ABFSU

2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award Announcement

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The situation regarding democracy and human rights in Myanmar/Burma remains dire. At this very moment, many pro-democracy activists are locked up in freezing cold cells. The international community has put pressure on Burma’s military junta, taking consistent interest in the nation’s pro-democracy movement. Despite its efforts, some countries around the world have turned a deaf ear to the issue due to conflicts of interest. After the military junta crushed the “Saffron Revolution” with brutal force, the UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari visited Burma, meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, a democratic leader of the country, in 2008. However, such efforts to demonstrate the international community’s commitment to the region have been to no avail, and have only led to further disappointment with Burma.
Born in the Burmese capital of Yangon in 1962, Min Ko Naing organized the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), a nationwide student union, in 1988. Later, he was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for triggering the “8888 Uprising”. After being imprisoned for 15 years, he was released from prison and continued his pro-democracy resistance. Finally he was re-arrested and sentenced to 65 years imprisonment for organizing a demonstration which gave rise to the Saffron Uprising. He is currently serving this sentence.

According to an international human rights watchdog, the number of prisoners of conscience who, like Min Ko Naing, have been arrested and imprisoned for engaging in protests and anti-government activities, amounts to about 2,000. In the aftermath of the devastating natural disaster which hit Burma in May, 2007, the international community tried to reach out to the afflicted country. Burma’s military junta, however, decided to reject this helping hand. To make matters worse, the authoritarian regime arrested and detained protesters, killing at least several hundred people, including foreign journalists, involved in the nationwide demonstration driven by saffron-robed Buddhist monks.

The 2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee has therefore chosen Min Ko Naing to be this year’s prizewinner. Min Ko Naing and his colleagues have devoted themselves to Burma’s democratization, and it is their devotion that we hope to remember and share as we commemorate the May 18 Gwangju Uprising.

The 2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee has therefore chosen Min Ko Naing to be this year’s prizewinner. Min Ko Naing and his colleagues have devoted themselves to Burma’s democratization, and it is their devotion that we hope to remember and share as we commemorate the May 18 Gwangju Uprising. The committee sincerely desires that Min Ko Naing and other political prisoners be released as soon as possible, and hopes that democracy will truly take root in this country. 2009 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee Chairperson: Moon Young-hee, Vice President of Korea Democracy Foundation Committee Members: Kim Chil-jun, Secretary-General of National Human Rights Commission Yoon Gwang-jang, Chairman of the May 18 Memorial Foundation Lee Jung-hyun, The member of Korea National Assembly Cha Sung-hwan, Director of Pusan Democratic Memorial Association
This is the official email address of the Culture and Solidarity Team, The May 18 Memorial Foundation

Chanho Kim
Director Culture and Solidarity Team
Email: surnadal@hanmail.net
Mobile: +82 10 4642 6650
Addresses: The May 18 Memorial Foundation 5.18 Memorial Culture Hall Seo-Gu, Sangmudong 1268 Postcode 502-260 Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Phone: +82 62 456 0518 Fax. +82 62 456 0519
Email: 518org@gmail.com Website : eng.518.org
Blog: 518solidarity.blogspot.com
518interns.blogspot.com 518folkschool.blogspot.com themay18.wordpress.com

Min Ko Naing bestowed Gwangju Human Rights award

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88 Gen Leader, Min Ko Naing

Chiang Mai – South Korea has awarded its highest human rights award “Gwangju Prize for Human Rights” to Burma’s leading student activist Min Ko Naing, who is currently serving 65 years of imprisonment, for peacefully protesting in August 2007.

Chanho Kim, Director of the “May 18 Memorial Foundation”, the group that bestowed the award said, Min Ko Naing was chosen for the award in recognition of his commitment and struggle for democracy and human rights, despite the ruling military junta’s repression.

“We have chosen Min Ko Naing this year, because of his commitment in the struggle for democracy and human rights under the repressive rule. Moreover, we want to show that we are good friends of Burma. The situation in Burma has not improved and there are many political prisoners,” Chunho Kim told Mizzima.

The award is given by the Gwangju-based May 18 Memorial Foundation and Min Ko Naing was nominated by the Korea-branch of the National League for Democracy-Liberated Area (NLD-LA).

Students in Gwangju city formed the May 18 Memorial Foundation, in remembrance of the day they stood against the then South Korean President Chun Doo Hwan on May 18, 1980. The foundation is mainly sponsored by the South Korean government.

Min Ko Naing, popularly known as leader of the 88 generation students, would be honoured with prize money of 50,000 USD and a gold-plated memento and a certificate on May 18 at Gwangju city.

“We do not know who will receive the award on Min Ko Naing’s behalf. Some of his cousins and colleagues are abroad and are likely to come and receive it on his behalf. We will not receive it on his behalf but we will keep his award for him,” Yan Naing Tun, information in-charge of the South Korean branch NLD-LA told Mizzima.

He said, the NLD-LA would keep the money and the memento and use them as per the wishes of the recipient. The NLD-LA has also kept the prize money and memento of Burma’s detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the same prize in 2004.

The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights was first given in 2000 to outstanding persons, who had committed themselves to the struggle for democracy and human rights. Xanana Gusmao, president of East Timor was the first to be honoured with the award in 2000. Last year, the organization awarded Pakistan’s Muneer A. Malik, a Human Rights lawyer who stood up against President Pervez Musharraf’s military rule.

Earlier, the prize money was set at 10,000 USD, but it was later increased to 50,000 USD in 2005.

