Jealous Junta's Dirty Campaign

25 January 2008
Original report by DVB
Translation by Nay Chi U

Local authorities in Pwint Hpyu, Magwe' are doing everything they can to repress and bully members of the National League for Democracy Party and recently giving pressure for a teacher to lose his job.

U Sein Win, member of the Humanitarian Support Committee, NLD, has recently lost his job at a private bording school in Nga Chauk Kyun, Nan Daw Kyun cluster of villages, run by U Tun Win Naing. According to the NLD party, the school was pressured by the juntas 'authorities' to dismiss U Sein Win, who attended the controversial Independence Day celebration in Chauk.

Pwint Hpyu MP Dr Aung Moe Nyo said," U Sein Win's right to teach at boarding school was taken away by the authorities, as a result of his attending the Independence Day celebration in Chauk. He has lost his job and the school has lost an excellent teacher. He went there to teach because they school desperately needed a teacher and it has been a great loss for the kids who are sitting the matric exams soon"

U Sein Win however is no stranger to the junta's dirty campaign. He was inprisoned in 1969 for his involvement in student protests. During the 1990 general election campaign he jointly wrote a song, which the government tried to ban and he subsequently lost his job.

The deliberate actions of the juntas 'authorities' in targetting NLD members to socially isolate them was criticised by Dr Aung Moe Nyo.

"They wish to isolate us so to make us feel alone in society, so that we feel friedless and become depressed. It is a deliberate and systematic attack. They are trying desperately to destroy us; our party campaign,our self-respect. At the same time, they support and encourage their militia organisations such as Swan Arr Shins and USDA"

"The public know very well how the members of the juntas 'poodle' militia groups are always getting drunk and behaving in a vulgar way. For this reason they are pleased to be able to give respect to NLD members for their dignity and honest work. This is precisely why these juntas 'poodle' groups are so upset about and jealous."

"Attack NLD Members With Human Faeces", Military Junta Told Staff

8 January 2008
Original report by Khin Hnin Htet, DVB

The military junta (the 'authorities') did everything to stop members of the National League for Democracy attending the Independence Day celebration in Ye Nan Chaung, including throwing human faeces at them and also shooting pellets, using catapults.

Six members of Pwint Phyu NLD, led by Dr Aung Moe Nyo were detained on 2 January as they were preparing to travel to Ye Nan Chaung, where the celebrations were to be held at NLD chairman U Khin Win's house. They were held at the town's police station for interrogation, conducted by U Aung Ngwe Kyi, the official. During the interrogation, the instructions given to the police officials by PDC (Peace and Development Council) chairman U Hla Htay on the telephone were overheard by Dr Aung Moe Nyo.

He Said, "I heard him saying, 'Keep questioning the bastards', ' Keep giving them pressure', 'Don't release them until 9 am on Independence Day,' 'Let them go if they are heading to the jetty but take all the oars away from the boats', 'Keep all the keys from the motorboats'."

He explained that it was an excessive effort by authorities to stop the members attending the ceremony and there were even instructions to be thuggish, if the members were determined to travel on despite being too late for the celebration.

"I heard every word including , 'If they carry on, ambushed them with pellets using catapults', ' Throw plastic bags full of faeces at them", added Dr Aung Moe Nyo.

The group was arrested at midnight as they were stopping overnight in Nyaung Pin Zauk village, on the way to Ye Nan Chaung and being detained for 2 nights in Pwint Hpyu police station. During the interrogation, they were asked about their planned route to Ye Nan Chaung as well as their opinion on the Seven Road Map planning, laid and guided by military government.

After answering all the questions, they were asked to sign in the interrogation form. However, the members refused to sign anything, following the strict instructions directed by the Central NLD Party. Instead, they wrote a letter, saying their statements were the genuine answers of the questions being asked to them.

