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ROADROADROADNO EASY
a burmese political
prisoner’s story
by Paul Pickrem
•
THEREISNOEASYROADTOFREEDOMANYWHERE,ANDMANYOFUSWILLHAVETOWALKAGAINANDAGAIN
THROUGHTHEVALLEYOFTHESHADOWOFDEATHBEFOREWEREACHTHEMOUNTAINTOPOFOURDESIRES.
—NelsonMandela
InSeptember1987,twenty‐oneyearoldThihaYarzar,thesonofaBurmeseArmyColonel,wasarrestedinRangoonasoneoftheleadersofagroupofuniversitystudentsprotestingagainstthemilitaryregime’seconomicpolicies.HewasheldatBurma’snotoriousInseinPrisonforalmostfivemonths.
Fouryearslater,followingcontinuedpoliticalactivityandashamone‐daytrial,ThihawassentencedtodeathforHighTreasonandreturnedtoInsein,believinghewoulddiethere.
NoEasyRoad:ABurmesePoliticalPrisoner’sStorychroniclesThihaYarzar’snearly18‐yearjourneyonthelongroadtofreedom,firstasapoliticalprisonerjailedandtorturedinfivedifferentBurmeseprisons,andthenasapoliticalexileinThailand.
Ithoughttomyself,‘I’mgoingtogetadeathsentenceanddieintheend,or,maybetheywillkillmeherewhiletheytortureme.
Iwaschoking.Icouldnotbreathe.AndIswungbackandforthbetweenthetwokickingme,likeIwasinacradle.
Iwantedtoscream.But,Icontrolledmyself.Ididnotwanttoshowthemmyfearandmyrage.Iswallowedmyvoice.Ididnotwantthem
tothinkofmeasacoward.—ThihaYarzar
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NO EASY ROAD
a burmese political
prisoner’s story
TheLifeofThihaYarzar
byPaulPickrem
©2010,co‐publishedbyCanadianFriendsofBurma,ExPP‐ACT,
andTheBestFriendLibrary
printedinMaeSot,Thailandfirstedition:October2010,1000copies
NO EASY
ROAD
a burmese political
prisoner’s story
by
Paul Pickrem
WheneverIseeunfortunatebeingsOppressedbyevilandviolentsuffering,MayIcherishthemasifIhadfound
Arareandprecioustreasure.
TheBuddha
Thereisnoeasyroadtofreedomanywhere,andmanyofuswillhavetopassthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeathagainandagainbeforewereachthemountaintopofourdesires.
NelsonMandela
preface
AyeMinSoe
August2010
ThihaYarzarandIhavebeencloseandhaveworkedtogetherinthestruggleforfreedominBurmasince1987,whenwewerebothstu‐dents.We fought against the Burmese Socialist Government of NeWin,whichwasverypowerfulatthattime.Thousandsofuniversitystudents,includingThihaandme,startedtoprotestagainstthegov‐ernment’sactions.Weknewonlyalittleaboutpolitics,butweknewverywellthatitwasunjustwhenthegovernmentannouncedthede‐monetizationoflargebanknotesofBurmesecurrencyin1987.Itwasrobberyofthepeoplebythegovernment.
Fromthattimeuntilnow,everytimewebreathe inandout,weknowourselvestoberevolutionarieswhofightforjustice,peace,andhumanrightsinourmotherland.Thegovernmentcrushedourdem‐onstrationsin1987andwewereseparatedfromeachotherwhenIfledtothecountrysideandThihawasarrestedandimprisoned.
Atthebeginningoftheuprisingsin1988,wemetagainandhelpedorganizenewproteststogether.Wewerearrestedwhilestagingastu‐dents’boycottatRangoonUniversity.WeweresenttoInseinPrison,wherewewereinterrogatedandtortured.WepromisedeachotherwewouldcontinuetostruggletoremovetheBurmesedictatorshipfrompowerwhenwearereleasedfromprison.
Wedidn’tseeeachotheragainforalmost18years.WhenIwasinprisonagainservingafive‐yearsentenceforpro‐
democracyworkwiththestudentundergroundmovement,Iwasbro‐ken‐heartedtolearnThihahadreceivedthedeathsentence.Ithoughtwewouldneverseeeachotheragain.
no easy road • 9
Fortunately, I heard the good news that hewas released fromprisonon23September2008.AtthattimeIwasworkingwithDemo‐craticVoiceofBurma(DVB)asanundercoverjournalist.IwashidingandmovingfromoneplacetoanotherinRangoonbecauseIfearedbeingarrestedbecauseofthe“BurmaVJ”documentary,whichotherundercoverjournalistsandIhelpedtomakein2007abouttheSaffronRevolution.
