(Interview) – Thirty-one ethnic Rakhine and Karen freedom fighters who spent 13 years in prison were released from Presidency Prison in Kolkata, India, on Thursday. Members of the Karen National Union (KNU) and National United Party of Arakan (NUPA), they fought against the Burmese military regime for equality and right to self-determination. The group was arrested on Landfall Island in the Andaman archipelago on February 11, 1998, after being lured there under the plan of an Indian intelligence officer. Six of their leaders were killed by Indian authorities on the island. The legal case that was brought against the rebels by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which based its claim on the original First Information Report (FIR) dated February 18, 1998, charged them with illegal entry into India and possession of arms and explosives.
After 12 years in detention and nearly four years of being on trial, on May 12, 2010, they filed a plea bargain application under provision of Section 265-B of India’s Criminal Procedure Code. A plea bargain was reached and each of the 34 detainees paid a fine of 6,000 rupees and were sentenced to three years in prison (which was annulled because they had served the time). Three are still under detention to face pending trials. Mizzima reporter Ko Pauk talked with three detainees about their experiences in prison, on Landfall Island and their future goals.
Danya Lin, a member of the National United Party of Arakan (NUPA)
While a student at Sittwe College, he studied history. He took part in popular uprisings in Sagaing and Mawlamyine in August 1988 and helped form the All Arakan Student and Youth Congress (AASYC). He worked with the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) party in its election campaigns. He fled to the Thai-Burmese border in 1990 to avoid arrest by military intelligence. He served as vice chairman of the AASYC when it was formed on September 27, 1995. Later, he joined the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). He was a central executive member of the NUPA when it was formed by four Rakhine organizations on March 4, 1997.
Q: How did you feel when you were released?
A: Oh! I was so happy. After spending 13 years and six days in prison, now we have a turning point in our lives. We are very happy after spending so many years in prison, but we feel sorry for the three who are still in prison.
Q: How about your health condition?
A: All of us are in good condition.
Q: How did you join the Arakan revolution?
A: Since I was a schoolboy, I had felt the persecution and injustice inflicted on our people by the then BSPP and SLORC governments. I realized that these regimes must be toppled. Then the 8888 uprising erupted. I actively took part in the uprising. Then I joined a Rakhine (Arakan) student party when political parties were formed to contest the election, but I did not stand for election. I worked for big parties like the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) party. After the election, the regime refused to hand over power to the winning parties and some of the parties were declared unlawful associations. After that, I had to flee to the Thai-Burma border. The Karen, Mon and All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) organizations helped us a lot, and we formed our student organization called the All Arakan Student and Youth Congress (AASYC) in 1995. Then I became a member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP). They assigned me to work in the ocean area.
Q: When did you join the armed group?
A: AASYC was also an armed group at that time. The NUPA was the alliance group of all Arakan groups so I joined that organization.
Q: Why did you go to Landfall Island?
A: We came to Landfall Island at the invitation of the Indian government. We helped the Indian government, and they helped us too. We had good relations with the Indian government during the period of 1995-1997. They let us base our headquarters in Prava in Mizoram State. They also agreed to give us an island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as our base. Under this agreement, we came to Landfall Island. They also agreed to provide training and give arms and ammunition to us. Moreover, they agreed to use this island as a transit point when we traveled to Bangladesh and Thailand because it is at a strategic point. The Indian government agreed to all of the requests made by us. So we went to this island.
Q: How many people in total came?
A: There were a total of 72 people including fishermen.
Q: What happened after your arrest on the island?
A: We left on February 8 and we arrived on Landfall Island on February 10 at 4 p.m. We met our in-charge in India, Major Saw Tun, and his assistant Yan Naing on Landfall Island along with the Indian intelligence officer Grewal. They welcomed us heartily and cordially when we arrived. There was no problem that night. We slept together as friends after having a meal. On the next morning, Grewal told us that their superiors would come by helicopter.
