Political awareness shaped by Burmese bloodbath

Tinmama Oo

Tinmama Oo was 13 when she arrived here with her family from Burma in October 2000.

They were refugees, her parents exiled for fighting for democracy. They had taken to the streets on August 8, 1988, joining millions in a peaceful call for democracy after 26 years of military rule.

They were greeted with bullets, and 10,000 civilians died in the ensuing bloodbath.

Her parents have never forgotten that moment, and their experience has helped to shape their daughter's political awareness.

This election, the politics and philosophy students will join a sizeable number of "1.5ers" voting for the first time.

Ms Oo is taking the whole process very seriously. Burma, after all, never had a democratic voting system, she said.

"I really want to vote so the country will be in good hands."

She sees voting as part of being a good citizen.

"It's really important that every person votes. Each vote is valuable."

Tessie Chen, 23, another "1.5er" voting for the first time, has been on the electoral roll since she was 17, but has never voted before.

"As we grow older we begin to see that the policies do affect us, and do have an impact on our lives."

The Taiwanese-born student has yet to decide who she will vote for, but sees a cohesive immigration and employment policy as an important factor in her decision. Many of her peers have had to leave New Zealand because they could not find work.