Burma

Tin Oo Released

By BA KAUNG Saturday, February 13, 2010

COMMENTS (9)

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Tin Oo, the detained deputy leader of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party, was released on Saturday as the term of his house arrest expired.

The 82-year-old vice chairman of the National Leagues for Democracy (NLD) and former military commander-in-chief had been held under house arrest without trial for the past six years. He has been suffering from osteoporosis and has to wear a neck brace.

National League for Democracy (NLD) Vice Chairman Tin Oo speaks to reporters in his Rangoon residence, February 13, 2010. (Photo: Reuters)

“He has some health problems, but we believe that he can resume his party activities,” said NLD spokesman Khin Maung Swe.

He was arrested along with Suu Kyi in 2003 after a government-backed mob attacked their motorcade during a political tour in Upper Burma. He was initially held in prison in Kalay in northwestern Burma, but was brought back to Rangoon in February 2004 and placed under house arrest. His detention has been extended every year since then.

Activists and politicians in Burma said he was probably released because the regime believes his age and relative lack of popularity make him less of a threat to the upcoming polls than Suu Kyi.

“He is a good leader for the NLD, but he's not as influential as Aung San Suu Kyi, so the military generals thought that he won't be able to obstruct the upcoming elections,” said Aye Thar Aung, an Arakan ethnic leader.

Often seen together with Suu Kyi during political tours, Tin Oo is reputed to be a reliable political colleague of the detained Nobel laureate. But some activists say the party leadership is unable to make bold decisions without Suu Kyi's release.

In 1976, Tin Oo was forced to retire from his position as commander-in-chief of the Burmese armed forces after he was accused of withholding information concerning a failed coup d'état against then dictator Gen Ne Win. He was tried on charges of committing high treason and sentenced to seven years with hard labor in 1977, but was released in a general amnesty in 1980.

He was later detained again, from 1989 to 1995, after becoming one of the founding members of the NLD in 1988. He has been denied access to visitors and fellow party leaders since his arrest in 2003.

COMMENTS (9)

Myanmar patriot 4 UMPF Wrote:

15/02/2010

Retire or not retire, it will not make much difference. Tragedy of our country is poverty of human capital:in terms of philosophy, administration skills,science and technology, business management skills.

First,during the colonial era, our ancestors were kept ignorant of ways of the world; moderniser Kanaungmin(Prince Kanaung) had been assassinated. Then the timebomb of Panglong; next need for military coup; next taking wrong turn to socialism/communism, with totalitarian state, WHERE people were shut away from the world; only those outside the country had a chance to get an education. Even then, they don't know what real education or knowledge is. It is rather like blind people rumaging for a stick (of power) to hit the rest. The one-eyed became king amongst the blind.

Our Burmese tradition decrees that we younger people show respect to elders; that's fine. But the elders can be LESS educated than some young. What can we do? As a start U TinOo could discard the cult of personality & ditch Panglong!

Soe Thane Wrote:

15/02/2010

I have a lot of respect for U Tin Oo, and it's great that he's out of jail. But at 82, should he really be going back to work? What about retirement? No one seems to want to retire, from the SPDC to the NLD to the armed groups.
I know it's a different thing (NLD to SPDC) but why not retire and let some younger people have a chance? Everyone knows when some old people are around (in Burma), none of the "youngsters" say anything. My guess is that if we left things to the 20-50 year olds both in the army and in civilian life (including NLD), we'd have less baggage and more willingness to find a new approach.

Having said all that, I hope U Tin Oo is well and happy and has a long life ahead of him.

Moe Aung Wrote:

14/02/2010

Gesture politics aimed at the US toward the lifting of the sanctions, evidently calculated as not too costly to them.

Tin Oo missed a golden opportunity when Capt Ohn Kyaw Myint and his co-conspirators in the army approached him to overthrow Ne Win. The whole plot became unwieldy with too many involved and unravelled, the conspirators coming to grief. Tin Oo, then Chief-of-Staff, apparently dithered when asked to act as leader and paid the price. The officer who grassed became one of the successful entrepreneurs in Khin Nyunt's time.

This kind of indecision, and inability to work with others in an unexpected but crucial development coming from "outside the box," may continue to be an unfortunate weakness of the NLD.

George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote:

14/02/2010

The lion is out and about.
Beware all lowly creatures!
Gen Tin Oo packed more clout and credibility than Than Shwe and his thugs combined.
Given military ethics and hierarchy, Gen Tin Oo is much senior in rank to Than Shwe, not to mention popularity and influence.
Gen Tin Oo has more care and concern over Burma than Than Shwe does, as he has not uttered a word even that will destabilize the country.
He does not seek his own opportunity or well being like Than Shwe is doing today.
He knows what he is doing and has the moral character and charisma also.
He says the truth and does the right thing and endured stoically all difficulties and hardships heaped on him without complaining much less whining as well.
He is a true soldier and a gentleman none comparable to any in the rank and file among Than Shwe's minions, least of all Than Shwe himself, a mass murderer and monk murderer.
Gen Tin Oo's release will greatly strengthen and invigorate the NLD leadership, no doubt.

yebaw Wrote:

14/02/2010

Welcome back home general! You're great, we salute your courage and we need you even though you're old. Let's free our country from greedy, cunning, selfish and cruel generals.

nurul amin Wrote:

14/02/2010

Tin Oo is an active ,honest, sacrificed leader for the whole nation but he is not as influential as Aung San Suu Kyi.

Oo Maung Gyi Wrote:

14/02/2010

That Gen Tin Oo released is good for the NLD; at least the NLD can continue its activities throughout Burma. The Thura title was awarded to him due to his braveness and courageous moral standard.
He fought against Kumintung (KMT) troops. He is a man of principle, an adorable character respected by many soldiers from the army, still with leadership qualities to provide leadership to NLD.
Being an army general, he still has many soldiers within the army respecting him. He possesses good moral and discipline and no corruption.

James O'Brien Wrote:

14/02/2010

Like all the other almost 2,200 political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo deserves to be free. He was only exercising his freedom of expression and association.

He should have been released years ago, considering government thugs waylaid the NLD convoy and took away Daw Suu, U Tin Oo and others on May 30th, 2003.

I met Depayin Massacre survivors, and they were clearly ambushed and beaten up. US embassy staff went and saw blood stains and torn clothes at the site.

This release is just another junta card trick.

They think he's too sick and too old to pose a serious threat to their so-called "election." They think they have broken him, as they have broken others.

But whatever they do, the world knows it's only an SPDC trick.

Enough! Let them go!

James O'Brien

Myanmar Patriot 4 UMPF Wrote:

14/02/2010

It is never too late even for U Tin Oo to get educated about the nature of power politics, the nature of society, the nature of the state; and the interplay between the three sources of power: military, economic, and propaganda. And also about how better governments - with checks and balances - are formed; and the role of an independent judiciary etc etc. What a great pity the junta had never thought about providing REAL political education to the "captive students."
We wish U TinOo well and hope that he will regain his health, and strength to participate constructively in the affairs of the state. We believe that our king HM King Shwebomin II is pleased with the release.

U Tin Oo would be apt to study seriosuly the external political environment, such as the Cold War, that has a much greater impact on the destiny of poor and weak countries like Burma before deciding on actions.