Ko Kyaw Zaw (37): ‘They said: ‘look, you did not know how to train your child, so we did it for you.’

http://burmavoices.com/2011/02/ko-kyaw-zaw-37-they-said-%E2%80%98look-you-did-not-know-how-to-train-your-child-so-we-did-it-for-you-%E2%80%99/

Activists Calling

Ko Kyaw Zaw’s Voice

Ko Kyaw Zaw, aka Aung Kyaw Hein, is 37 years old and comes from Rangoon. We meet in NuPho refugee camp.
“I was imprisoned for my activities in the student movement. In May 1989, I was arrested for the first time. I was 16 years old. I was too young for prison, did not have any experience. I was beaten. Later, they gave me a warning not to get involved in politics again. I was released and sent back to my parents.”
“I got involved in the ABFSU, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions. I was arrested for the second time in October 1990. They kept me detained for one month. They arrested my on the street. I had expected them to come to my house and take me, so I had been avoiding my house.”
“On 16 April 1991, they arrested me for the third time. This time, I was sentenced to three years in prison. And was moved to Insein prison. During this third time arrest, they tortured me a lot. But this was not different from anybody else. It’s normal to be tortured. I lost consciousness because of all the beatings, and they threw water at me to wake me up.

 So that they could continue their beatings. I did not get any food or water. I had to ask permission to go to the toilet. When I was given this permission, I used the water in the toilet to wash and drink.”
“The worst thing was, when MI (Military Intelligence) took my parents to come and look at me. They said: ‘look, you did not know how to train your child, so we did it for you.’ They showed me, full of injuries and bruises from the beatings. I suffered a lot from this, also mentally. They had beaten me up freshly, just before my parents came. So I had a lot of blood on my face.”
“They also hung me up, by my arms. When my parents came, I expected to go back home with them, but they kept me there.”
Ko Kyaw Zaw was transferred to another interrogation centre, where the MI interrogated him for ten days.
“In total I spent eleven months in the detention centre. After that, they took me to Insein prison. After my release, I contacted ABFSU again and worked for them again. In 1998, on 13 January, they arrested me again. I was kept in a detention centre for one month. Afterwards, for another two months. This was the hardest time. They beat me in the hot sun. My face was covered with a cloth and my hands were handcuffed behind my back. I had no food or water for a whole week.”
“Sometimes I was too weak for questioning and it was very difficult to concentrate on their questions and not to give the wrong answers. They sentenced my to fourteen years in jail. Together with Ko Nay Oo, Hnin Pan Ein’s husband. We were sent to Kalay prison. My father, who is poet U Kyi Tin Oo, also spent time in jail. He was arrested for political activities and spent ten years in prison.
Both Ko Nay Oo and I were released after eight years. One year before my release, my father was released from prison. With help of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross), my father visited me. When my father went back home, he died. I heard this when I was still in prison. On 6 July 2005, I got out.”
In January 2006, Ko Kyaw Zaw fled to Thailand and arrived in Mae Sot. He received some money from the AAPPB (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma) and lived with them for a while.
How does Ko Kyaw Zaw cope with everything he has been through?
“You cannot see obvious injuries on me, but I have many invisible injuries. Before I left Burma, Min Ko Naing and others helped me to go and see a doctor. Here in the refugee camp, I see a doctor too. This is also for prison ailments like stomach problems. There is however, no help for psychological problems here in the camp. Only physical. I had some help for psychological problems in Burma, before I left, and I got some medicine. Right now, I live alone here in the camp. I am single. My mother is still alive. She is inside. I have no contact with my brothers or sisters.”

How did Ko Kyaw Zaw survive his time in prison?
“I always believed I was struggling for justice. What I did was right. I have no regrets. I am not afraid. Naturally, I was very weak physically. And I suffered after a long time in prison. The prison authorities did not tell me my father had passed away. They feared I would get more defiant if they would tell me. My mother told my during a visit. But what could I do? I had expected it to happen. My father was not the only one. Many political prisoners died. I did not suffer more because this happened.”
“I’m telling you this story, not because I am complaining, but because I want my story to be shown to people in the outside world.”