An Honest Request to Thein Sein’s Government of Burma
June 26, 2011
The government led by Thein Sein declared to the world that it was elected by the people in accordance with democratic principles; that his government has walked away from the previous regimes’ path and intends to bring back democracy to the Burmese people; and that his government will abide by the rule of law, which has been lacking in Burma since the 1962 military coup. For that reason we are demanding the following facts from Thein Sein’s government:
The government led by Thein Sein declared to the world that it was elected by the people in accordance with democratic principles; that his government has walked away from the previous regimes’ path and intends to bring back democracy to the Burmese people; and that his government will abide by the rule of law, which has been lacking in Burma since the 1962 military coup. For that reason we are demanding the following facts from Thein Sein’s government:
Tin Mg Oo was captured one day before the Hmine Strike in 1976. Within three months he was sentenced to death. In addition, the authorities did not inform Tin Mg Oo’s parents when they secretly hanged him in Insein Prison. Both parents were sentenced to five-years of imprisonment simply because they were his parents.
The authorities did not officially inform the public about the execution of Tin Mg Oo, which occurred in Insein Prison. The warden from the prison also refused to give information to Tin Mg Oo’s parents even though the parents repeatedly requested the information so that they could have some closure.
We request Thein Sein’s government to give information about Tin Mg Oo’s execution date and the name of the people who followed the order of his execution: the warden, the executioner, and the prison doctor.
When he was hanged, Tin Mg Oo was a third-year Zoology student and the general-secretary of the Rangoon University Chin Student Association.
Tin Mg Oo led the U Thant Uprising in 1974; the June Strike, also known as the Shwe Dagon Strike, in 1975; and he was captured with his anti-government leaflets one day before the Hmine Strike in 1976. Clearly, he was deeply involved in three students’ strikes and proved his leadership skills.
Thein Sein’s government needs to bravely prove that his administration has no connection with the BSPP regime by disclosing Tin Mg Oo’s cold case file so that people around the world can accept that his government is not associated with the previous military dictatorial regimes; that his government has a strong desire to bring democracy for the people; and that his government really respects and follows the rule of law.
Audience and family members of Tin Mg Oo
From the 35th Memorial Day of Tin Mg Oo.
Vancouver, Canada
