Candle for Myo Yan Naung Thein

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Comment by Myo Thein on November 14, 2009 at 1:46am

Interview with Director of Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)

12 November 2009 [CG Note: London-based Burma Democratic Concern (BDC), founded in 2008, has been noted for its strong campaigns and lobbying activities both inside and outside Burma to restore democracy, human rights and rule of law in Burma. Recently, BDC was publicly attacked in one of the state-owned Burmese language daily newspapers. Director of Burma Democratic Concern (BDC), Myo Thein , talks about BDC, its activities and 2010 elections in Burma.]

Chinland Guardian: First of all, tell us more about Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).
Myo Thein : We established the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) in 2008 after Saffron Revolution in Burma. Since then, we have been doing campaigning and lobbying internationally, intensively and consistently. Since Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) is the global campaigning and lobbying organisation, we have the branches in United Kingdom, United States and Thailand. We are also planning to open new branches in the European countries. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) is equipped with participants who had political background and in-depth knowledge of Burma issues, experiences in the past and are engaging in current activities. The main objectives of our organization are:

• to support efforts to create a political environment in Burma
• to increase awareness about political development in Burma
• to strengthen support for Burma democracy movement in international governments

Chinland Guardian: We have learned that BDC was publicly denounced by SPDC in the official newspaper The Mirror. Tell us more about what they said.

Myo Thein : Junta’s newspaper said that we are funded by US Government intending to destabilize the peace and tranquillity of Burma. It was regarding about the verdict on Aung San Suu Kyi, relating to the case involving US citizen swimmer, John William Yettaw. Additionally, they also accused the NLD inside Burma of dancing to the tune in accordance and in tandem with us by issuing statements. They also accused me of being one of the people who are orchestrating “Global Action for Burma” which is the coalition of more than 120 organisations both from inside Burma and from abroad working together collectively to see justice realities in Burma.

My impression is that junta is scared of what we are doing--campaigning effectively to restore democracy in Burma. I do not respond to it since it is just their accusations and I just focus on what I am doing. I know that I am doing the right thing and eventually justice will prevail.

Chinland Guardian: Some people say ‘campaigning outside Burma’ is not effective any more as many other organisations in exile have not proved until today that it really brings a positive change in the country. What is your view on this?

Myo Thein : I would say we have to do what we believe is right rather than complaining about others or seeing things pessimistically. Our actions reflect how we see things as well. We must believe in what we are doing since “What we believe is what we achieve”. All of us working for Burma are trying our best for the betterment of the country. Working to bring about change in Burma is not an easy task to realise. It takes a lot of toils, energy, time and sacrifices to get there. I would say due to everyone’s collective hard works, Burma is where we are seeing today as it is.

Chinland Guardian: Recently, there have been talks about changes in the way in which Burma’s SPDC has been approached. For instance, US now have a different approach and new policy on Burma. Where do you stand?

Myo Thein : I am also aware of the recent development of US new policy and SPDC new approach. Here, we have to look at what will be the best interest for the benefit of 50 million people of Burma. We cannot work with one fixed policy. We must be flexible and we must be ready to compromise. Here, I would like to highlight the importance of “Time, Frame and Angle” when we approach something, especially in politics. We will always stand on the side of the public since we are working for the people, of the people and by the people. We have to take into account everything due to globalisation.

Chinland Guardian: The military regime is determined to hold its 2010 election and it is believed that it will just go ahead, ignoring the peoples’ voices and even the 1990 election results. After all, is it not better to join them since we cannot beat them?

Myo Thein : Here I would like to stress that “something is better than nothing” is not always right! We all know that Junta held the election in 1990 in which Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory. Junta still ignores to honour it and instead, puts Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. During their reign of terror, people of Burma are suffering tremendously. Junta never hesitates to use brutal force to suppress anyone who opposes their illegitimate rule.

Aung San Suu Kyi officially once said: “That the results of the 1990 General Elections must be implemented is a resolution already taken by the United Nations. We already know that the General Assembly of the United Nations has accepted the notion that the will of the people has been expressed in the 1990 General Elections. This is something we cannot abandon. It will be to the detriment of our country if after an election has been held the results are not honoured and we do not resist attempts to trivialise it.”

Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), the unanimous victors of the 1990 election, clearly stated their position in “Shwe-Gone-Daing” declaration that need to place in order to have true national reconciliation in Burma, i.e. to
1. Release all the political prisoners
2. Review 2008 Constitution
3. Allow to reopen NLD and ethnic nationalities offices
4. Recognise 1990 election result
5. Take place political dialogue
The junta’s planned 2010 election is only a charade designed to legitimise the military dictatorship within Burma. The International Community should be aware of the hopelessly irreconcilable contents of the constitution that was adopted in 2008. The referendum was ushered into existence under questionable conditions including extortion and rigged ballots.

Giving the military junta 25% of the parliamentary seats, unbridled authoritarian control and a self serving amnesty for the crimes against humanity were truly not the will of the Burmese people. Legitimizing the criminal regime was also not the will of the people and this is incomprehensible and totally unacceptable to the Burmese people.

It should not be forgotten that in spite of promises made by the military junta in the 1990 which they sponsored they did not relinquish power when they lost the election. Now to insure they will not lose the 2010 election they have intensified the arrests of democratic proponents and concocted charges against Aung San Suu Kyi to eliminate her influence in this sham election.

U Win Tin, Aung San Suu Kyi’s right-hand man said recently: “A central issue is the results of the 1990 election [a landslide win for the NLD]. We can’t throw away the results like a piece of paper or a leaf.” He went on saying: “The NLD won the election in 1990, but to date the party hasn’t been allowed to carry out the election results. At this point, if we turn our back on the 1990 election results and talk about taking part in the new election, the NLD will be shamed”.

Our legitimate leaders are saying crystal clearly the importance of implementing 1990 election results. Whatever junta will do unilaterally, it will not yield positive outcome and will not gain public support not only in Burma but also internationally.

In my point of view, “we don’t need the election in 2010, but implementation of 1990 election results first.”

Chinland Guardian: ENC (Ethnic Nationalities Council) has been campaigning for what is called ‘Tripartite Dialogue’ for years – a dialogue between the military regime, democratic parties and ethnic nationalities. Do you think this is actually feasible and practical?

Myo Thein : I appreciate that they are doing what they can do best for Burma. If we truly work our best to realise what we believe is right, nothing is impossible.

Chinland Guardian: Some criticise the military junta as being ‘uneducated and ignorant’ while others say they [the military] are cunning and clever, at least, in securing their power and seats for more than 40 years. How do you see?

Myo Thein : We need the revolution of the spirit of junta’s leaders. They need to change their mind-set and perceptions on the way they see things especially on general public. Gen. Aung San, the Founder of today Burma’s Army, said, "Our armed forces are not for tyrannizing the people, not for flaunting their power in reliance on weapon. The armed forces are the servants of the country and not the other way round." This is now the very critical time to reconsider all the patriotic soldiers to stand on the side of the public.

Chinland Guardian: The military regime has been apparently trying to ‘divide and rule’ the peoples of Burma, especially the ethnic nationalities. It might not be wrong to say that the junta has succeeded in implementing their propaganda and the people in some areas start to have divided rather than united. How do you think ‘pure and strong’ unity among the peoples could be gained?

Myo Thein : United we stand. When we are working for democratisation of Burma, we must learn from history what we make mistakes and how we can achieve doing things better. We must have the courage to open the new chapters. Rather than that if someone is only talking about bitter hatreds from the past, it would also create division and mistrust amongst us which would lead to “divided we fall”. We must work together if we truly want to see justice reality in Burma. In fact, we have to work together since we have no choice if we truly want to restore genuine peace in Burma. We must have confidence and trust each other. We must also be ready to compromise when we dealt with dilemma.

Our leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, always stresses how important it is to have genuine unity in our country. She said: "Unity in diversity has to be the principle of those who genuinely wish to build our country into a strong nation that allows for a variety of races, languages, beliefs and cultures to flourish in peaceful and happy coexistence. Only a government that tolerates opinions and attitudes different from its own will be able to create an environment where peoples of diverse traditions and aspirations can breathe freely in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust."

