Mie Mie was just a high school student when she was first detained
On Jan. 13, Myanmar’s nominally civilian government that took power in March, released 651 prisoners including high-profile leaders of the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students Group. Following is an interview with one of the prisoners.
Mie Mie (or Thin Thin Aye) was just a high school student (16) in 1989 when she was first arrested and detained for a few months. After she was released, she joined the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) and campaigned on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy during the election in 1990. She was arrested and sentenced to 7 years in 1996 for participating in protests and released in 2003. It was after this that she became close to the 88 Generation Students Group. She was also one of the last 88 students to be arrested in 2007. Like others, she was sentenced to 65 years in jail.
She has a degree in Zoology. She is married with two children – a daughter and a son, both in teens – and her husband is actively involved with the NLD. She was released on Jan 13, 2012 from Shwebo prison in Sagaing Region central Myanmar.
Mie Mie spoke to AlertNet on Jan 19, 2012.
Are you happy to be back home?
I am satisfied to be back because I get to meet my political siblings and get to work together again. But for us, we have two homes – prison and our own homes. We are engaged in politics regardless of whether or not we are home or in prison, so in that sense there is not much difference.
Have you seen any changes in the political space since you were released?
There have been some changes. It is quite gratifying to see more people getting involved in politics. I can also see there is a lot more collaboration between political parties and the general public, and I think people are half as fearful as they were before.
I don’t think it’s the government that was responsible for people fearing less because it's made up of the same people (as the previous one), just that the system has changed. After Aunty Suu (Aung San Suu Kyi) was released, there was a lot of expectation from both the general public and the students and with her leadership, I think people’s eyes have opened, and their awareness and knowledge of the situation has improved. I think that’s why they are now less scared.
Because we can’t do anything to make people fear less or tell them there’s nothing to be scared of. They had to do it themselves. The only way for this to happen is for the people to become more knowledgeable and increase their awareness of what is going on in the country. The media has helped too and people are now more interested in politics. And I think this is why they are less fearful.
How did you get arrested in 2007?
The others were arrested in August 2007. Some of us went into hiding because we still have more work to do and we continued our political work. Then on 13th October 2007, at a rubber plantation near the Pegu mountain range, myself, Ko Htay Kywe and a few others including the owner of the plantation were arrested by the authorities.
Did they torture you?
They didn’t torture us but the gentleman who hid us – the owner of the rubber plantation and he himself was an 88 Generation Student – he was beaten up in his village so that he would show where we were hiding.
I was in Insein for a year. Then after they’ve sentenced me, I was sent to Pathein for another year. Then after transiting Yangon and Mandalay, I was sent to Kathar for two more years. I had moved to Shwebo Prison only 15 days before I was released.
What are the most important issues for the future of Myanmar?
National reconciliation and national peace are the two most important things. Without peace, we will never become a true democracy. In order to achieve national peace, I would like the current government and the armed groups to resolve the issue as much as they possibly can and to do it peacefully.
The public also needs to have discipline and be united because our road to democracy is only months-old.
If we can do all of that, then I think our country will become a true democracy and will be (yin baung tan) with others.
We will continue to work and support from the back to make sure the people’s voice reaches the parliament.
Do you have any plans for the by-election?
We have no plans to enter the by-election as an 88 Generation Group. There are individuals who are doing their own things individually, but we are not looking at doing it as a political group.
Do you support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi entering the by-election?
Yes, I support this. Aunty Suu together with NLD is the party that is closest to the public. They’ve received the public’s support since 1990 and have won the elections. If the party that is closest to the public enters parliament, then I think that is the fastest and surest way for the people’s voice to be represented there.
Did you, at any point, regret the time you've spent in prison and away from your family?
In 1989, when I was first arrested, I was only 16. But there were so many others who were arrested at that time who were younger than me, like 13 or 14. Under the Burmese law, if you are under 18, you’re not supposed to be sent to jail, but for us there was no distinction. I was in jail for 4 months.
Then in 1996, I was at Dagon University in my final year. I was arrested for giving a political speech on the stage during protests and was sentenced for 7 years. So since I was 16 and now till I’m 40, I’ve been involved in politics, both inside the prison and outside. But I’m lucky. My husband understands me, he was a representative of NLD in a township in Yangon and he is still involved with NLD. Because my family is built on that foundation, both my husband and my two children understand that I need to do this.
Of course, if I’m only looking out for my family I wouldn’t have left my young children at home and won’t continue this. But I think of all the friends who had given their lives and their families, and friends and families who have suffered so much hardship during these long revolution years, and as long as I’m still alive and breathing, I will never leave politics. I will do whatever I possibly can for the country and the public.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I would like to say to everyone who’s involved in politics in whatever shape or form - whether they are in a party or doing it by themselves or very quietly - to be united, to search for the truth, and once they find the truth, please share it with the public and the country.
Also, there are still quite a lot of political prisoners left in the jails. I would like to request for their release and it should be done as soon as possible. We will also continue to work on this till they are released, regardless of what they were charged with. At the moment, we are trying to document those who are still in prison. Once we have a complete list, we will submit it to the relevant authorities and call for their release.
And I want both the current government and the armed groups to resolve their differences and achieve national peace. Only then will the lives of the refugees' improve and their plight will be over. I’ve heard that people have lost their homes, families and businesses and are suffering a lot. I’d like to travel there soon, it’s just that there is so much work here at the moment.
Lastly, I would like to urge everyone to work together in peace and harmony and without bearing any grudges.
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