Organizers said, the May 18 function would include paying tribute to students and people, who have given their lives in the South Korean struggle under President Chun Doo Hwan and would be graced by the present president of South Korea as well as members of parliament and leaders from other countries.

The ceremony will also include a separate panel discussion on Burma.

Mizzima: Min Ko Naing bestowed Gwangju Human Rights award by Ko Wild (Friday, 24 April 2009 18:42)

Ma Hninn May Aung, a University Student in Monywa Prison

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On this first week of April, the city of Villa Santa from Italy awarded honorary citizen to one woman political prisoner from Burma. She was Ma Hnin May Aung from Monywa prison. MoeMaKa contacted Ma Lei Lei Nwe, close friend of her to learn about Ma Hninn May Aung a.k.a. Nobel Aye who was a student from Dagon University and now currently imprisoned in Monywa by the Burmese military regime.

MoeMaKa – When did you meet her?

Ma Lei Lei New – We have known each other since back in 1998 September 24th, in “Aung Thabye” military intelligence’s interrogation center. We have not only spent time together in the interrogation room but also in Insein prison, in the same cell too.

On April 6th 1999, when we were relocated to remote prison, we were moved together. We were with 50 males and 5 female prisoners. For us, we were Ma Kyi Kyi Win (Kyimyindine), Zin Mar Aung (Still in Mandalay Prison), Myat Sabe Moe (now in Norway), Nobel and me.

We spent 3 months in Mandalay prison and later I and Myat Sabe Moe were sent to Shwe Bo prison, Nobel was to Myin Gyan prison separately. Since then we were separated. But in 2005, when Nobel was released from prison, we all old friends reunited again.

MoeMaKa – Hninn May Aung seemed ever been depressed? How do you find her?

Spending time in prison, for anyone, how much strength you have, we all feel depressed at one time. Everything in prison is inconvenient and in very poor condition, all everyday activity in food, living condition including shower time was troubling. But we all are with principle and conviction, no matter how hard situation we face, how terribly we are treated, we stand unshaken firmly. Nobel is one of those people.

She tried her best to help others, she sacrificed, and she was tolerant. Still she was one of the strongest principled political activists. She loved her mother so much.

MoeMaKa – Inside the prison, had the authority persuade them not to involve in politics and urged to sign such concession letter?

She was released last time after serving seven years in prison without signing any preconditioned letter by the military intelligence. And yet, whether you sign the letter or not, as a former political prisoner, everyone was under surveillance of local intelligence. For Ma Nobel, under any circumstance, under any surveillance, she carried on her political activity and joined the movement of 88 Students Generation led by Ko Minn Ko Naing.

MoeMaKa – How’s the food in prison?

The meals in the prison were called “Pon Zan”, a standard meal like bean soup with a lot of water in it or vegetable soup with combination of left over pieces of vegetables. Even the pig won’t want to eat so we called these meal, “Wet Gaung Khar”, (pig shake its head) in prison. And we had dried fish paste and rough rice which we never saw outside but we had to eat in prison.

MoeMaKa - How the family members visit her in prison?

While Ma Nobel and Aunty Aye (her mother) were in Insein Prison in Rangoon, her father and her younger sister, Nightingale took turn to visit them. They gave “Nga Pi Gyaw”, a kind of dried fried fish combined with dried chili that could last long in prison. Their home was not financially sound so they could not provide much food but still she shared with fellow cell mates like with us.

MoeMaKa – How you, Ma Lei Lei Nwe was imprisoned and when?

I was arrested in September 1998. Because in August 1998, I helped published and distribute under-ground newsletter called “All the innocent lions, let’s break the cages!!!”. I spread even from the moving bus on the streets.

Because of this, I was sentenced 21 years under the regime’s emergency act 5 (J) articles 17/21. Later I was moved to Shwebo Prison. The military intelligence had never informed my parents so that they could visit me after 8 and a half month later.

MoeMaKa - When you were released and from which prison?

4 years later in 2002 from Shwebo prison.

MoeMaKa - Why Hninn May Aung was frequently arrested and imprisoned?

In 1998, she participated in protest movement calling for the Burmese military regime to allow “People Parliament” formed by elected candidates of 1990 election. She was arrested and sent to prison for 42 years. Later after serving 7 years, she was released.

In second time, she was arrested by mistake. But Burmese military intelligence did not release her even though there’s no case against her. Later she was accused of accompanying with 88 Student Generation group and sent to prison.

Now she was sentenced 11 years. She was moved from Insein to Monywa Prison, where she used to spend her first time in prison. In the first imprisonment with her mother, her mother was also sent to another remote prison further away from each other too. The family members now had hard time visiting to both prisons. Now still they were struggling and her mother was not very well these days. It was a troubling situation for all the family members.

MoeMaKa – If she heard the news that she was being honored as Honorary Citizen of one Italy’s town, what could become of her and expectation?

She would be honored and happy. She would be proud of herself. This was a great moral encouragement for a political activist in prison. Aunty Aye (her mother), she would also be proud and happy too.

MoeMaKa – Were there any significant memories with Hninn May Aung?

When we were moved from one prison to another back in 1999, all our 5 woman political prisoners tried to our best not to feel sad or despair but instead we shouted all the songs that we could remember all along the trip to keep ourselves encouraged. Nobel was one of us. And still she did not know how to sing originally but she always sang one and only song all the time and this song was one and only great political song of our time (like “International”) and it was called – Kabar Ma Kyay Bu (None Forgiven).

MoeMaKa: Ma Hninn May Aung, a University Student in Monywa Prison (Interview/ April 19, 2009)

Further information about Ma Hnin May Aung at FBPPN.