We don’t have one quick fix to be a perfect union. Our hope is on our new generation. We must teach them the importance of “agree to disagree, the beauty of differences and unity in diversity”. In that way we can build our country to be a better and bolder union.

Chinland Guardian: Your messages to the peoples of Burma and to those who work hard for Burma both inside and outside the country.

Myo Thein : We have the firm determination, dedication and devotion to keep on working until the democracy is restored in Burma. I would like to stress here that we all have the responsibility to do our part in democratisation of Burma. We must all work together to achieve our destination. Please do something. Each and every small act today we are doing will be contributed for all the big achievements we will gain in the future. And every great achievement starts with the very first step we are taking. I believe that we will win and we can do it.

Chinland Guardian: Thank you for your time and answers.

Myo Thein : Thank you very much.

Comment by Myo Thein on November 9, 2009 at 11:05am

‘They forced me to kneel like a dog’

Nov 2, 2009 (DVB)–The Obama administration has a mountain to climb in order to secure the release of political prisoners in Burma, with a military government aggressively preparing for the country’s first elections in 20 years.


In recent weeks the number of political prisoners in Burma has risen following a crackdown on opposition groups. DVB interviewed former political prisoner Myo Yan Naung Thein, who was released in September after two years in prison. He spoke about life behind bars and the ongoing struggle that opposition groups in Burma face.

“On the afternoon of 15 December 2007, while I was on the phone to my mum at a shop in Rangoon, two men grabbed me by the hands. They were very strong. They had tattoos and looked like criminals. I shouted out because I thought that they had kidnapped me by mistake. Then one of them grabbed me by the throat, put his hand over my mouth, and pushed me into a taxi. They hooded me, and I was forced to lie down in the taxi. One of them sat on top of me.

“I don’t know where they took me because I was hooded, but as soon as I got there, they started to kick and punch me. They forced me to kneel on all fours like a dog, and one of them sat on my back. Those men were really violent and rude to me.

“Later I found out that the people who took me were from Military Affairs Security. They asked me about Min Ko Naing [88 Generation Students’ leader], and other activists. Finally I realized I was in the Interrogation Center. They tortured me very brutally. My hands were tied behind my back, they kicked and punched me. They locked me in a dark, wet room with no windows. I didn’t know whether it was day or night.

“I was sent to Insein annex prison [in Rangoon] and put in a cell. One of my legs was deteriorating day by day. I had already suffered from a neurological condition once in 1991, so I informed prison authorities that I couldn’t move because of nerve damage, but they didn’t care.

“A prison medic came and saw me but he was a normal doctor, not a neuro-specialist, so I requested to see a neuro-specialist but they ignored me. Then the nerve damage got so bad I couldn’t move my legs at all. My mother sent request letters to the prison director many times, and the exile media also reported my case. Finally I got a chance to see a neuro-pecialist, and he told me my hands were also affected.

“I was transferred to Sandoway prison [in Burma’s western Arakan state] after sentencing. I actually had an appointment with a doctor at Rangoon hospital at the time, but they sent me to Thandwe prison anyway. They transferred me there because it is really far away from home and very cold, and because they thought it would help my health!

“Four of us were transferred to Sandoway prison. We were all handcuffed. They put everyone in iron shackles except me; they carried me because I couldn’t walk. They didn’t allow me to urinate during the journey to the prison, which took the whole night. It was so hard on me. There are 10 political prisoners in Sandoway prison. Now two were released, and the others were not. If they are honest, they will have to release all political prisoners because they are talking about national reconciliation. Ko Win Maw, the guitarist from the band Shwe Thansin, is in bad health and suffers from asthma. At night, sometimes he can’t breathe properly and then he almost falls unconscious. There are no medics, no doctors, and no proper medical care.

“When we were released [on 19 September] we were released under section 401, which means we will have go back to prison and serve the remainder of our sentences if we are arrested again for political activities. I feel nothing [positive about the release] because I was close to completing my sentence. And now I can’t stand up or walk. I can only walk if I have a person on either side to help me.

“We [activists] sacrificed a lot, but I will have to carry on until we get democracy in Burma. As a student, I didn’t really know about politics. I only knew that the military government is wrong. So I rebelled and demonstrated against the military government. Their rule is totally wrong for Burma.

