The dust from Friday's devastating earthquake was still stirring in Myanmar as existential questions swirled through the mix.
The earthquake, known to have killed at least 1,000 people and perhaps more, hit the day after Myanmar's military regime celebrated the country's 80th round of troops Day in a parade in the capital Nepidau, dedicated by a group of former generals.
It was difficult to ignore the series of events.
The portents and rumors have long been respected in authoritarian countries with little free flow of information. When the ruling generals came to power four years ago, they blocked the country and returned to superstition and publicity respect. Earthquakes then appear in the astrological yearbook, which is often the thumb in Myanmar. The popular version says that the March earthquake indicates the destruction of the city, but one of July states that it is a prediction of the king and ruler.
The junta regime's hub, like Mandalay, the country's second largest, remains in the city, and is one of the hardest hit by the earthquake. Daw Marlar Myint, 89, said this was the worst natural disaster she'd ever had. The retired school principal is not waiting until July to make predictions.
“There is a proverb that such a major earthquake is a natural way of punishing cruel and corrupt rulers,” she said. “After killing so many people, Min Aung Hlaing is now facing natural judgment.”
“Even the bones of those he killed are shaking,” she added.
Civil war has been on fire in this Southeast Asian country since General Min Ang Khalling overthrew the elected government in Myanmar in 2021. Most of the territory is now in the hands of resistance, and the army is being strengthened in the metropolitan cities. The junta has terrified civilian areas with airstrikes in recent months only by people who have rained in Gaza.
The Myanmar rebels – the cumbersome assortment of ethnic militias, opposition politicians and tech-savvy young people who are honing their drone warfare from the parts that ju-searched troops are involved – fight hard with almost international support. The Myanmar army is bleeding escaped soldiers. Still, it punishes the war in the jungle, and both sides are desperate for the exit.
And the full extent of devastation is only beginning to take shape as Myanmar people investigate the aftermath of Saturday's earthquake and screams from those trapped under the wreckage still echoing through the town.
Ko Kyaw works in Singapore. In Singapore, it is part of a large diaspora of young educated people in Myanmar who fled their country to find better jobs abroad. He had sent money to his parents, his wife, two daughters, his four and seven-year-old daughters. They all died in the earthquake when the Mandalay apartment building hit the ground. Their bodies were part of a mountain located within a nearby hall, and there was no room for burial yet.
For most of its post-colonial history, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been ruled by military dictatorships. Generations of generals rely on Fortunetellers and astrologers to guide their policy decisions. The former chief of the military commander consulted the dwarf whom he spoke to through his sister. (The sister continued to prognosis after her brother passed away, but her prophecy lost authenticity, according to those who initially paid a large sum for her solo consultation session.)
A former spy chief gathered white elephants (real, living kinds) to hone his powers. The leaders of the previous junta were very superstitious about ninth place, so he made the country's currency a sect, including 45 and 90 Kyat notes. And the current military chief, General Min Ang Fröning, consecrated the temples of Napidau and the giant Buddha to hone his reputation. He also collected white elephants.
For the general, perhaps the most consequential prophecy came in 2005. That's when we decided on the most auspicious and precise timing to begin the secret move of Myanmar's capital from Yangon to an unknown construction site in the domestic centre. After consultations with the Fortunetellers, the truck soon began a convoy north to become what is called Naypyidaw, or the King's dwelling.
Today, the new capital is protected by a hill, and unlike Yangon, it is immortal to attack at the sea. Naypyidaw was unharmed when Cyclone Nargis collided with the old capital and the nearby Irrawady Delta in 2008, killing or missing more than 130,000 people. The general celebrated the Bunker capital with a boulevard on the ice, a large ministry, a penguin (again, real, living kind).
However, Friday's earthquake was not so benign for Naypyidaw. Government ministries have split. Portraits of top leaders, including General Min Aung Frening, fell on the floor. According to Myanmar's state media, the air traffic control tower in the capital fell, killing at least seven people.
Not too far away, the rebels watch. The earthquake on Friday had little impact on them, as there are few tall buildings in the territory they control. But even the residents of other urban areas such as Mandalay and Sagar and Kyok had reopened old habits to dig up tiled rubs with their naked hands and pry each brick to get closer to the survivors.
On Friday evening, in northern Shan Province, adjacent to the Mandalay region, Yunta fighters dropped bombs in Naung Lin village, held by rebels. There were no casualties this time, but we sorted it two days before killing four people in a nearby village. And a week and a half earlier, 10 people evacuated at the same town's seminary were killed in an air raid.
“I can't believe they bombed the air at the same time as the earthquake,” said Lway Yal Oo, a resident of Naung Lin. “Min Aung Hlaing is creating a killing field in Myanmar.”
In Yangon, the astrologer of Junta's top officials said Top Brass' belief in star signs has not faded. If anything, they depend on their faith as their grip on the country decreases, she said. The astrologer didn't want to use her name because of the sensitivity of speaking about her famous military clients, but said General Min Aung Frening relied heavily on Buddhist amulets to maintain power.
On Saturday morning, a military intermediary called her, the astrologer said, and demanded help in protecting the military secretary's retention in Myanmar. She advised to wear it at all times as a Buddha charm.
However, the astrologer said she thought the earthquake was an ominous sign for the general.