We saw the Indian Navy the next morning. He said that their bosses were onboard this navy vessel, and they would come by helicopter. He also told us to receive and welcome the Indian officers. Then all of us stood on the beach. Then five of our leaders namely Bo Yar Za, Major Saw Tun, Bo Yan Naing, Bo Lun Zan Khaing and Pado Mulay of the KNU were taken to the woods not too far away from us. They said it was necessary because there was no helicopter landing site where we were standing and waiting. There were a total of five persons who were taken away.
A few minutes later, a Punjabi officer with a turban came and stood in front of us. He told us that we didn’t need to worry because we were brothers, and they would give us whatever we wanted. Then he ordered us to hold up our hands. Surprised, I asked him if we were brothers why we were ordered to hold up our hands. Then he insisted, hands up. At that time, we were surrounded by 40-50 soldiers who aimed their guns at us. Then we realized what had happened. We didn’t have any weapons at hand to resist them. Then they tied our hands, blindfolded us, and took off all our clothes. After that, they ordered us to lie on the beach.
Until that time, Bo Min Swe of the KNU was still with us. We found out that he was missing only when we reached Port Blair. They ordered us to lie on the beach facing the ground. We could not see anything because we were blindfolded. In the meantime, we heard 20-30 shots from the place where our leaders were taken, but we could do nothing. We had nothing, not even a dagger. We had no way to resist them. We were outraged and extremely sorry for our slain leaders. These are irreparable losses. We can get back other things such as money, weapons and belongings but our leaders are gone forever.
Soe Naing, a member of the National United Party of Arakan (NUPA)
More than 20 members of the party, including its leader, Thein Mya, were, arrested in 1974. Their leader was beheaded in public. Soe Naing narrowly escaped being executed in the jungle when he was questioned by the Burmese regional command. He was detained in Sittwe Prison for about one year and then transferred to Rangoon Prison. He was released in June 1976 and ordered to return to Sittwe, but he fled to the Thai-Burma border, where he helped students and activists by giving them food, medicine and shelter. Indian intelligence contacted the NUPA and asked for it to monitor and inform them about the movement of Chinese fishing boats in Burmese waters. India claimed it would allow them to use Landfall Island at the northernmost tip of Andaman Islands in India water for this purpose. NUPA leader Khai Yarza ordered him to go to Landfall Island on February 6, 1998, and he was arrested on February 11.
Q: How did you feel after your release?
A: I felt happy after spending so many years in prison. But we have lost a lot. Thirteen years is a long time, and we have lost a lot of time to work for our revolution.
Q: What will you do next?
A: We will consider what to do next later, because we have not been in contact with our organization. For the time being, we don’t know what we’ll do.
Q: What was our experience in prison?
A: We were working for revolution and for Burmese democracy, and we lost a lot of time in prison. We helped India, but we were betrayed by them. We feel sorry, very sorry. We trusted India, which promised us help.
Q: What did you learn during these 13 years?
A: We became seasoned, hardened, and we can bear any hardship now. I feel our belief and our stand are stronger than before.
Q: What would you like to say to those who worked for your release?
A: We have great thanks for all the individuals and all the organizations who worked hard for our freedom.
Saw Cha Toe Toe, a member of the Karen National Union
Q: How do you feel upon your release?
A: Oh, very happy! I thank all the pro-democracy organizations very much for all their efforts to gain our freedom.
Q: How was your time in prison?
A: Prison life is so bad, nothing but exhaustion and weariness.
Q: What will you do after your release?
A: I will continue my work until we achieve democracy. There’s no reason to give up. This is a lesson for us. This is a cup of tonic for us. Even our great leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to suffer. If a woman can cope with all these things and can continue her work, we must follow her steps. I feel I will always be responsible for working towards democracy and national liberation.
Q: What would you like to say to your organization, the KNU?
A: Nothing special. We must encourage each other.
