‘Please save us’: Myanmar beauty queen speaks out against military violence in her country
Agence France-Presse
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Published: 9:40am, 26 Mar, 2021
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Myanmar’s Miss Grand International contestant Han Lay has made a plea to end the violence in her homeland. Photo: Instagram
Her social media posts are a mix of graphic photos and footage from the unrest back home, protest messages and photos of herself wearing ball gowns. And this week, Myanmar’s Miss Grand International contestant Han Lay made a plea to end the violence in her homeland.
The Myanmar junta has unleashed deadly violence
as it struggles to quell nationwide protests against the February 1 ouster and arrest of civilian leader
Aung San Suu Kyi
.
Han Lay, in Thailand’s Bangkok competing for the Miss Grand crown against 63 other contestants, hit out at the crackdown, in which more than 280 people have been killed.
“I want to say from here to the world: please support the Myanmar people,” she told Thailand’s Khaosod English news outlet.
“So many people die in Myanmar by the guns of the military … please save us.”
Han Lay is in Thailand’s Bangkok competing for the Miss Grand crown against 63 other contestants. Photo: Instagram
The psychology student said some of her peers had been detained since the coup. “Students from the University of Yangon, my university, were also detained,” she said on her Instagram page.
“In a democracy, it is important that we can speak. Our voices must be heard. But now we have no freedom in Myanmar. It is a human rights violation. Release our students.”
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During the pageant’s national costume contest on March 24, Han Lay’s golden outfit channelled “Goddess of Peace”, according to her Instagram account.
During the pageant’s national costume contest, Han Lay’s golden outfit channelled “Goddess of Peace”. Photo: AFP
“Our Myanmar people are walking on the streets to fight for democracy. As a representative of Myanmar I will walk on the stage of Miss Grand International with the [message] stop the war and violence,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
The winner of Miss Grand International will be announced on Saturday in Bangkok
- Han Lay, in Bangkok competing for the Miss Grand International crown, hit out at the military crackdown against nationwide protests in her home country
- ‘As a representative of Myanmar I will walk on the stage of Miss Grand International with the [message] stop the war and violence,’ Han Lay wrote on Facebook
Agence France-Presse
+ FOLLOW
Published: 9:40am, 26 Mar, 2021
Why you can trust SCMP
1.4k
Post
Myanmar’s Miss Grand International contestant Han Lay has made a plea to end the violence in her homeland. Photo: Instagram
Her social media posts are a mix of graphic photos and footage from the unrest back home, protest messages and photos of herself wearing ball gowns. And this week, Myanmar’s Miss Grand International contestant Han Lay made a plea to end the violence in her homeland.
The Myanmar junta has unleashed deadly violence
as it struggles to quell nationwide protests against the February 1 ouster and arrest of civilian leader
Aung San Suu Kyi
.
Han Lay, in Thailand’s Bangkok competing for the Miss Grand crown against 63 other contestants, hit out at the crackdown, in which more than 280 people have been killed.
“I want to say from here to the world: please support the Myanmar people,” she told Thailand’s Khaosod English news outlet.
“So many people die in Myanmar by the guns of the military … please save us.”
Han Lay is in Thailand’s Bangkok competing for the Miss Grand crown against 63 other contestants. Photo: Instagram
The psychology student said some of her peers had been detained since the coup. “Students from the University of Yangon, my university, were also detained,” she said on her Instagram page.
“In a democracy, it is important that we can speak. Our voices must be heard. But now we have no freedom in Myanmar. It is a human rights violation. Release our students.”
EVERY SATURDAY
SCMP Global Impact Newsletter
SIGN UP NOW
By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
During the pageant’s national costume contest on March 24, Han Lay’s golden outfit channelled “Goddess of Peace”, according to her Instagram account.
During the pageant’s national costume contest, Han Lay’s golden outfit channelled “Goddess of Peace”. Photo: AFP
“Our Myanmar people are walking on the streets to fight for democracy. As a representative of Myanmar I will walk on the stage of Miss Grand International with the [message] stop the war and violence,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
The winner of Miss Grand International will be announced on Saturday in Bangkok