Dozens of Shan State’s middle and high school students have been forced by school officials to have their tattoos removed at a military hospital in Taunggyi, the state capital, relatives of the students said. Parents expressed fears for the medical safety of the procedure being forced on their children.
Inked students from No. 5 Basic Education High School (BEHS- 5) in Taunggyi, including some with traditional tattoos, have been taken in groups to the hospital since November 10, according to Nan Yain, whose son’s tattoo was removed.
“The teacher didn’t tell me anything when I sent my son to school. I received a phone call about the tattoo removal only after I arrived back home. I was scared when I heard that the tattoo had to be removed at the military hospital. When I went there, they removed the tattoo after giving [my son] anesthetic, but he was in pain after it wore off – he was crying. I cried with him because I felt so sad for my son,” Nan Yain said. “It’s been three or four days now. The wound hasn’t healed yet. His wound is close to his veins so I can’t even sleep at night as I’m worried for him.”
Teachers told parents that four or five students would be taken to the hospital every day until all the students in the school had their tattoos removed.
An elementary school teacher said that students in the fifth to the tenth standards had tattoos in various designs, including hearts, geckoes, and floral designs, as well as traditional Shan designs. Tattoos are widespread among ethnic minority communities in Myanmar, and many have their own tattooing traditions and customs.
Parents said this is the first instance of the school forcing students to have tattoos erased.
One parent said the headmistress, Daw Swe Swe Aung, met with the guardians of the tattooed students on November 14 and told them that the procedure is mandatory, as the brandings go against the government school’s rules. It is not clear exactly which rule she was referring to, or whether other schools will be enforcing the same protocol.
“It’s not good for the children to have tattoos. We are stopping them from doing bad things, “ Daw Swe Swe Aung said.
“We have three aims for removing the tattoos. Firstly, we want our students to become good citizens. Secondly, we worry that these tattoos will affect their advancement. Lastly, we worry that this issue will spread more if we don’t stop it,” she added.
Another parent expressed gratitude at being informed of the procedure, though questioned what happens if something goes wrong.
“The tattoo doesn’t hurt much when a person is getting it, but who will take responsibility if such removal becomes life threatening? It’s better to cooperate with the parents if any issues [arise],” said the parent.
BEHS 5 boasts Taunggyi’s second-highest matriculation exam passing rate among the Shan State capital’s seven high schools, behind only BEHS 4, said instructor Nan Kham.
