The English language is very useful if you want to get your message out to an international audience.
During the troubles in the Ukraine seven years ago, for example, it was very important:
Jay Doubleyou: english language media as propaganda in the ukraine
It's important for today's demonstrators too.
In Georgia:
... the opposition Shame Movement held a protest – this time with English-language hashtags, placards and event invitations on Facebook (all their other events are in Georgian) titled “Never Back to the USSR.”
Georgia is suddenly making international headlines. But its crisis isn't new | openDemocracy
In Haiti:
Haitians Take part in Huge Professional-Democracy Protest | Voice of America - The Times Hub
In Palestine:
Palestinians protest, mark 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque | Roya News
And in Myanmar, as reported in the latest EL Gazette:
English the language of protest
‘Help us save Myanmar. Stop crime against humanity’ and ‘We want our leader free’, read placards carried by Buddhist monks and nuns in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. ‘We want democracy’ is written in huge white letters on the tarmac of a street in Yangon, the country’s largest city. And, perhaps most colloquially, and possibly displaying a real understanding of English, ‘Ur help can support our Myanmar citizens’ was posted on Twitter in response to Indonesia confirming it wouldn’t ask the military government to hold new elections.
What’s interesting about the language of these protests is that, of Myanmar’s 53 million citizens, it’s estimated only 5% speak English. And, in a study by Education First, Myanmar came 93rd out of 100 countries for English language ability. Still, English is the language the protesters believe will reach the most people and, crucially, governments around the world.
Speaking to Reuters news agency, student Ko Ko Lwin said, “Writing in English is more effective than writing in Burmese. We want the international community to help us.”
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