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Htay Kywe (activist)

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In this Burmese name , the given name is Htay Kywe . There is no family name.
Htay Kywe
Htay Kywe in front of 88 Generation Students' Office in Yangon, Myanmar.
Born ( 1968-06-12 ) June 12, 1968 (age 56)
Rangoon , Burma
Nationality Burmese
Education B.Sc. Geology (2nd year), Rangoon Arts & Sciences University [1]
Parent(s) U Kywe
Mi Mi Lay

Htay Kywe ( Burmese : ???????? , pronounced [t?e t?w??] ) is a repeatedly-imprisoned Burmese pro-democracy activist who was considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International . [2] BBC News describes him as a key member of the 8888 Generation movement. [3]

Background and role in 1988 protests [ edit ]

Htay Kywe was the third son of U Kywe and Mi Mi Lay of Yangon; he went on to study geology at the University of Yangon . [4] In 1988, his second year at the university, he became an early organizer in the widespread protests against military ruler Ne Win . [4] On 16 March, he helped organize what the democracy movement would later name the "Red Bridge protest," during which riot police allegedly killed more than 100 protesters. [5] On 22 March, he and his brother Win Kywe were arrested for their role and detained in Insein Prison until July. [4] These protests culminated in a general strike which began on 8 August, giving the "8888 Uprising" its name. [3] Htay Kywe acted as a spokesman for the movement, giving an interview to BBC News . [6]

Following the military coup by Saw Maung 's State Law and Order Restoration Council , Htay Kywe was one of the student delegates to meet with the general to seek reconciliation. [6]

Post-election arrests [ edit ]

In May 1990, Burma held its first multi-party elections since 1960, with Aung San Suu Kyi 's National League for Democracy winning 392 of 492 available seats. [7] However, the military annulled the results and soon arrested a number of opposition figures, among them Htay Kywe, who was arrested at his home in Yangon on July 1991. [4] On December 30, 1991, he received a fifteen-year prison term, [4] and he remained jailed until 2004. [6] After his release, he remained active in the pro-democracy movement, co-founding the 88 Generation Students Group .

In September 2006, he was detained along with fellow 88 Generation Students Group members Min Ko Naing , Ko Ko Gyi , Pyone Cho and Min Zeya , in advance of Burma's 2006 National Convention . [3] In January 2007, they were released, without official explanation for either their original arrest or their sudden release. [3]

Role in 2007 anti-government protests and arrest [ edit ]

Monks protesting in Yangon, carrying the Buddhist flag

When rising fuel and commodity prices led to widespread unrest in Yangon in August 2007, the 88 Generation Students Group played a major role in organizing protests. [8] The largest of these rallies drew over one hundred thousand protesters, most notably a number of Buddhist monks , giving the uprising the popular nickname "The Saffron Revolution" for the color of their robes. [9]

Following a government crackdown on protestors, members of the 88 Generation Students Group were swiftly arrested. [8] Htay Kywe was among the last to be captured, leading the New York Times to describe him as Burma's "most-wanted man". [10] Security forces posted his photograph in hotels, raided homes, and searched buses for him at checkpoints. [10] He was finally arrested on 13 October 2007 when he emerged from hiding to visit his mother, who was suffering from cancer; when she died a month later, he was not allowed to attend her funeral. [6]

Trial and imprisonment [ edit ]

On 11 November 2008, Htay Kywe and thirteen other activists were convicted of four counts of "illegally using electronic media" and one count of "forming an illegal organization", for a total sentence of 65 years in prison. [11] [12] Other charges against Htay Kwe are still pending. [2] The Burmese government further accused Htay Kywe of being influenced by foreign powers, alleging that a private American group had delivered him $30,000 the previous year. [13]

Htay Kywe is serving his sentence in Buthitaung Prison in Rakhine State . [14] In August 2010, he issued a statement through family members protesting the upcoming 2010 general election , stating that it would be "insignificant without the participation of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi." [14] His brother-in-law reported that Htay Kywe had lost weight in confinement and was spending his prison term reading, meditating, and studying economics. [14] He is often kept in solitary confinement. [15]

International response [ edit ]

Htay Kywe's repeated arrests were condemned by numerous human rights organizations. Amnesty International considered him a prisoner of conscience and called for his immediate release. [2] Human Rights Watch called for him to be exonerated and freed, [16] as did Front Line . [17]

The US State Department protested Htay Kywe's arrest, [18] and British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg declared that "this Government will not rest until Htay Kywe and other political prisoners like him are free." [19] United Nations Special Rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro also called for the activist's release. [20]

Release [ edit ]

Htay Kywe was released on 13 January 2012 in a mass presidential pardon of political prisoners. [21]

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

  1. ^ "Political Prisoner Profile - Htay Kywe" (PDF) . Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) . 24 June 2009 . Retrieved 11 March 2012 .
  2. ^ a b c "Myanmar, Unlock the Prison Doors!" (PDF) . Amnesty International . Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2011 . Retrieved 17 April 2011 .
  3. ^ a b c d "Profile: 88 Generation Students" . BBC News . 22 August 2007 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  4. ^ a b c d e "Ko Htay Kywe Biography" . Burma Confidential. 19 October 2007 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  5. ^ "Overseas activists mark anniversary of Red Bridge Day" . Democratic Voice of Burma . 17 March 2009 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  6. ^ a b c d "Htay Kywe" (PDF) . FREE BURMA’S POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW! . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  7. ^ Eur (2002). Far East and Australasia 2003. Routledge. pp. 863. ISBN   978-1-85743-133-9 .
  8. ^ a b "Key activists arrested in Burma" . BBC News. 13 October 2007 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  9. ^ Jenny Booth and agencies (24 September 2007). "Military junta threatens monks in Burma" . The Times . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  10. ^ a b Seth Mydans (14 October 2007). "Myanmar Arrests 4 Top Dissidents, Human Rights Group Says" . The New York Times . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  11. ^ Jonathan Head (11 November 2008). "Harsh sentences for Burma rebels" . BBC News . Retrieved 17 April 2011 .
  12. ^ "Htay Kywe" (PDF) . Assistance Association for Political Prisoners . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  13. ^ "Monks' actions draw hard-line response in Myanmar" . The New York Times . 10 September 2007 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  14. ^ a b c Ko Htwe (17 August 2010). "Imprisoned Student Leader Denounces Election" . The Irrawaddy . Archived from the original on 2 March 2011 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  15. ^ "Burma's Forgotten Prisoners" . Human Rights Watch . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  16. ^ "Burma: Free Activists Sentenced by Unfair Courts" . Human Rights Watch . 11 November 2008 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  17. ^ "Front Line condemns the harsh sentencing of ´88 Generation members and other human rights defenders" . Human Rights Watch . 12 November 2008 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  18. ^ Tom Casey (17 October 2007). "Arrest Of Htay Kywe & Other Democracy Activists" . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  19. ^ "Clegg backs campaign to raise awareness of political prisoners in Burma" . libdems.org.uk. 4 October 2010. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  20. ^ Aung Lwin Oo (29 September 2006). "UN Urges Junta's Release of Activists" . The Irrawaddy . Archived from the original on 25 January 2011 . Retrieved 21 April 2011 .
  21. ^ "High-profile dissidents freed in Burma amnesty" . BBC News. 13 January 2012 . Retrieved 13 January 2012 .

External links [ edit ]

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