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SNLD letter



Dear Burmanet readers,
This is the story og U Sai Soe Nyunt, a member of CC member of the SNLD and
a delegate to the National Convention. He was forcibly resigned by the Slorc
in December and later Slorc claimed that he voluntarily resign from the
politics. This story clearly expresses how the Slorc is giving pressure to
the MP and supporters of the opposition aiming to weaken the opposition
forces insdie Burma. This is one of the stories of forced resignation.

HRDU
*******************

To 
The Chairman
Shan National League for Democracy
Rangoon

Date:	December 25, 1996

Re: Reporting the forced resignation of a member from the Central Committee
of the SNLD and as a delegate to the National Convention.

(1) Regarding above-mentioned matter, I, U Sai Soe Nyunt  [1/WaMaNa( Naing)
027202], member of the Central Committee of the SNLD and a delegate of the
National Convention, residing at Mai Nar village, Wai Maw township, Kachin
State,  would like to report as follows.

(2) At about 7:00 pm on December 17, 1996, after my dinner, I was sitting on
the bench at the video hall of my street. I heard a noise from inside the
hall and people suddenly came out. I took care of the people coming out from
the video hall in order to prevent the children and the elders being
injured. Later I found out that two men started to make trouble while they
were inside the video hall. As soon as I realized the situation, I asked
people to calm down and to go if they didn't want to watch the video
anymore. I asked the two men who made the trouble inside the hall to sit
down on the bench outside the video hall. Later I learnt that these two were
Corporal Lin Aung, in-charge of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 58 based in
Mai Nar village, and Lance-Corporal Thein Thei from the same Battalion. I
told them that they should not create trouble and should wear their uniforms
when they came to the village so that people could distinguish them from
other civilians. I also told them that such incidents would ruin the dignity
of the army. Later I referred them to U Kyaw Nyein, Chairman of Village Law
and Order Restoration Council.  The whole incident took only five minutes
and Maung Soe Thein, a villager who previously had a problem with these two
men, U Aung Naing from the motor-road project, U Bo Rei, Daw Kyi Aung and
Maung Naung Naung were present during the whole discussion. These two men
were not beaten by us, we only took care of them.  They later admitted
before the Chairman of the Village Lorc and other eyewitnesses that they
only had a quarrel with Maung Soe Thein.

(3) On December 18, 1996, I left early in the morning for the farm to
collect paddy. My farm was about 4-5 miles from my village. When I got back
home at about 3:00 pm, U Bo Rei, the father of  Maung Soe Thein, came to my
house and informed me that his son was taken to the military base and
detained regarding last night's incident. He asked me to go to the military
camp and help get his son out.  After my dinner, I became dizzy from chewing
tobacco and betel-nuts. While I was laying down on my bed, I heard the noise
of someone being beating in front of my house.  I shouted and asked what was
going on. Maung Pho Tha Htoo, a villager from my village who was being
beaten rushed into my house and asked for my help.  My wife helped me to get
out of my bed and get to the living room.  When I arrived in my living room
five men in military uniform armed with rifles suddenly entered the room and
started to beat me without saying a word. I received injuries to my head,
forehead and mouth. My living room was stained with my blood.  My teeth were
also broken. I asked them who they were and where they were from.  They
replied that they were from LIB 58 and came to round me up.  Maung Pho Tha
Htoo, myself and Maung Mya Oo who was visiting my house at that time were
also arrested. Our hands were tied behind our backs and we were beaten all
the way to the base. They kept beating us and put us in detention cells. I
met Maung Soe Thein in the detention cell. I had explained to them when they
began beating me at my house that I was a delegate of the National
Convention. However, it did not help to stop the beating. I did not
understand the reason for the beating because they did not ask me any
questions. 

At 10 pm, Maung Mya Oo was released but the three of us were still detained.
The soldiers took us while our hands were tied to the army jail of LIB 58.

On the next day, December 19, 1996, at around about 6:30 am, Major Win Thu,
Division Commander of LIB (58) headquarters arrived and ordered us to get
out from the jail and form a queue. He asked whether we were belonged to the
Burmese Communist Party (BCP) or the All Burma Students' Democratic Front
(ABSDF) or other hard core insurgent groups. He threatened to kill us as the
army did not have any laws. He said he would kill us. Maung Soe Thein
explained that he didn't know that two men belonging to the army were there
when the incident happened. The two men began fighting and he said he just
defended himself. Everything concerning the incident had been resolved
before the village Lorc, he explained. Then Major Win Thu asked me if I was
a politician and was a blind follower of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He accused me
of being against the army and of defaming the army. Furthermore, he claimed
that I forced the two men from his military service to sit for 30 minutes
and listen to political speeches.  I told him that I just attempted to take
care of them while the incident was taking place. I said although I knew
many soldiers from the base, I did not know these two as they had just been
assigned to this new place.  I also claimed there were many eyewitnesses of
the incident and if he did not trust what I said, he could ask any
eyewitness to testify. He did not listen to what I was saying and kept
threatening to kill me. He told me to stop talking and to look at the grave
behind the army jail (he meant that he would kill and bury me if I did not
stop explaining the situation). He showed me the Penal Code Law book and
said I could be charged for violating criminal articles 141, 142, 153 and
332.  I said that I did not violate any of these articles and did not do
anything wrong. I asked him to withdraw this action against me and explained
again that I was a delegate of the National Convention.  He said the
National Convention did not mean anything and said in front of us and other
soldiers that it was being attended by prostitutes, thieves and opium
addicts. Then he ordered the soldiers to put us back into jail and he
disappeared.

