THIRTY eight year-old mother of two, Ma Nu Tin was married at the age of 26.

After ten years of marriage her husband’s heavy drinking became unbearable and Ma Nu Tin filed for divorce.

Divorce is less common in Myanmar than many other countries, and Myanmar’s deeply religious believe a marriage should be for life. Ma Nu Tin said she had never intended to separate from her husband, and before their break-up she had believed the same thing.

“I didn’t get married thinking that I would get divorced. About six years into our marriage, my husband started drinking much more than before but I tolerated his behaviour and took care of him,” Ma Nu Tin said.

“He had promised me that when we had children he would give [drinking] up but as soon as our first child was born, he broke that promise. I had to think of my children,” she said.

Ma Nu Tin does not regret the separation and said that she is concentrating on what is best for her children and that they are happy living with her.

“My friends and neighbours know what my husband was like so they do not blame me for what happened. They show compassion towards me and I do not feel ashamed of being a divorcee,” she said.

Director of the Supreme Court, U Htin Zaw, said it is more common for women to approach the court and ask for a divorce. The court obliges in cases where there are firm reasons for the separation, including physical and mental abuse.

“If couples were not able to separate men would just do whatever they want like going out and having fun. Women do not have the chance to do that, so this is when divorce becomes an issue,” U Htin Zaw said.

U Htin Zaw said that while western countries have implemented regulations to govern divorces, Myanmar has not done so and people are able to divorce at their own discretion.

“I do not encourage divorce because I believe that the children of a separated couple will suffer. I will try to negotiate with the couples that come to see me and often lawyers will refuse to take on divorce cases,” U Htin Zaw said.

For Ko Aung Aung, a 27 year-old artist, divorce was difficult, but the right thing to do.

Ko Aung Aung was married for four years before he divorced his young wife.

“I met my wife when she was still in high school and we got married after four months and after two years we had a child,” Ko Aung Aung said.

While his parents were unhappy with the match Ko Aung Aung believed that given time his new wife and his parents would become friends.

“I like to read books and focus on my job and [my wife] could never understand that. I had to stop doing the things I wanted because she wasn’t happy with them. At last I couldn’t stand it any more,” he said.

“We tried to negotiate on the matter but it didn’t work. I do not regret getting divorced. I regret getting married in the first place.”

“If divorce makes sense for the couple and their children then they should do it.”

Ma Soe Soe, a 24 year-old university graduate, comes from a ‘broken home’.

Her parents divorced when she was nine months old as a result of feuds between her mother and her father’s step-mother. Ma Soe Soe was then brought up by her mother and her aunt.

“My mum asked her mother-in-law to let her finish her unfinished education but my grandma wouldn’t allow it and told my mother that it was more important to be a house wife. My mother was not happy with that and she chose her education over her husband,” Ma Soe Soe said.

While both her parents are remarried and Ma Soe Soe is surrounded by family she sometimes wishes that her parents were still together.

U Wi Ma La, a Buddhist monk, said that for this reason divorce should be avoided.

“Marriage is auspicious and a married couple should walk hand in hand for ever. A couple’s children should be considered before they decide to separate.