Ko Moe Kyaw Aung’s Voice
Ko Moe Kyaw Aung is 47 years old. He originally comes from Rangoon. He was active in the armed struggle for years.
“I was part of the ABSDF (the former ABSFU) and the Democratic Union Solidarity (DaNyaTa). Both were active in the Thai-Burma border areas, fighting for democracy. In 1988 I left for the border area to fight with the student armed group. I went back inside in 1991 and got arrested. They arrested me for contact with exile groups. I had contacted Ko Soe Myint, who was in India at the time. They interrogated me and released me after three days. In December of that year, they arrested me again. For meeting with various groups. We formed SATAPALA, an armed group, to fight for the people. In January 1993, I was arrested again and questioned for one month. Five years later, I was taken and sentenced to a total of fifteen years in prison. I served five of these, in Insein and Thyarwaddy.”
Because you were involved in the armed struggle, do you think violence is the way to bring change in Burma?
“At the time, I thought so, yes. Later, I learned that it is not impossible to bring change without violence. Since the end of 1988, it is not impossible to get change without violence.”
How can change come then?
“There are two conditions: the first is, there must be an uprising. The second is, there must be more pressure from the international community on the junta. I believe these two conditions together can bring change.”
What can normal people do to support people in Burma?
“We need more pressure from the outside. Western governments must put more pressure on the regime. At the same time, ASEAN is supporting this regime. Change can only come when all the governments support change at the same time. Activists on the inside need support too.”
What does Ko Moe Kyaw Aung think about the elections?
“They are not that important. The biggest problem is the 2008 Constitution. 25% of the seats in Parliament will be taken by the military. The USDP has many members from the military. After the elections, 50% will be taken by the junta. The Parliament will still be ruled by the military. According to this basic constitution, the military is allowed to take power at any time. This constitution and the sham elections will lead to the same regime before and after these elections. The so-called multi party election only serves to legitimise the regime internationally.”
What is his situation at the moment?
“I am living here in NuPho camp with my wife, who has been here since 2008. We are waiting for our MPO registration and want to apply to be resettled in a third country. The Thai authorities and recently the Thai Foreign Minister have said they want to deport us back to Burma. Because of this, many people here are now afraid and depressed. The Thai said that all people who have been here longer than ten years, will get a citizin card. All children born after 2008 as well.”
What will happen when the Thai authorities deport Burmese refugees back?
“I can speak only about my personal situation. I was released from prison early, after serving five years of my fifteen year prison sentence. They let me go because I signed their agreement: if I ever got involved in politics again, I would have to serve the remaining ten years of my sentence. I did get involved in politics again, so if they would send me back to Burma, I would be sent back to prison immediately.”
“When they released me, the MI told me that if I would ever be arrested again, not for political activities but for criminal activities, the punishment would be even heavier. Because criminals are not watched by international organisations. This happened to a colleague of mine. Htet Naing Oo, who was killed by the USDP. Police caught him in 2006, called him a thief and beat him up badly. Htet Naing Oo got arrested. He was sentenced as a criminal instead of a human rights defender. I was too. If people like him are deported back to Burma, they will get arrested by the Burmese authorities.”
What is Ko Moe Kyaw Aung’s message to the people?
“Does my opinion count? Is it not better when organisations like Amnesty International say something about Burma? I do not have a long message. Only people who have been living under dictators know how cruel they are. People who do not know, may not even believe our stories of cruelty. They may think it’s a myth. I want the international community to know that Burma’s dictators are much worse than some Western ones. No words can describe how bad and cruel they are. I want to call on people to help us with democracy and human rights. Not only Burma, but every country. All democratic countries should help.”
We end up speaking about the fine line between armed struggle and terrorism.
“Terrorism is killing innocent people intentionally on purpose. Like the junta did with the monks in 2007. Any person or government who does this, is a terrorist. The Burmese junta uses soldiers to suppress and kill the people. Why do they regard this junta as a government?? When a government uses soldiers to kill innocent people, the international community does not regard this government a terrorist. But when an individual kills another, he is a terrorist. Why? Even Nelson Mandela is sometimes by some regarded as a terrorist. Is this because he killed white people, or because he fought for his own freedom?”