One should put one’s money where one’s mouth is, so I donated € 50,– to the German charity terre des hommes to help Burmese refugees today.
Naypyidaw is the administrative capital of the Burmese military administration since 6 November 2005.
New readers should have a look at the strips Cloud and Major Mistake in which Sandra’s friend Cloud Williams was introduced.
- Cloud: I‘m glad you‘ve dropped by, Sandra. Mom is really depressed. The Burmese junta disappeared the husband of her sister.
- Sandra: That‘s… just… terrible.
- Lulu: No matter how dark the night, morning always comes, and our journey begins anew.
- Cloud: In situations like this, I just feel helpless…
- Cloud: …But one day, I will lead the resistance! One day, the regime will get what it deserves! One day, our people will be free at last!
- Sandra: I‘m sure your dream will come true, Cloud… But before you head out to blow up sector 1 of Naypyidaw, let’s cook a nice meal for your mom!
- Cloud: ‘kay…
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Why does the world suck like this?
I’m a bit confused on the grammar here. Is “disappeared” being used as a transitive verb (one that takes action on something else)?
Yes. According to several hits at Google and especially the Wikipedia page on Forced Disappearance this wording is grammatically correct. I am, however, unsure if it is as common as “jemanden verschwinden lassen” in German.
I’ve linked my comic to your website http://nio.smackjeeves.com/Links/
What game is she playing?
Generally, only regimes like the one mentioned in this strip are said to disappear people. It probably sounds weird because our English teachers lied to us about how flexible our language really is. And so when used by a nonnative English speaker, it looks like a mistake, but it’s really not. 🙂
The first 2 panels were tragic, the second one was a proud smile, the last one is just ‘aaaaw~’
“What game is she playing?”
She is playing Final Fantasy X. It’s a quote from Lulu.
I’m usually giving the references in the tags, by the way.
Have you registered your comic on topwebcomics? I can’t say that it will get a lot more readers, but it couldn’t hurt, right? http://topwebcomics.com/default.aspx
The use, here, of ‘disappeared’ is unfortunate and correct, idiomatic English. It is the current expression for what was done to Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht of the Spartatakusbund by the coalition of the centre and the right in Germany in the ’20s. Assassisation by a military/political group to keep their power is now called “disappearing.”
Also references U2’s excellent song “Mothers of the Disappeared” from their album [i]The Joshua Tree.[/i]
Nice piece of work! ;D
Cool, I’m referencing a song which I have never heard of. 😉
yep. that’s true. -.- living in burma really sucks the life of you. -.- how do i know? coz i am living there
Wow, a reader from Burma. I hope you won’t get into trouble for visiting such an anti-government site ;).
Shortly after the current storyline I want to do another strip about the subject; this time more light-hearted than the first two times.
I kinda thought the game she was playing was Eternal Sonata. It just… sounded like it.
@ ExPaladin:
I agree, but it’s really a commonly used sentense.
Angsty oppressed refugee ninja kid. This cloud guy just became my favorite character.
This perfectly summarizes what it’s like to live on the outside, “safe.” I cried when I read this because I was also “disappeared” once in China. Now I live in a free country, but many of my loved ones disappear and are tortured. People sometimes ask me “Why are you so worried? you are free?” You are never free as long as they hold the people you love. Your heart is always there with the. I know how she feels, because I also huddle in front of my laptop playing games or watching cartoons. I miss being with the people I love. Thank you for making this comic.
In 2012, Burma (or Myanmar) is now a democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi is free. However, there is still need for improvement in people’s morals and government. Especially traffic law.
Haha funny thing cloud actually bombs a sector of a factory in ff7 🙂
Hmmm do I sent a hint of romance? >_>
Hmmm…seems like everyone’s a video game addict….BEST. LIFE. EVER!!
Orion wrote:
I think it’s a box of tissues and she’s watching the news. (Didn’t read all the comments, so someone might have mentioned this already).
Novil wrote:
Then again, I could be wrong….
josh_1974 wrote:
Another similar song is Los Desaparcidos by Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.
… Y’know… this strip kinda spoiled my mood…
Very odd, since I know it didn’t do that the first time I read this.
Not sure why… like I’m forgetting something important.
If find it funny that people have issue with a current usage of “disappeared” but don’t bat an eyebrow that Cloud explicitly refers to the person as his mother’s sister’s husband rather than just calling him his uncle.
Keroko wrote:
AWW, Ikr~! I ship Sandra and Cloud.. They’re just too cute!
Danie wrote:
Read on McDuff 8)
say thanks to so a lota lot for your website it assists a whole lot
Things are never quite as scary when you’ve got a best friend.
I just found your comic, and am enjoying reading through from the beginning.
Not to ignore the serious subject of this comic, but I was amused when you, in your notes on this comic, you mentioned the full name of “Cloud Williams”. So, in addition to being a Final Fantasy fan, you also appear to be a Star Trek fan. Was his name a reference to a character in the classic Star Trek episode “The Omega Glory”, the chief of the Yangs who capture a town where Captain Kirk and friends are trapped? Or is the name just a coincidence?
Either way, keep up the great work on this charming strip!
@ Farson:
I would like to say this thing that explains English “There are no rules, only suggestions”
This is where I learned that Burma had a new Capital.