ABIRA
Lena Zimmer | Myanmar, Thailand, Germany 2013 | 42 Min. | OmeU
Abira is an ex-child soldier who fought in the cruel battles between the Myanmar army and an ethnic minority army, the ‘Shan Army’. After deserting, he now lives in the streets of the Thai-Myanmar border town Mai Sai. Abira’s story tells what it is like to grow up in a setting of ruthlessness, where drug-trade and human trafficking are daily affairs. Even with a vision of ‘good’ and ‘morality’, and mobilizing wisdom and energy, for a stateless child like him it seems unbearably difficult to break out of the circle of violence and crime. With every trauma, more explosive potential to destruct himself and others steadily builds up. He is haunted by nightmares and struggles to stay away drugs that would numb his memories. His dream is, he explains, a ‘normal’ life as a mechanic and to embark on the road of the ‘good’ and ‘right’. However, to walk down this road seems too difficult. Abira’s story tells the stumbling quest for right and good in a world of unbearable. challenges. A coming of age story of a different type.