Dr Aung Moe Nyo criticized authorities' action, saying ,"To throw faeces at someone who is going to give respect to the National Independence Day ceremony and shoot pellets is the most inhumane action. It was the most thuggish behaviour. No one in their right mind would even think of doing such things."

"It is most disappointing to see 'authorities' who are supposed to be working on peace and development of the nation, behaving and acting more like thugs and criminals,"

"It is also a tragedy for the country and very worrying for its future. The public, who heard the news couldn't believe how low the authorities behaviour would go", said the Doctor, who is also the MP of Pwint Hpyu. "There was no respect to the country's infrastructure, no respect or honour towaeds each other and no shame. It is an extremely sad situation", he added.

To stop the members crossing the river to Ye Nan Chaung, Pwint Hpyu authorities closed the jetty all day on 3 January, which caused other travellers to suffer and boatmen and oarsmen lost their day's income, he explained.

'Authorities' Try To Stop Independence Day Celebrations

3 January 2008
Original report by Naw Say Paw and Maung Too, DVB

The chairman of National League for Democracy Party, Ye' Nan Chaung and one of his colleagues were advised not to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Independence Day by the chief police official of Magwe', it is reported.

The NLD party of Ye' Nan Chaung had been organising programmes for the celebration, including the offering of meals to 5 monks. Although applications and notices were sent off since 27 December, the party members were only told yesterday, not to hold the celebration and not to get together to form a crowd.

U Khin Win, the chair of Ye' Nan Chaung NLD and U Than Aung , party promotional member, who yesterday were taken away for questioning , are still being detained. In the absence of their leaders, the rest of the members were determined to carry on with the planned celebration.

'It doesn't look like they (the leaders) will be released soon. We have left warm clothes and blankets for them. Nevertheless, the rest of us will continue with our plans', said one party member.

In another area of Magwe' Division, other NLD members were also planning to celebrate Independence Day. It is reported that the movements and activities of Aung Lan NLD Party, were watched closely by groups of USDA and Swan Arr Shin members, who were camping outside the Party's communication office.

NLD party members across Mandalay Division including Mandalay city, Maik Te La District and Thar Si were all preparing and organising to celebrate Independence Day, it is reported.

No effort to interfere with the preparations for the celebrations at the Headquarters of National League for Democracy, Rangoon were reported. U Nyan Win of the Party's Central Information Department commented that it was an insult to the meaning of 'independence' if the freedom to celebrate the country's Independence Day was not accepted by 'authorities'.

'Independence Day is a very special and precious day for everyone in the country. Prohibiting or restricting celebrations for this special day would mean that we are not grateful to our Martyrs who fought for our freedom at that time for us,' he said.

Six More NLD Members Arrested

3 January 2008
Original report by Naw Say Paw, DVB

Member of Parliament and 5 of his colleagues, all of them, members of National League for Democracy Party were arrested and detained last night, it is reported.

Dr Aung Moe Nyo, MP, Pwint Hpu, Magwe, Ko Htay Myint, U Than Tun, U Ko Oo and a teacher U Sein Win (all from Nyaung Pin Sat Village) and Ko Nay Myo Kyaw from Saku were preparing to travel to attend the 60th Anniversary of Burma's Independence Day celebration at the home of U Khin Win, Chairman, NLD Party, Ye' Nan Chaung, when they were arrested.

The members were rounded up at midnight in Nyaung Pin Sat by a 20 strong police contingent led by the area official and are being held in Pwint Hpu police station. When he learnt about the arrest in the morning, the brother of Dr Aung Moe Nyo went to the police station where the NLD members have been detained, where he was told that the arrests were made in order to stop the group attending the Independence Day ceremony.

'I was told that there were concerns about 4th January and also about the gathering of the crowds. It was an order from the 'superiors'. They (the police) were acting, according to the order, to temporarily detain the NLD members', said the brother.

There were also reports that U Kin Win, the Chairman, Ye'Nan Chaung NLD Party and a few others who were organising the Independence Day's 60th anniversary celebration, were taken away by authorities for questioning.