Puppy Won’t Leave Mother after Violence
During the miserable violence that rocked the Kyaukphyu region of Myanmar earlier this month, a photo began to circulate that captures something of what our wars and hatred do to other animals for whom our behavior is incomprehensible. The photo is sad, but thanks to the photographer and a local man, the story has a good ending for the puppy.
First, this is some of the violence that destroyed entire neighborhoods:
The ruins of a neighborhood burnt in violence, at East Pikesake ward in Kyaukphyu, November 3, 2012. All photos by Minzayar.
And this is a puppy who would not leave the side of his mother who had died in the fighting:
The photographer, who goes by the name Minzayar, contacted several news organizations that had reach out to him to know the background to what he captured in the photo. Here’s what he wrote:
When I was walking around the burnt areas in that villages, I saw this scene which broke my heart. Before taking pics, I asked the local people around who would adopt the puppy. No one couldn’t because they are all in difficulty themselves suffered from the communal violence.
Then, I dropped all my cameras, just sitting and watching the little puppy with the deepest sympathy and sorrows, cries inside me. Then I took the pictures. I rubbed its head… He licked my hands. Then after a few minutes, took the pictures again.
When my time comes that I must leave, I was about to take the puppy back to the hotel but then, there was one very kind local man who has been watching me and the puppy. He said he also wants to adopt it but cannot because he is poor. Then finally, we decided to send the puppy back to the Buddhist monastery in the village.
In Myanmar, monasteries are believed to be the most peaceful place than everything. I believe I did what I could do best in my given situations.
I will surely pay a visit to the puppy again sometime in the future.
To add, me and the local man picked up the puppy together.
