On the Ground in Myanmar

Kalinko distributes Burmese-crafted objects around the world from their base in Yangon. They posted today on their blog about the situation on the ground there:

We’ve had team members having to hide behind bins from gunfire as they try and make it home from protesting. We’ve had makers messaging us in total panic not knowing what to do next or where to hide. We’ve had friends separated from their children overnight by military blockades cracking down on entire areas of Yangon. The internet is cut every night, and the electricity is worse than ever, so people are literally in the dark about what’s going on. Our colleagues are having to hide their toddlers in the bathroom in the evening to try and stifle their shouts of excitement while police are passing their doors. They think the gunfire is fireworks and can’t understand why they can’t go and watch.

There’s a section of their website devoted to profiling everyday people in Myanmar that serves as a powerful reminder of who’s being affected by the coup d’état there.