A Spirit That Never Dies

By AUNG ZAW Tuesday, October 18, 2011

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Min Ko Naing's speech criticized Ne Win and the junta for that massacre and all the others that were to follow in 1988. On March 23, 1989, Min Ko Naing was arrested, amidst tightened security throughout Rangoon in anticipation of protests to mark Armed Forces Day on March 27. It was an important signal to other leaders that nobody was safe from arrest and imprisonment.

Within days, Aung San Suu Kyi and several others were also arrested. Min Ko Naing was charged under section 5 (j) of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act for having delivered anti-government speeches and agitating unrest. For this, he was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in solitary confinement.

While other political prisoners have received amnesties and are allowed to stay in group cells and receive regular family visits, Min Ko Naing has been kept isolated and without any reduction of his sentence.

There are doubts about how well Min Ko Naing has been holding up in prison. There have been confirmed reports of torture, but according to former UN Human Rights Investigator Yozo Yokota, who was permitted to meet Min Ko Naing in 1995 after repeated requests, the student leader was nervous and thin but otherwise in good health.

An earlier visit by US congressman Bill Richardson, in February 1994, was also encouraging. Through the congressman, he conveyed a simple message to his friends: "Don't give up."

A year later, fellow prisoner Win Htein, Aung San Suu Kyi's personal assistant, reported when he was released that Min Ko Naing's fighting spirit was still strong. Reports in the past have stated that he is suffering from a gastric ulcer.

His friends were also concerned that his incredibly long period of solitary confinement must be taking a toll on his state of mind. While Min Ko Naing's fate is uncertain, and his destiny as a "conqueror of kings" remains unfulfilled, his importance as an inspiration to others who continue the fight to bring democracy to Burma is beyond doubt.

In a rare interview with Asiaweek magazine in 1988, Min Ko Naing said: "I'll never die. Physically I might be dead, but many more min ko naing will appear to take my place. As you know, Min Ko Naing can only conquer a bad king. If the ruler is good, we will carry him on our shoulders."

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COMMENTS (4)

SPTS Wrote:

25/10/2011

Until now the dictator than shwe and the regime of Burma is very lucky with their tricks and still in power. Before him, Ne Win was the luckiest person of all the dictators in the world that he managed to escape from the world without being punished for his sins.

My analogy might be false, but just for your reading pleasure only.

As i can think of some of the reasons might as below.
1) Majority of Burmese are soft in nature, and ve been brought up in a way which makes them to be too obedient.
2) There are very very few people like MKN in Myanmar. Majority of them are selfish and slaves, esp civil servants of then shwe.
3) The ethnic groups are too naive and diverse that they cannot combine together to fight back the brutal burmese soldiers.
4) Most of the Burmese ppl are gullible and already used to living without freedom for so long and they don't want to know what is freedom at all.
5) Burmese soldiers are the dumbest of everyone else in the world and they have very very low IQ as well as 80% of Burmese ppl.

Norman Hla Wrote:

23/10/2011

Dear Min Ko Naing,

I appreciate your brave heart to fight for democracy in Burma.

Continue to raise your head to fight than shwe. Finally, you will conquer coward "than shwe"

cheer

Min Nway Wrote:

19/10/2011

I am afraid, if Min Ko Naing finds out that his hope of True Democracy in Burma is fading than before since a new dictator's Burmese way to Pseudo-Democracy is getting momentum.

In fact,"A spirit that never dies" is a brief history of 8888 Student movement and partial biography of Min Ko Naing.

Hopefully, as the story is not yet end, Min Ko Naing struggling and suffering will be continued until - we have the true Democracy but NOT PSEUDO OR SIGNBOARD DEMOCRACY living under the shadow of any dictators.

He will never kneel to any dictators even if dictators break his knees.

U Nu Wrote:

18/10/2011

Slavery by foreigners

Or slavery by military dictators

No slavery will be tolerated

Flag of the Peacock!

Atop the student union

We shall resurrect ‘Daun A Larn’ the Peacock flag