Chin fighter Lost Both legs in battle but Never Gave Up his Dream to be a computer scientist
The artillery round landed and exploded next to me. The sound was thunderous. I didn't know what had happened to me for about 20 seconds. When I regained consciousness he lower part of my knee had almost been severed. Some of the muscle fibers were still attached, my leg was dangling. Blood was spurting out”. Salai Peter Sweenin, a Chin youth, was talking about how he was hit by an artillery shell during a fierce battle between the Military Council troops and the local defense forces in a village in Thantlang Township, Chin State.
The young man, who is only 25, when he was hit by an artillery shell. Salai Peter Sweenin is from Laytatkone Village in Thantlang Township, and he is one of 3 siblings. Salai Peter Sweenin recalls what happened to him after the fierce encounter between his unit of local Defense Forces and the Junta’s troops.
"I lost my right leg as soon as the shell hit. I was bleeding profusely. That’s why my friend took me to Bontalon Village on a motorcycle. From there, we rented a car and traveled to the Htanzan Village. A doctor who arrived in Htanzan, saved my life”, He continued his story , “Then we travelled to Mizoram in a rented car. I underwent surgery for my injuries in Aizawl. I lost so much blood that that four units of packed blood was needed on my arrival. “ His left leg was amputated in Aizawl. The other leg did not heal. Salai Peter Sweenin related “So when I arrived in the New Delhi hospital other leg also had to be amputated. They arranged prosthetic legs and I spent more than five months in the hospital.”
His childhood goal was to become a computer scientist. Although he is currently a war victim, he still intends to resume his ambitions once political stability returns. "I've been fond of working with computers since I was young. I'm especially interested in photography and video design. Due to my family's financial situation, I was unable to attend computer courses. However I carried out self-learning on YouTube”, Salai Peter Sweenin said.
He graduated from Kale University with a specialization in Geography just before the Covid pandemic. When the epidemic spread, he was unable to find a job and decided to focus on volunteer work.
"The Covid pandemic started right after I finished school. I didn't really get a chance to find a job. During the Covid period, I participated as a volunteer in epidemic prevention activities in Hakha. I also helped in political party campaign activities. Then I worked in a studio for a while”.
After the Military Council staged the coup, he had actively participated in pro-democracy protests, and later joined the armed revolutionary movements. After being seriously injured and having his legs amputated, he now lives in Mizoram State in India.
"As a citizen of Myanmar, I feel it is my responsibility to participate in the Spring
Revolution. It is the duty of every young person to protect their community. I joined the revolution because I wanted to improve the future of my country”, Salai Peter Sweenin explained.
He was hit by an artillery shell in Lungler Village, Thantlang Township. It was bad weather raining heavily that day. He was part of the local defense forces in a fierce battle with Military Council troops.
“The battle was happening in the morning when there was torrential rain. The sound of the rain was so loud, that I couldn't even hear the sound of artillery firing. The artillery round fell next to me, and shrapnel hit my left leg. I still thought the condition of the left leg was not too bad.“
Salai Peter Sweenin said he was more upset that he could no longer participate in the revolution than losing both legs. “When I got injured, I didn't lose heart. Later, I felt sad after I realized that I could not help my friends anymore during the revolution”, he admitted.
Salai Peter Sweenin added that he wants to take courses and work with computers as he likes after the revolution is victorious. “After the revolution, I will make my dreams come true. I will attend computer classes. In terms of video skills, I still want to test myself whether to become a director, or a script writer. I will keep trying of course”, he said.
Salai Peter Sweenin also advised to be cautious about the danger of landmines in Chin State. He said the Military Council would never take away the mines they had planted on the Chin Hills, which now poses a big danger to civilians. He urged the local defense forces to search and remove those landmines properly.