Finally,Thihaand Imetagain inOctober 2008,whilewebothwerehidingfromthemilitaryregime.Wedecidedtofleethecountry.InearlyDecember2008,wesecretly leftRangoonpretendingtobebusinessmengoingtoThailand.
Today,ThihaandIliveinMaeSot,Thailand.Itiscalledbysome“LittleBurma”or“TheCityofExiles”.Wefeelweareinanotherprison,becauseitisverydifficulttoleaveMaeSot,andweareunderconstantscrutinybytheThaipoliceandindangerfromBurmeseinformants.Webothhopetofindawaytostartanewlifebyresettlinginathirdcountry.
Mycomrade,Thiha,isakindman.Innocentinmanyways,hehasthelion’sheartofarevolutionaryandisstillalwaysthinkingandplan‐ningabouthowtofightforjustice,democracy,andpeaceinBurma,despitethehighpricehehasalreadypaidasapoliticalprisoner.
Paul Pickrem is the right person towrite aboutThiha becausehehastakensomuchtimetounderstandthelivesandstrugglesofex‐politicalprisonersandrevolutionarieslivingontheborderswithBurma.
ThisbookisnotonlyaboutThiha,butaboutallpoliticalprisonersandtheirstrugglesonthelongroadtofreedom.
AyeMinSoe(Andrew)
‘88GenerationEx‐PoliticalPrisonerCo‐founderofBurmaVJNetwork,
DemocraticVoiceofBurma
10 • no easy road
contents
PrefacebyAyeMinSoe...9
IntroductionbyPaulPickrem...13
Chapter1:StandingWithTheLady...17Chapter2:DreamingthePrisoner’sDream...21Chapter3:SentencedtoDie...24Chapter4:TheColonel’sSon...29Chapter5:StudentActivisttoArmedRevolutionary...34Chapter6:OntheRun...39Chapter7:Caught...44Chapter8:ThePainBegins...49Chapter9:DeathRowAgain...55Chapter10:Taungoo,Kalay,andTaunggyi...59Chapter11:MaiSat...62Chapter12:ThePrisoner’sDreamComesTrue...68Chapter13:LifeonAnotherPlanet...72Chapter14:FreeBurma!...77
AppendixI:TimelineofModernBurmeseHistory...80
AppendixII:MapofBurmesePrisons...90
AppendixIII:20RecommendedBooks...91
AppendixIV:RecommendedBurma‐RelatedWebsites...94
CanadianFriendsofBurma...99ExPP‐ACT...100TheBestFriendLibrary...101
dedication
Thisworkisdedicatedtomymother,JoanDupree,whotaughtmebyexampletocarewhenothersaresuffering,andtomychildren,GarrettandLindsay.
ItisalsodedicatedtotheBurmeseactivistswhohavesuffered,andthosewhoarestillsufferingforthecauseoffreedom.
PaulPickrem
no easy road • 13
introduction
NelsonMandela,amanwhoknows, has said: “There is noeasyroadtofreedomanywhere,andmanyofuswillhavetopassthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeathagainandagainbeforewereachthemountaintopofourdesires.”
ThisisthestoryofthehardroadtofreedomtakenbyThihaYarzar,the sonofa formerBurmeseArmyColonel turned freedomfighter,whowassentencedtodeathbyhisowngovernmentfortreasonattheageof25.
DuringMayandJuneof2009,lessthanayearafterhewasreleasedfromalmost18yearsofhardtimeinfiveBurmeseprisons,ThihaandImetnumeroustimesinMaeSot,Thailand,alsoknownas‘TheCityofExiles’.
Wesattogether foraseriesof interviewsat ‘Aiya’, therestaurantownedby respectedBurmeseactivistand fellowAll BurmaStudentDemocraticFront(ABSDF)soldier,KoMyatThu,andhiswifeA,aThaihumanrightsactivist,whohasalsoworkedforthecauseoffreedominBurmaformanyyears.Wealsohadcountlessinformaldiscussionsovermanymonths.
When Imethima fewmonthsbeforewebegan the interviews,Thiha toldmehewanteddesperately to tell his story, but hedidn’tknowhow.
