Kyin Hlaing

U KYIN HLAING – FIRST CLIP My name is U Kyin Hlaing. Born on 12th waning day of Waso 1318. I can only remember Burmese calendar. National ID is 12/dapana (naing) 027803. My father is U Tin Shwe. My mother is Daw Sein Than. I am the eldest among nine siblings. In my family my sisters and brothers all supported. Because they knew partly it was unjust. At that time I used to tune in almost every day BBC, VOA, RFA and made them listen. I told them, "guys listen to the radio to be informed of what is happening in the country, how people are being oppressed and bullied". As I tuned in every day they turned out to be interested and encouraged me, "brother, just keep on doing, don't look back". Especially my wife and daughter are main supporters. It is like I am pursuing this work, my passion financially relying on them. Sometimes I had to get money from loan shop against my longyi (sarong).We had to endure that much. We sacrifice not to get something back. I would content myself to see the change from this bad system to a good one. For this goal we have been involved. In 89 I joined NLD party. I served as a secretary at community/ward level. In 88 I took part in demonstrations. Later in 89 I joined the party. I served in this community/ward as secretary. At that time I tried as much as I could to convince and recruit new party members. If people don't understand something I tried to my knowledge to explain and clarify. I asked those who got interested right after my talk to join the party. I let them read the goals and objectives of the party published occasionally. At that time we could not have freedom to let people read even such documents. We could not read in public some documents handed out by colleagues and had to read at home secretly. We had to tear off after reading. At that time MI had the power at peak. If they get cross in eyes they would came and take us. MI 3 navy was in-charge of our area. They took me twice. I had to come and give explanation. I was taken again during the time of captain Tin Maung Oo, chair of township law and order restoration council. I had to give explanation not for what I have done wrong. They brought me in and told me to quit politics and the party. They offered me, if I do so, a plot of land to live. But I did not give in their demands. As we kept on walking on our way we faced pressure. Our NLD chair in the neighborhood then was U Tin Ohn. He passed away now. We were threatened to quit the party or get arrested. I talked to the chair. "Sir, what are you going to do? As you know we know those who accepted plot of land. I am homeless. If I am tempted I could have accepted and I could live in peace. Now this time if we don't quit we are threatened to get arrested. What do you think, sir?" Since he was getting old, he told me, " it is better if we quit". I asked him to give me some time. I got back home to think it over. After that I replied to the chair, "sir, please go ahead with what you think is good!" Next day we went to township administration office to submit our resignation. On the same day we reported to the headquarters and informed that we had to resign under pressure. I went to the headquarters too to submit resignation letter. There they told me, " it is happening in whole country. Don't you worry! Just keep on what has to be done!" So I kept on doing. In this neighborhood this water pump was then managed by local administration. They knew who came to my house, which stranger came on which day. They knew everything. I was not aware of it. We had to endure such experience. end of first clip