Min Ko Naing (born 18 October
1962), whose name literally means “conqueror of kings” was born Paw Oo Tun in
Rangoon (Yangon), Burma. He is the President of Universities Student Union,
Burma, however never approved official. He is one of the most well-known
political dissidents in Burma
Biography
He was born in Yangon. He is third son of U Thet Nyunt and Daw Hla Kyi. His
parent are mon-chinese race from Mudon in Mon State. He has three brothers and
sister. They are Daw Kyi Kyi Nyunt, Daw Ye Ye Nyunt, Daw Thadar Nyunt. He
attended No.4 Basic Education Middle School, Thingyangyun Township, Yangon. At
August 28 1988 he was the chairman of All Burma Federation of Student Unions
(ABFSU). He live in No(151/Ka), Waizayantar Road, (16/2) Ward, Thingangyun
Township, Yangon.
Early life/student years
Min Ko Naing’s interest in politics began at the Rangoon Arts and Science
University in the mid-1980s where he studied Zoology. During his student years,
he was an active member of the arts club, where he enjoyed reading, writing
poems and drawing cartoons, especially satirical ones. According to people who
knew him, Min Ko Naing was a member of a performance troupe which took part in
the traditional Than Gyat competition during the annual Water Festival Thingyan
in April, called “Goat-Mouth and Spirit-Eye” and performed satirical plays and
sketches satirizing Myanmar’s government and the lack of freedom and democracy.
Student unions at that time, as now, were illegal in Burma; however he and
other students formed secret study groups in anticipation of protests against
the worsening economic conditions in Myanmar. As the first signs of serious
public unrest in Burma began to appear in 1985, the year Ne Win’s Burma
Socialist Programme Party demonetized the 100-kyat note, Min Ko Naing and his
close colleagues secretly established an underground student union in
anticipation of a political uprising.
Involvement with All Burma Federation of Student Unions
Min Ko Naing formed and organized the All Burma Federation of Student Unions
(ABFSU), a nationwide student union to oppose decades of illegitimate military
rule. The student union has largely contributed to the 8888 Uprising, during
which millions of people marched on the streets, protesting against the
dictatorship ruling the country and calling for democracy. Unfortunately, the
military regime, now known as the State Peace and Development Council,
responded to the uprising with brutal force, gunning down up to 10,000 persons.
15 years political imprisonment until 2004
Min Ko Naing has been forced to go “underground”, continuing his organizing
work while being forced to hide and to move from house to house every night, in
order to avoid arrest. After several months,however, he has been captured along
with other students and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, under Section 5(j)
of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act, vaguely-worded legislation which is
frequently used to imprison political prisoners, for instigating, according to
the military regime, “disturbances to the detriment of law and order, peace and
tranquility”. His sentence was commuted to 10 years under a general amnesty in
January 1993.He has been considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty
International, which intensively campaigned for his release.
According to Amnesty International, Min Ko Naing has been severely tortured and
ill-treated during the early stages of his detention and his health suffered as
a consequence. During his interrogation he was reportedly forced to stand in
water for two weeks until he collapsed, and as a result, his left foot became totally
numb. In 19 November 2004, he was released from prison, after being imprisoned
for 15 years.
Second political imprisonment
However, after almost two years of his release in 2004, Min Ko Naing, along
with other four leading student leaders, was rearrested in late September of
2006. The other four arrested student leaders were Ko Ko Gyi, who was freed
from prison in 2005, Htay Kywe, Min Zeya and Pyone Cho. Despite the military
regime’s insistence that it was just taking these student leaders into detention
for questioning, the authorities later confirmed the arrest of Min Ko Naing, as
well as the other student leaders, stating that the five student leaders were
held as a precaution against what the regime called internal commotion,
instability and terrorism. After heavy criticism about the arrests and demands
for his immediate release, the authorities released Min Ko Naing on January 11,
2007.
Campaigns
From 10 October 2006 to 18 October 2006 (his 44th Birthday), a nationwide
campaign, “White Expression” was held to pressure the military government to
release him and all of political prisoners. The rest 88 generation students
(who were not arrested by junta at that time) organized the campaign.
Participants wore white clothing in a show of support for the release of all
political prisoners. The 88 generation students also organized the signature
campaign to pressure the junta to release him and all political prisoners. It
was started a week after Min Ko Naing and four colleagues were arrested. Many
well-known artistes from Myanmar (such as Ludu Daw Amar and Zarganar) signed in
the petition.
His 88 Generation Students group organized a campaign called “Open Heart
Campaign”. It was launched on January 4, 2007, Independence Day of Myanmar. He
said to the Irrawaddy Magazine that the campaign was to encourage the people to
exercise freedom of expression. People could write to State Peace and
Development Council leader senior general Than Shwe about their feelings under
the military government.
He and his 88 Generation Students group conducted “White Sunday” campaign from
11 March 2007 to 20 May 2007 to express support to family members of political
prisoners. They visited the families of political prisoners in Yangon (Rangoon)
every Sunday during this period
Political imprisonment in 2007
He was arrested again around midnight on 21 August 2007, with other 13 leaders
of the 88 Generation Students for organizing peaceful demonstrations. United
States Government condemned the Burmese junta’s arrest of them.
International Awards Min Ko
Naing has won international awards for his efforts, such as the Civil Courage
Prize 2005, the Homo Homini Award by People in Need Foundation, the Student
Peace Prize in 2001 and the John Humphrey Freedom Award in 1999.