Isensedheneededtogatherhismemoriesofthosebrutalyears,and tellpeoplewhathisdecision tofight for human rightsandde‐mocracyinBurmacosthimandhisfamily.And,Isenseditwasastorywhichneededtobetoldbecausesomanypeopleacrosstheworldhaveneverhadtostruggleintheirlifetimefortheseideals.
PaulPickrem
14 • no easy road
IhadbeeninMaeSotforseveralmonthsatthistime,andhadlearned thisdifficult road to freedom has been travelled formanyyears,andisbeingwalkedtoday,bycountlessotherBurmeseactivistsandpoliticalprisoners.
ThewordsoftheBuddhacamealivetomeinMaeSot.Ihadbe‐guntocherishthesepeoplewhohavebeen,andarebeing,brutallyoppressedbyevilandviolentsuffering. I recognized that theyhadbecomemyrareandprecioustreasure.
That’s because knowing some of them and their stories haschangedmylife.
IbegantoseethatIamwitnessingtheself‐devouringofhuman‐ityinBurmaandonitsborders.Itbreaksmyheart,andhaschangedmyviewofhumanityandtheworldtoknowthatcountlesspeoplecanmakeaheroiccommitmenttostrugglefordecadesforhumanrightsandfreedomagainstoneofthemostbrutalregimesontheplanet,passingagainandagainthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath,whilemostofmankind knows littleor nothingof this courageousstruggle.
Ibelievewhat ishappening inBurmaandtheborderareaputseveryoneeverywhereindanger.Onereasonforthisassertionisthatmanycountriesarerushingtodobusinesswiththemilitaryjuntaasitpushesthepeopleofftheland,creatinganappallingrefugeeemer‐gency. Themilitary is selling off the rich natural resources of thecountry,makingitprofitableforthemandforeveryonetoperpetuatetheoppression.
WhenpeopleaskmewhyIstayhere,Isayitisbecausewhatishappeningherecan,andmayverywell,happenanywhere.
Ibelievetheinternationalcommunity’stepidresponsetothebru‐talityofthejuntasendsamessagetooppressiveregimeseverywherethatmakingwaragainsttheircitizensfordecadeswillbetolerated,especiallyiftheoppressorsharesthespoils.
Tome,thisisespeciallydangerousduringthistimewhensomanygovernmentsaretakinganadversarialroleagainsttheirpeople.
Tome,weareallvulnerableaslongasthisaffronttohumandig‐nityisallowedtocontinue.
MycommitmenttoThihaandtoyouwassimplytohelphimtellhisstory.IamnotanacademicoranexpertonBurmesehistoryorpolitics,althoughIrespectthosewhoare.IhopeIhaveresistedthetemptationtomakethisvolumelargerthanitshouldbe.
Iamsimplyastoryteller.
IamverygratefultoMyatThuforsittingwithThihaandmethrougheveryinterviewtotranslateforThihawhenhehadtoexpresshisideasinBurmesebecauseitwastoodifficultinEnglish.
As well, I wish to acknowledge and thank Garrett Kostin andAndreaValentinfortheirsignificantcontributionstothetimelinein‐cludedinthisbook,whichismeanttoputThiha’slifeincontextwiththemodernhistoryofBurma.
Garrettalsoworkedtirelesslyasaproofreaderandlenthistalentsasagraphicartisttodesignthebook’scover,aswellascompilingthelistsofrecommendedbooksandwebsites.
IwanttoendbyexpressingmygratitudetothemillionsofcitizensofBurma,fromsomanyethnicgroups,whoteachushowtobravelystruggleagainstgreatoddsforfreedom.
Youallhavebecomemyrareandprecioustreasurebecauseyouin‐spireme.
no easy road • 15
no easy road • 17
chapter one
standing with
the lady
Someprotestorshadtearsintheireyesastheychantedtheirmantras
“FreeAungSanSuuKyi!”and“FreeBurma!”loudlyenoughtobeheardinRangoon.
no easy road • 19
LateinthemorningonMay27,2009,ashoutingthrongraiseditsvoiceatthegateoftheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefu‐geescompoundinMaeSot,Thailand.
Itwasadeterminedarmyofabout100protestors.Somewerewear‐ingredheadbandswiththeyellowfightingpeacock,symbolicofBur‐mesestudentactivistsinaction,andalmostallwerewearingT‐shirtsandcarryingplacardsemblazonedwiththefaceofDawAungSanSuuKyi.
