fake—about young people being taken away in army vehicles, added to the fear.
At the same time, economic hardships, coupled with political oppression and rising crime rates, made staying in Myanmar untenable for many. Parents encouraged their children to leave, viewing it as a chance to escape poverty and build a better life.
With that, many sought opportunities abroad to support their families back home. In countries like Japan and Malaysia, workers earn significantly higher wages—sometimes five times more than they would in Myanmar.
Unfortunately, I’ve heard that many who left are illegal immigrants in foreign countries, who took the risk to escape the dire situation at home.
We’re all moving out of fear, uncertainty, and a sense of hopelessness about our future. Some workers leave to support their families, while students like me leave to seek education and safety.
Until Myanmar achieves stability and safety, the brain drain will continue, leaving the country with fewer skilled individuals to rebuild it. For now, leaving feels like the only option to survive and thrive.
But it doesn’t mean that we will never return. Like me, many of my friends still dream of returning to Myanmar to build a new life. This lies in our hands and we believe that it is definitely possible!
When the situation back home stabilizes, hopefully in the near future, I want to contribute to the country’s rebuilding efforts. I hope to see Myanmar emerging as a thriving, modern nation, fully adapted to the demands and opportunities of the 21st century.
I also aim to launch multiple business ventures that will create opportunities for the people of Myanmar. These initiatives will be my way of giving back to the community and promoting progress within the country. In fact, I am already focusing on developing the education, skills, and connections that I need to turn this vision into reality.
I believe that we will be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel one day.
Calling for pitches!
If you’re a youth in Southeast Asia (aged 18-35) and have something close to your heart to share with everyone, we’d love to hear from you! Simply drop us a pitch at hello@seamplified.com.
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