Ko Soe Myint Aung (39): “My friend died in my arms… I understood the cruelty of the junta”

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Ko Soe Myint Aung’s Voice

Ko Soe Myint Aung is 39 years old and originally comes from Rangoon. We meet in NuPho refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border.
“During the ‘88 student protests, I was 16 years old and I did not understand much about politics. Every morning, I would buy beans from a street vendor. Then there was the sudden inflation with the monetary denominations cancelled by the junta and many people were ruined from one day to the next. My street vendor was upset and I saw her cry. I felt sympathy for her and from that moment I started to understand the cruelty of this regime. So, I decided to take part in the demonstrations.”

 “One year later, in 1989, during the one year anniversary of the 1988 protests, I led demonstrations. They arrested me the next day. I spent two months in an interrogation centre. They hung me up, with my hands tied and gave me electric shocks. They also dripped water on my head continuously. My friend was shot in his stomach. He died in my arms… I understood the cruelty of the dictatorship…”
“At one point, they put insects into my navel. These bit me. They left them there for one week. I was tied to a bed. I stopped breathing, from shock.”
“They kept me in Insein prison for three years. As political prisoners, we were not allowed to look up into people’s faces. We had to look down. Even under the British colonial rule, we were not treated like that. So we demonstrated.”
“Together with 200 prisoners, I was eventually moved to Thayarwaddy prison. We were all handcuffed and moved. I was at Thayarwaddy for two months. The junta always wants to show the international community that there are no political prisoners in Burma. We were sent to forced labour camps. We demonstrated against this. As a punishment, we were all put in lines of four. Thirty (criminal) prisoners were then given alcohol so they would beat the political prisoners up.”
Can you tell us something about the conditions at the camp?
“They kept us inside one room for two months. Every hour, somebody would come to beat us up. There was no proper toilet, we had to use cups. We had insects in our excrement. And lice etc. in our wounds. It was an eight feet square room and there were three persons inside there. At night, bugs from the toilet would creep out into the room. So there was always one of us awake to keep watch against them. Whenever one of us was sick, we would vomit blood. Seven of us went blind, because of the beatings they received.”
“After we demonstrated at this treatment, they let us out of this room. After two months, they allowed familiy food to be brought in. We were not allowed personal visits, though. We could not keep water in our rooms, but had to take water out of water pots. This was always very smelly water and one day, there was a rotten rat inside the pot. This was our drinking water. The political prisoners here were treated very badly.”
“In 1991, it was the hardest time. There was no ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and there were many political prisoners. Many young people, many doctors, teachers, engineers. By arresting these young people, the junta wanted to teach people a lesson: not to get involved in politics again. But we were ready to sacrifice our lives. Even despite this. Some of us died in prison.”
Ko Soe Myint Aung was released from Thayarwaddy prison in 1992.
“After my release, I was not actively involved in politics, but still involved. In 2004 Min Ko Naing and other student leaders such as Htay Kywe and Mie Mie were released. I married the younger sister of Min Ko Naing’s friend from Bagatha. My brother in law was the spokesperson of Burma’s Student Union. He died after he was released from prison. Min Ko Naing said: ‘don’t be upset, let’s work together.’ So we worked together. I worked with Min Ko Naing, Mie Mie, Ko Htay Kywe and Su Su Nyaw.”
“In 2007, we were marching to their homes in the street. Min Ko Naing and the others got arrested again. They are still in prison now.”
What happened with Ko Soe Myint Aung in 2007?
“I hid. During the 2007 monks’ uprising, I supported them with the students and with NLD members. But I had to go into hiding. I have a wife and two children, but I could not go back home, it was not safe. I had to keep moving all the time. In 2009 I fled to Mae Sot, Thailand. I did not have any contact with my family. Now, I can contact them again, via the internet. On 29 January 2009 I arrived here in NuPho refugee camp. I now want my family to come here, too. But at the moment, it’s too dangerous for them. I want to find a safe place for us in a third country.”

Does Ko Soe Myint Aung have a message for the people?
“I would like to ask families abroad to help Burmese families. I want to see democracy in Burma. Do not support the junta. Help us in any way you can.”
How can we help?
“The international community should put more pressure on the military junta. Sanctions are not effective enough, because of leakages. People suffer a lot inside. The international community should help people. Go inside, give education, tell the junta to provide education to the people. Tell people about human rights and things like that.”
“There are many injured prisoners inside the prisons who die. Nobody cares about this. There is no ICRC to record these deaths. They do not care. Humans just die there in prison.”
“In 1988 it was against the ‘47 constitution. Now they also do not care. Now it’s against the 2008 constitution, which will prolong military rule. I will continue to fight against this 2008 constitution.”