The Mayor of Monza, Italy, has awarded an honourable Italian citizenship to Sao Khun Htun Oo, chairman of the Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD). He is now a prisoner in Putao prison, in Kachin State. As a representative of the Shan leader, U Bodi Zaw Min, an associate director of the EU-Burma Bureau, based in Brussel, Belgium, attended the ceremony and accepted the award on December 9, 2008.
Sao Harn Yawnghwe, the director of the EU-Burma Bureau, said that "the world recognizes the sacrifice of our Shan leaders. Even though he has been sentenced to many years in prison, it is essentially important to be in good health. I would like to tell him not to be depressed and to take care of his health. Our new generation will continue to work as we have done."
He talked about the slow activities of the new generation of Shans due to long term sentences to Shan leaders. "It seems that the military regime has given lessons to activists and the new generation by giving long term sentences and sending them to the country side. Whether we are afraid or not, our ethnic nationalities will be pressurized by the military regime until Burma gains democracy and becomes a genuine federal union. Therefore, we don't need to be afraid and hesitate. We must do what has to be done. We don't need to depend on others. We must depend on ourselves. We must have unity among ourselves. If we work together with consistency, we will get to our goal. The SPDC is just threatening us. They can't do anything if we continue to do our job. In spite of our leaders having been arrested, their spirits are high and good. I encourage you all to go through what our leaders direct us to do."
Currently, our country is facing a political deadlock and economic hardship but one day we will get freedom. We will continue to try our best to let the world know about the unfair sentences and arrests of Burmese democratic leaders in Burma, Sao Harn Yawnghwe added.
Ko Ko Gyi (88 generation leader), A Shin Gambira (2007 Saffron revolution leader) and Ma Su Su New (human rights activist) have also been given this honourable award. Italy and its people are with the Burmese people. The Italian government will send a letter of condemnation to the Burmese regime against unfair arrests and sentencing of monks, students and citizens.
Sao Khun Htun Oo (chairman of SNLD) and U Sai Nyunt Lwin (secretary of SNLD) were arrested at their homes in Yangon on February 8 and 9 after Shan State day dinner held on February 7, led by Shan State new generation leaders. The chairman of SNLD was sentenced to 93 years in prison on the accusation of forming the Shan State Consultant Council. Then he was sent to Putao prison in Kachin State where the weather is terrible. Gen. Hso Ten (SSA ceasefire leader), Sai Nyunt Lwin, U Than Myint (Shan State New Generation) passed away in 2006 in Sandway prison. The other members were sentenced to 75 to 106 years in prison and were sent to remote country side prisons where the weather is bad.
