The 19-Year-Old Taekwondo Girl Who Sacrificed Herself Saying "Everything Will Be Alright"... A Symbol of Myanmar Protests

Chial Shin [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Chial Shin, a 19-year-old woman who lost her life on the 3rd during an anti-coup protest held in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. The English phrase on the T-shirt she wore, "Everything will be OK," is emerging as a new symbol of the protest.

According to major foreign media on the 4th, Chial Shin, also known by the name Angel, went out to the street protest the day before and was shot in the head and died. She went out to the streets without wearing a plastic bulletproof helmet or other protective gear, carrying a paper around her neck with her contact information, blood type, and her intention to donate her body.

At that time, the peacefully gathered protesters scattered as the police opened fire. When the police shooting began, Chial Shin took care of those around her.

Myat Thu, who went to the protest with Chial Shin, said in an interview with foreign media, "When the police started shooting, she shouted, 'Sit down because you might get hit by a bullet.'" Myat Thu later learned of Chial Shin's death after seeing a photo on Facebook of her lying dead alongside other victims.

Chial Shin, who cast her first vote last November, was a girl who loved Taekwondo and dancing. Her Facebook page reflects these activities vividly.

The red clothes Chial Shin wore on the day of her first election became her burial garment. As an only daughter, she closed her eyes forever wearing the red clothes symbolizing the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myat Thu said, "Chial Shin was a happy girl," adding, "She loved her family and received a lot of love from her father." She raised her voice, saying, "We are not at war. If we are human, there is no reason to shoot bullets at people."