Tayzar San

Tayzar San is a 33-year-old physician who graduated from the University of Medicine in Mandalay. Upon graduating from medical school, he remained true to his roots, creating an informal education library with a close group of friends named "knowledge society." At the same time, Tayzar San also was employed at a non-governmental organization focusing on public health and political education. Tayzar San remained in this capacity until the Junta overthrew Myanmar's democratic government. 

While Tayzar San was not politically active before the coup, he was the first to speak up the night that the Junta overthrew the government. Immediately after the coup happened, the nation was silent for a few days until Tayzar San organized the first protest in the country against the Junta. During this protest, Tayzar San led a few dozen other individuals in Mandalay while thousands of others watched, expecting brutal outcomes. After 30 minutes of demonstrating, no action was taken by the junta, sparking nationwide protests in response. 

Tayzar San's protest encouraged a collective resistance against the Junta. He was the first to speak out publicly against the coup at the risk of being tortured and/or killed. Hundreds of other protests arose across Myanmar in the following days. Videos of Tayzar San holding a megaphone leading his rally demanding the release of democratic leaders circulated Myanmar's social platforms, sparking even more motivation. Even today, he often posts on his Facebook while hiding messages of encouragement stating that "uprising must win" and "fight the common enemy." 

However, his work that day did come with consequences; in April of 2021, the Junta announced a 10 million kyats bounty on him equivalent to 7,000 USD. He has since been in hiding and has shared reports the plainclothes soldiers have raided his old addresses. While in hiding, Tayzar San continues to organize through the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC)through the NUCC, while working to establish the framework of a democratic government after the removal of the Junta regime. His work over the last year has received many commendations from organizations and nations such as South Korea awarding him the Park Jong-Cheol Human Rights Award.