National League for Democracy
No: (97/b) West Shwegondine Road
Bahan, Rangoon
STATEMENT 125 (12/98)
1. Examples as evidence of the persecution meted out to members of
organising committees and ordinary members of the NLD by the military
intelligence personnel are set out herein and published for all know.
(1)(a) Irrawaddy Division, West Bassein township- Commencing from
2 December, 1998, military intelligence groups combined with ward
authorities called at the homes of NLD members with printed resignation
forms and forcibly obtained signatures from them.
(b) Also, one organising committee member was pressured to destroy
the committee by the sacking of his school teacher wife from her
position and by threatening that the education of their children was in
jeopardy.
(c) One organising committee member against whom action had been
taken under Section 5(j) of the 1950 Emergency provisions law was
pressured and advised to resign.
(d) However, all the organising committee members have firmly
resisted the pressure and have said that they cannot resign, nor will
they dissolve the committee for which we commend and honour them.
(2)(a) Irrawaddy Division, Danubyu township, Mukon village in Sankin
sub-township. On 10 December 1998, U Tin Ohn, the chairman of the
village administrative unit forced the members of the NLD organising
committee to put their signatures to prepared resignation forms.
(b) By use of force and in the same manner, resignations of NLD
members were obtained from -
(11) Danubyu township, Kyauktaing village tract
(22) villages in the Molamyaing-gyoon township.
(33) Daedaye township, Kyone Kyat Payagyi-Kone
village-tract where U Shwe Lin, the man in
authority forced the said resignations.
(44) Daedaye township, Kyonedachaung village-tract where
U Aye Thoung, the chairman of the administrative unit forced
the said resignations.
(3) In all of the above areas the illegal method and use of coercion and
intimidation was of the same pattern. The form used contained blanks
following the words ' name', ' registration number', 'father's name',
'address' , 'occupation' , which had to filled in. At the bottom, the
following words " I am suffering from ill health and have no inclination
to continue working in the NLD and ask that I be permitted to resign
without reservation from the organisation." had to be written and
signed. (Note-It is not possible for every individual to have been
suffering from ill-health at the same day and the same time.)
(4)(a) Irrawaddy Division, Wakema township, sabayoe village- In this
area, Military Intelligence personnel, members to the police
force, and village authorities together illegally forced resignation
of NLD members.
(b) In Shwelaung sub-township of this township NLD members faced the
threat of having their children expelled from the schools.
(5)(a) Magwe Division, Chauk Township- Here the authorities are
shamelessly enticing resignations from NLD members by promising to hold
special ceremonies for the occasion.
(b) A courageous resolution was taken by the NLD members that
no matter how they are threatened there would be no resignations,
signboards would not be taken down nor would they allow any black mark
to lower their perstige and honour.
(c) Chauk township, Pwintpyu township, Sinpyukyoon township,
Salin township, Say-toke-ta-ya township- NLD parliamentarians-elect in
all of these areas resolved not to resign from their positions or from
membership of the NLD.
(d) Chauk township- Because of rising costs the workers who form
the manistay of this area cannot balance their budget and their living,
health and social welfare conditions are deteriorating.
(c) Our information is that there are others whose moral standards
have deteriorated due to general hardships.
(6). Mon State, Kyaikhto township- In relation to the operation of the
Military Intelligence units on 22 November 1998 to distroy NLD branches
in this area, we publish what happened for all to know.
(a) Every member of the organising committee in this township with
the exception of the joint secretary, is living in fear of the Military
Intelligence.
(b) When the Deputy Chairman of the organising committee was
questioned by the Military intelligence officeres why the Township NLD
Organising Committee was being extinguished he answered that he did not
know. No further questions were asked though he was pressured and the
interrogation was postponed for a video recording arranged for 10
December 1998.
(7) Pressure is being applied by the Military Intelligence units to
force the removal of signboards of NLD organising committee in Mandalay
Division by intimidating the persons concerned.
(8)(a) Sagaing Division, Salingyi township- Between the 5th and the 8th
of December 1998, the District Chairman of the Multi partyn Elections
Commission here summoned the members of the NLD organising committee
members and threatened them as follows:-
"What more can your party do to us? They cannot do anything.
They will not succeed in donig anything"
" We will not urge you to resign or not to resign from your
party. It is still a legitimate party."
" When the party is declared an illegal organisation, action will
be taken against you."
" The penalty will be between 2 to 3 Years"
" The building belonging to the party will be confiscated"
" If you do not listen to our words, you will face difficulties."