“After we were imprisoned, we learned more and more about the injustices carried out by the military government, and that strengthened my beliefs even more. So who will keep fighting if we don’t? We have to carry on.”

http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=3010

Comment by Myo Thein on October 17, 2009 at 12:38am

Interview with 88 Generation Student member Myo Yan Naung Thein
aapp
28 Sept 2009

September 28th, 2009 Interview with 88 Generation Student member Myo Yan Naung Thein

Unofficial AAPP translation of interview with Democratic Voice of Burma 23 September 2009

88 Generation Student member Myo Yan Naung Thein was released by the military government along with other prisoners. He was released from Thandwe prison in Arakan State. 35 year-old Myo Yan Naung Thein has suffered severely from a neurological disease that has left him unable to walk. He was arrested on 15 December 2007 and given a 2 year sentence, charged under section 505b of the Penal Code. He was released three months before the completion of his sentence. He said he was released from Thandwe prison on 19 September, and arrived at home on 21 September. “We were told in the afternoon of 18 September that we would be released. And they give us 1000 kyats (1$) for the traveling costs to get back home. But we weren’t released that day because they were waiting for a fax from the district local authority. So we were released on the morning of 19 September,” said Myo Yan Naung Thein.

Please explain how you were arrested?

In the afternoon of 15 December 2007, while I was on the phone to my Mom at a shop on the corner of Hledan Junction, two men grabbed me by the hands. They were very strong. They had tattoos and looked like criminals. I shouted out because I thought that they had kidnapped me by mistake. And then one of them grabbed me by the throat, put his hand over my mouth, and pushed me into a taxi. They hooded me, and I was forced to lie down in the taxi. One of them sat on top of me.

Where did they take you?

I don’t know where they took me because I was hooded.

What happened next?

As soon as I got there, they started to kick and punch me. They forced me to kneel on all fours like a dog, and one of them sat on my back.

Did they ask you anything?

They asked me, “Do you know Soe Tun? Where is Nilar Thein? Where are Zaw Min alias Baung Baung, and Htay Kywe?”

Why did they imprison you?

I was accused of allowing Zaw Min alias Baung Baung to stay at my home, and giving wrong information to 88 Generation Student Soe Tun and Win Zaw from DVB. For those reasons, the authorities charged me under Section 505b [of the Penal Code].

How did they interrogate you in the Interrogation Center?

At first I didn’t know where I was taken. Those men were really violent and rude to me. Later I found out the people who took me were from Military Affairs Security. They asked me about Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Htay Kywe. Mainly they asked about Soe Tun. Soe Tun and I worked together in the 1996 student movement, we both had leading roles, and we were arrested and imprisoned in the same case. Finally I realized I was in the Interrogation Center. They tortured me very brutally. My hands were tied behind my back, they kicked and punched me. They locked me in a dark wet room with no windows. I didn’t know whether it was day or night.

How was your health after you were sentenced?

I was sent to Insein Annex prison and put in a cell. One of my legs was deteriorating day by day. I already suffered from a neurological condition once in 1991. So I informed prison authorities that I couldn’t move, because of nerve damage. But they didn’t care. A prison medic came and saw me but he was a normal doctor, not a Neuro-Specialist. So I requested to meet see a Neuro-Specialist but they ignored my request. Then the nerve damage got so bad I couldn’t move my legs at all. My mother sent request letters to the prison General Director many times, and the exile media also reported on my case. So finally I got a chance to see a Neuro-Specialist, and he told me my hands were also affected.

How long did you stay in Thandwe prison?

I was transferred to Thandwe prison after sentencing. Actually, I had an appointment with a doctor at Rangoon hospital [at that time]. But they sent me to Thandwe prison anyway, without any consideration about my appointment. They transferred me to Thandwe prison, because it is really far away from home and very cold, and because they thought it would help my health!

How was it in Thandwe prison?

We – me, Zaw Min Zin, Maung Latt and Maung Than – were transferred to Thandwe prison. We were all handcuffed. They put everyone in iron shackles except me. They carried me because I couldn’t walk. They didn’t allow me to urinate during the journey to Thandwe prison, which took the whole night. It was so hard on me.

Did you sign a pledge?