I was taken out at 11:00 the same day and put into another room.  After
waiting fifteen minutes, U Kyaw Nyein, Chairman of Mai Nar Village Lorc
arrived. He explained to me that Major Win Thu would release me if I agreed
to resign from my political party and as a delegate of the National
Convention. If not, he said, my situation would get worse. Of course my
condition was bad due to the injuries I got from the beating. I was terribly
dizzy from the head injury. I also had swelling in my head. Finally, I had
to agree to resign from my party and from the National Convention. The
resignation letter was drafted by Major Win Thu and typed at the LIB (58)
office. Later I was forced to sign it. (Please find the attached letter of
resignation with my signature). While the letter was being typed at the
office, I was forced to stand up for about an hour, and Major Win Thu told
me that the army would never transfer power to the people and that the army
did not care about anything or any politicians. He said all the
anti-military efforts were in vain and told me to mind my own business. I
responded that I was involved in politics not because I was interested in
politics, but because the State permitted political parties to exist. I also
explained that I could resign as a member of my party, but I could not
resign as a delegate of the National Convention, as my party would not allow
me to do so.  When I said that he got angry and shouted that the National
Convention was being attended by prostitutes, thieves and opium addicts, and
that no result would come out of it. I didn't want to say anything more
because I was in pain from my injuries and my mouth was full of blood.  

Then when the resignation letter was ready I was forced to sign it before
eyewitnesses. It was copied into two: one for myself and another one for the
District Election Commission.  I had to sign another letter saying that
legal action would be taken against me if I did not comply with the
agreement (both letters are attached). Then I was ordered to Kantaw (show
gratitude) to Major Win Thu in front of U Kyaw Nyein, Daw Kyi Aung and other
officers from the army according to Shan tradition.

My family and villagers treated me with herbal medicines. I could only drink
coffee because my mouth was in such pain. I attempted to get medical
treatment at the Myintkyina General Hospital, but I required a letter of
recommendation from the Police Station. Because there was no Police Station
I went to the Military Intelligence Outpost No. 8 and tried to get a letter
of recommendation to receive treatment. I went there twice, but there were
no officers present to provide the recommendation letter. I was then told to
go to another outpost two miles away but due to my condition I was not able
to travel there, and instead I decided to take the herbal medicines. On
December 22, 1996, my situation got worse because it was cold and I became
ill.  Since the beatings took place, I had not slept well and developed a
pain in my head. I arranged immediately to go to Rangoon to receive special
medical assistance as a delegate of the National Convention.

(5) This is a true story. Villagers from my village will testify this
without fear of intimidation or harassment. While I am serving as a
participant in the Slorc-sponsored National Convention, as a delegate
assigned by Shan National League for Democracy, I have experienced the
unlawful act of being beaten. I am now wondering how my family and I can
live safely in the future. 

I am ready to obey any legal action against me if I somehow violate existing
laws. I should not have been beaten and then forced to resign from my
political party and as a delegate of the National Convention. 

I have learnt that the group which came to my house and beat me up was a
group led by Sergeant Nyan Myint. They were ordered to beat everybody they
saw on the streets and to shoot and pull down the signs of the SNLD.

I do not want to resign as a member of the Shan National League for
Democracy or as a delegate of the National Convention. I would like to
report my incident as an example in order to deter similar incidents
happening to other people.



U Sai Soe Nyunt
1/WaMaNa (Naing) 027202
Mai Nar Village
Wine Maw Township
 ******************
Attachments
Letter of Confession 
	I, Sai Soe Nyunt, 42, holder of 1/WaMaNa (Naing) 027202, son of U Hla Maung
from Ward No.3, Mai Nar Village, Wai Maw township, and Soe Thein, 25, no
Citizen card holder and son of U Phoe Gyi, confess I beat Corporal Lin Aung
and Lance Corporal Thein Thein  from LIB (58) and criticised the military at
the video hall of Daw Aung Kyi situated in Chein Khant Ward No.3 at 19:30 on
November 17, 1996.
	Regarding the above-mentioned incident, with the negotiation of U Kyaw
Nyein, chairman of Mai Nar Villager Lorc, U Sai Soe Myint hereby signs a
confession that he will resign as a member of the Central Committee and as
an ordinary member of the Shan National League for Democracy, and that he
will never criticize the army and would  cooperate humbly and faithfully
with the army in the future.
	U Sai Soe Nyunt will face legal action in accordance with the criminal code
article 141, 142, 153 and 332, if he fails to comply this confession.


Signed
U Sai Soe Nyunt					Maung Soe Thein
1/WaMaNa (Naing) 027202				NO ID card number

Witnesses
U Kyaw Nyein, Chairman of village Lorc, 1 WaMaNa (Naing) 012982
Daw Kyi Aung, 1/WaMaNa (Naing) 013627
Captain Kyaw Soe, Pata/10485
Sergeant Nyan Myint, 567597
******************


To,
District Election Commission
Myitkyina 

Re: Submitting the resignation of the regular member and Central Committee
member of the Shan National League for Democracy

I, U Sai Soe Nyunt, holder of 1/WaMaNa (Naing) 027202 and son of U Hla Maung
from Ward No.3, Mai Nar village, hereby submit my resignation letter. Over
the last five years, I have worked as a member of the Central Committee of
the Shan National League for Democracy and as an officer in-charge of the
office opened at No.30, Myoma Ward, Myitkyina. In order to make earn for my
family, I would like to submit my resignation as a member and Central
Committee member from the SNLD.


U Sai Soe Nyunt
(1/WaMaNa (Naing) 027202)

cc.
Township Lorc, Wai Maw 
Detachment Commander, No.(8) Intelligence, Wai Maw
Village Lorc, Mai Nar village.