" When the task is given, even a father cannot be spared . It is
compelling"
(note- one can assess the mentality of the speaker)
" Give us the figures of your membership. There will be less
work is there are no numbers."
"You are obligated to give us the number (the strength) of you
membership. you will not take the bananas that are offered now, but you
will be there when the stick is applied. No matter what government
is in power, it is compulsory that statistics be given"
" The people will not be behind you always. The people are
opportunists."
" If you resign from the party you have to inform NLD central office
of your resignation yourself."
" Now you can resign individually or en block. The deadline for
resignation is the 8th December 1998.
(b) Those committee members who declared that they will continue
in the NLD have given us this information.
(9)(a) Our respective branches in the wards and village-tracts of
Mandalay Division, Meikthila township have n information about
resignation letters from their areas.
(b) We have been informed about the arrest on 6 September 1998 of
one member of the organising committee from Sagaing township, Manadalay
division. At about 12 midnight, U Myint Thein and U Kyaw Nyein from the
MIS, U Soe Win, Officer in charge of the Police Station, his deputy U
Myo Tin Khaing, Sergeant U Tun Hlaing. U Htay Saung and his troops,
together with the ward administrative chairman U Min Thu, and members U
Maung Lay and U Kan Nyunt, and members of the patrol unit
committed the criminal offence of trespass and damaged and destroyed the
entrance gates and doors, fence, and office buildings of the NLD. They
had no search warrants or arrest for the search that was conducted.
(c) Illegal pressure was applied to NLD members from the villages of
Taungpyonegyi, Luntaung, Sa-lay, and Saedawgyi in the township of
Madayar, Mandalay Division, and they were coerced and forced to resign.
(d) Mandalay Division, Kanma township - NLD members in this township
were made to sign on already prepared forms (example annexed) which had
to be forwarded to the authorities.
(10) Rangoon Division, Thaketa township - The NLD organising committee
members were arrested and kept in detention at Ye-mon military outpost,
Rangoon Division, Hlegu township. Some of the members wrote to the
authorities to release them from this illegal detention. This letter was
intercepted by the MI personnel and the authors of the letter were
falsely accused and as a result, U Zaw Min( Advocate of the Central
Court and Township NLD Secretary) and organising committee member U
Than Htut Shane were sent to the Insein Jail while U Myint Aye and U
Shwe Baw were sent to Ye-Kyi- Aing, MI outpost at Mingaladon. These are
outright illegal actions.
2. The above actions are vehemently condemned and those illegally
arrested must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Central Executive Committee
National
League for Democracy
22 December 1998.
ANNEXURE
To
Chairman
Township Multiparty General Elections Commission
Kanma Town
Chairman
National League for Democracy
Rangoon
Date........................1998
Subject- Letter giving information of my voluntary resignation from the party.
I, U/ Daw..............................whose father
is.......................................
aged....................................., National Registration number
.................
party registration
number...........................................................
residing
at..........................................................................
............
having no inclination to continue my activities in the National League
for Democracy hereby inform you that I will be voluntarily resigning my
membership with effect
from...............................................
(U/ Daw )
copy
Commanding officer, No (11) MI unit, Padaung
Chairman, Township SPDC , Kanma.
Commanding officer, Township Police Force, Kanma.
Commander, No (11) MI unit, Kanma sub-unit, Kanma
Office copy
ADDENDUM TO STATEMENT 125
1.(a) Three members of the organising committee in Mandalay Division,
Wundwin township were summouned to the township branch of the Multiparty
General Elections Commission and illegally given the following
ultimatum:-
" When the NLD is declared an illegal organisation, you will be sent
to jail"
" You are required to resign from the party now"
(b) Because the respective members failed to resign, they were again
summoned of the 5th and 8th December 1998 and threatened.
(c) One of the three members did not respond to the summons so the
Secretary of the Township administrative authority threatened to issue a
warrant for his arrest.
(d) On 3 December 1998, the chairman of the Township organising
committee who had already resigned, was again threatened by the MIS and
was told that he had to inform the NLD Central office himself of the
resignation. He declined to do so.
(e) Pressure is being applied to NLD members in village-tracts and
wards of the Wundwin township area to resign from the party. They are
being summoned by the authorities and forcefully made to resign by
threats that " when the NLD is declared an illegal organisation, party
members will be imprisoned."
2. The Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy
honours and applauds the members who have resisted and not caved in to
the pressure and illegal methods of the authorities to obtain their
resignations but have been strong in their detemination to abide by the
principles of the party for the attainment of democracy and human
rights.
Central Executive Committee
National
League for Democracy
22 December 1998.