Yes, we were released under section 401. It’s not a pledge exactly, but we will have go back to prison and serve the remainder of our sentences if we are arrested again for political activities.

How do you feel about your release? I feel nothing, because I was close to completing my sentence. There are 10 political prisoners in Thandwe prison. Now two were released, and the others were not. If they are honest, they will have to release all political prisoners because they are talking about national reconciliation. Ko Win Maw, the guitarist from the band Alinkar, is in bad health and suffers from asthma. At night, sometimes he can’t breathe properly and then he almost falls unconscious. There are no medics, no doctors, and no proper medical care.

How’s your health condition after your release from prison?

I can’t stand up or walk. I can only walk if I have a person on either side to help me.

Now that you have been released, what are you going to do next?

It’s the second time for me to be released from prison. I was in prison first when I was 22 years old because I was involved in the 1996 student movement. I was released in 2003. After Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi were released, I worked with them, the 88 Generation Students. So I was imprisoned again. We sacrificed a lot. I will have to carry on until we get democracy in Burma. As a student, I didn’t really know about politics. I only knew that the military government is wrong. So I rebelled and demonstrated against the military government. Their rule is totally wrong for Burma. Because of that, they arrested and cruelly imprisoned me. After we were imprisoned, we learned more and more about the injustices carried out by the military government, and that strengthened my beliefs even more. So who will keep fighting if we don’t? We have to carry on. But for the moment, I still don’t know about the current situation in Burma. I need to learn, and wait and see for a while. I am sure I will carry on

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on September 30, 2009 at 9:02pm

http://www.petitiononline.com/28762/petition.html

Free Saffron Monks

To: Goverments of the World , United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights Geneva, UN Security Council, Asean,

FREE BURMA PROJECT


Free The Saffron Monks & Nuns From Prison.

Please lend your support for the release of Burma's 220 monks and nuns who remain prisoners of conscience for participating in the peaceful demonstrations of September 2007. The "Saffron Revolution" drew tens of thousands of monks and nuns on to the streets. They chanted the Metta Sutta (loving-kindness), for the well being and merit of all living beings. Monks and nuns implored the SPDC government to act with compassion towards the people suffering under economic hardship and to apologize and reform their actions taken against the monks and the religion. In response, the regime unleashed a violent and unprecedented attack against the demonstrators that continued off the streets and into the monastery grounds.
For a month, the military continued to round up protestors who had participated, raiding 52 monasteries, often at night. Monks were beaten, killed and many more carted off to prison with no regard to their age or standing. Revered abbots in their 80's and 90's and novices as young as five were disrobed and placed into detention centers.
By some estimates, as many as 1,400 Sanghas were rounded up without respect to the procedures of Burmese or International law. Sanghas endured beatings, interrogations, and torture. Many of them disappeared-- sent away to distant prisons where their families and monastic companions lost track of them. Official statistics on the number of monks and nuns who were killed in the uprisings will never be known.
Crematoriums were put into 24-hour operation in the days following the crackdown to burn the bodies of those who were killed on the streets and inside the Monasteries. Unconfirmed reports assert that in order to keep the Sanghas from reaching the hospitals where they could be seen and counted, injured monks and nuns were taken to the crematoriums to be cremated alive.
Awareness and condemnation are vital tools of accountability that we in the International community can take to exert pressure on the regime to free the remaining Saffron Revolution monks and nuns still in prison under conditions that are a form of torture. Please give your support and solidarity to them and to the Burmese people.

Sign our petition to free Burma's Saffron Monks, Nuns, Political Prisoners today!
freeburmaproject@gmail.com

http://www.petitiononline.com/28762/petition.html

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on September 21, 2009 at 8:48pm

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on September 21, 2009 at 8:36pm

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on September 10, 2009 at 4:48am

Namo Guan Shih Yin Pusa

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on August 19, 2009 at 8:47pm

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on August 12, 2009 at 8:14pm

My thoughts and prayers are with you Myo Yan Naung Thein

Comment by Qian Zheng Yi on August 6, 2009 at 7:55am

I re-posted the comment below this one to myspace & innocent in prison.
Praying for Myo Thien for his health and freedom & for his mother.
Love & light,
- Zheng Yi

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