Ashin Issariya: “This is not the time to criticize Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or her party, the NLD”

On 22 November 2011, Mizzima published an article titled “All Burma Monks Alliance opposes NLD decision to re-register”. The statement that this article is referring to was issued by students who have been working together with U Aubhatha (one of the founding members of the ABMA) in the past. They are using the logo of the original All Burma Monks Alliance, and issued this statement without consulting with Ashin Issariya (aka King Zero, co-founder of the ABMA).

Ashin Issariya (aka King Zero): “This is a very important time for our country. Aung San Suu Kyi chose a new direction. The situation in our country has been very difficult for a long time now. Since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been released from her house arrest she has been trying to work together with many different groups, and has tried to visit other parts of the country.
“As we know, the majority of Burma’s people are uneducated. They are living under fear and have no experience with political work. In addition, the military regime has sent most political leaders to jail, this includes many leaders of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the NLD (National League for Democracy). They are in jail, and this has weakened the NLD.
Moreover, foreign countries did not really support her in the last several years. When she was arrested, for example, no one did anything more than talk. We have to be aware that even at this time it is possible that the military regime is searching for ways to re-arrest her.

Thein Sein said “we do not have political prisoners. We only have people who broke the law.”
It is not good that the president talks like this. If he really wants to change Burma to a democratic country, he has to address the real situation. I want to ask: How did the more than 200 monks, who are still in prison, break the law? They only walked peacefully in the streets, sending loving kindness.
- Ashin Issariya (aka King Zero)

For Daw Aung San Suu Kyi it means she has to find a way to stand with her party and to renew and develop her party. In such a time we can not criticize Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or her party. It is clear that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party members want to see all political prisoners released and are working for that.
A short while ago I called U Bah Shwe from the NLD to ask him because before I had only heard that the party would consider to re-register as a party and later consider if it would be good to participate in the parliament. Now I hear they are re-registering and hoping to participate in the parliament at the same time. So I asked him why. He told me, the military regime is very cunning. “The regime told us, if you want to register, you have to take part in the parliament as well. If you don’t want to participate in the parliament we can not allow your party to re-register.”
Because of this, in this time the NLD can not choose another way right now. Leaders of other countries or the UN are only talking. Remember the Depayin Massacre in 2003, at that time the military regime sent their thugs to attack the people on the streets. Many people were killed. At that time the UN only issued a statement. The same happened with the Saffron Revolution when we monks walked in a non-violent way on the streets. Until now, many monks are still in jail. They did not break any laws. This is a problem. As we know, China and Russia always use their veto power [in the UN]. They are only seeing their economic interests.
It is similar with our Asian neighbors. This is very difficult for our country. Their actions are not good for the people of our country. They are guided by their economic interests, starting projects with our military leaders.
In the last meeting of Asean, Thein Sein said, “We do not have political prisoners. We only have people who broke the law.” It is not good that the president talks like this. If he really wants to change Burma to a democratic country, he has to address the real situation. I want to ask: How did the more than 200 monks, who are still in prison, break the law? They only walked peacefully in the streets, sending loving kindness.
As we know, in 2007 the military entered and destroyed monasteries violently. They brutalized and killed monks, sent them to the jails. We monks are living in monasteries and the military entered the monasteries at night when we were asleep. They beat and tortured us. In fact, they broke the law. The military regime broke the law, incarcerated innocent people, and yet they say the political prisoners broke the law. This is very confusing. They told these lie in the past, and now they are still telling this lie. How can we believe them?
For this reason I don’t want to criticize the NLD or Daw Aung San Suu Kyi now.
The students who wrote this statement and used the name of All Burma Monks Alliance (ABMA) never discussed with me about it, even though they know me. They shouldn’t do like that.”
http://www.thebestfriend.org/2011/11/24/ashin-issariya-%E2%80%9Cthis-is-not-the-time-to-criticise-daw-aung-san-suu-kyi-and-her-party-nld%E2%80%9D/#more-10783