Remembering ‘88: Voices from the Streets

It is 22 years since the Burmese junta opened fire on thousands of protestors, many of whom were young students, marching in the streets of Rangoon and across Burma. The protests began on 8 August 1988 and troops opened fire almost immediately, killing up to 6,000 people, while hundreds of key players later arrested will remain in prison until they die.

Instead of transforming Burma from a military state to a democratic society, the protests against 26 years of dictatorial rule preceded a new era of junta dominance. But out of the rubble emerged Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, a potent symbol of opposition to military rule in Burma. And along with her, hundreds of stories of heroism and defiance that began in ‘88 have captivated audiences across the world. Here, we speak to three of those who played key roles in fomenting the 8888 uprising, and who continue to fight for freedom in Burma.

Thiha Nyar Zar, temporary secretary of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), who spent 18 ye

I was actively involved in protests as a student leader since the Burmese Socialist Programme Party brought about devaluation of currency on 6 September, 1987. On that day, I was part of a group of 21 students that drafted a protest letter against the government’s move. We marched through the Rangoon University and handed over the letter to our chancellor.

The chancellor warned of the outcome of this move and requested us to back off. We further insisted that he take the letter and forward it to General Ne Win [Burma’s then military dictator]. He finally did agree to it. All 21 of us got arrested the next day. We were released on 12 February, 1988 – Burma Union Day.

However, we continued to hold secret meetings and discuss happenings in Burma. During one of these meetings in the run up to the 8888 peoples’ uprising, two students died after being shot at. Military brutality on peaceful student congregations or protests continued over that period of time. It was sad to see so many young colleagues being beaten to death. I was lucky to have escaped with just being arrested twice before the uprising itself.

It was after being released from prison in July 1988 that the movement gained a lot of momentum. I, along with other students, helped stick posters all around Rangoon in public places – on walls, buses, everywhere.

During the 8888 uprising, I was a temporary secretary of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). On 8 August, I led people from Thangangyun township. We marched downtown. Around midnight, there was firing at the Mahabandoola Park gate. There were about 700 to 800 people, mostly students from the [Rangoon] university and high schools. Many 13 to 14 year old students died on the spot. I fled from there to our secret office and met my friends to plan for the next day.

On 9 August, I led people again from Thangangyun township downtown. There was a minibus in the middle of the street. I climbed atop the bus and made a speech. As firing started, I got shot but survived the injury to my knee. My friends pulled me down and put me in the car. I was bleeding. I could see other students dead on the streets. People were fighting the police unarmed. On the contrary, the policemen were heavily armed.

I was taken to an apartment in the city, where three or four doctors took care of me. Until mid-August I was in a room with my friends trying to recover from the injury. By then there were more and more people on the roads, and more firing from the military’s side.

After the coup on 18 September, I fled to Thailand but kept returning to Burma in the following years since I was assigned the job of a messenger by the exiled leaders. I would carry letters from pro-democratic leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi to others hiding in Thailand.

In 1990, leaders from the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB) handed me their draft of the constitution to be taken into Burma. Unfortunately I was caught along with those documents on January 13, 1991. After the arrest, they took me to innumerable interrogation centres for three months. After much torture, they put me into military trial. I was sentenced to death on grounds of high treason. After spending 18 years in prison, I was finally released in March 2008.

Source:http://www.dvb.no/news/remembering-88-voices-from-the-streets/11135