Sheistherevered,democratically‐elected,andlegitimateleaderofBurma,whohasneverbeenallowedtotakeofficeandserveherpeopleingovernment.
Thecrowdfilledtheroadwayleadingtothebuilding,locatedjustminutesfromtheborderwithBurma.Atthesametime,SuuKyiwasbeingtriedforsubversionbytherulingmilitaryjuntainaclosedcourt‐roominRangoon.
Themonks,studentrefugees,andformerpoliticalprisonerspas‐sionatelydemandedherfreedomandthefreedomofallpoliticalpris‐onersinBurma,onthesamedayhermostrecenttermofhousearrestwasduetoexpireunderBurmeselaw.Itwasalsothenineteenthan‐niversaryofherparty’slandslideelectionvictory,whichthecountry’smilitaryregimehasignored.
Somehadtearsintheireyesastheychantedtheirmantras“FreeAungSanSuuKyi!”and“FreeBurma!” loudlyenoughtobeheardinRangoon.
Asonemansteppedtothefrontofthecrowdtoaddresstheas‐sembledmedia,hiseyeswerelitbytheflamesofthefireinhisbellyandhisclenchedfistpunchedthesky.
20 • no easy road
Likemanyof thedemonstrators,heknew fromexperience thelife‐chokingdepthsof InseinPrison,wheretheNobelPeacePrize‐winningiconofthepeacefulstrugglefordemocracyinBurmaandtheworldwasbeingheld.
Hehadbeenimprisonedandtorturedtherehimself,morethanonce.
In fact, 43‐yearoldThihaYarzar, the sonofa formerBurmeseArmyColonel,hadservedalmosteighteenyearsinfiveprisonsacrossBurmaforpro‐democracyactivityasastudentleader,andforarmedstruggleasafreedomfighter.
no easy road • 21
chapter two
dreaming the
prisoner’s dream
‘Prisonersoftendreamaboutbeingreleased.
Butwealwaysarereturnedtoprisonbeforewakingup.”
22 • no easy road
Thiha’sunexpectedreleasefromMaiSatPrison,ShanState,neartheThai/Burmaborder,onSeptember23,2008wasaturningpointthatmadehisleadingoftheprotestinMaeSotpossible.
“ItwasaTuesday,”hesaidduringoneofourfirstinterviews.“Pris‐onofficialswokemeupat4a.m.,becausetheyhadlearnedIwasgo‐ingtobereleasedthatday.Itoldthem,‘Hey,don’tteaseme!’,andIwentbacktosleep.”
However,at7a.m.theprison’sChiefJailerwokehimagainandinsistedhetakeashowerandchangehisclothes.MilitaryIntelligenceofficialsandSpecialBranchPolicewerewaitingtospeakwithhim.
Otherprisonersprovidedhimwithnewpantsandashirt,becausehehadnootherclothestochangeinto.
“Itwas likeadream. Itwasunbelievable,”hesaidof thosefirstmomentsofrealizationthathewasreallygoingtobereleased.
“Prisonersoftendreamaboutbeingreleased.Butwealwaysarereturnedtoprisonbeforewakingup.IhadtoconvincemyselfIwasnotdreamingthatsameolddream.”
Thiha Yarzar, the political prisoner, had dreamed that dreamcountlesstimesintheseventeenyears,sixmonthsandsixteendaysleadinguptothatmorning.
ThedeathsentencehehadreceivedforHighTreasonin1991hadbeenreducedtotwentyyearsin1993,whenthegovernmentreducedall thedeathsentences inthecountry inaneffortto improvetheirpublicimageafterthe1990electionupsetbytheNationalLeagueforDemocracy,thepartyledbyAungSanSuuKyi.
“IbegantohopeforreleasebecauseBurmesepoliticsseemedto
no easy road • 23
bechanging,”hesaidlookingback.“Ibecamemorepoliticallyactiveinprison,smugglingoutinformationaboutthetreatmentofprisoners.”
However,thelandslidevictorybythepro‐democracypartywouldneverresultinthemassivechangeinBurmesepoliticsthatitshouldhave.ThemilitaryregimerefusedtoallowatransitiontopowerfortheNLDthatwouldhaveseenAungSaanSuuKyi leadthegovernment,whichisseenbymanyasherbirthright.InsteadsheandmostofherfellowNLD leaderswerearrested. Since 1989shehas beenmade toservethreetermsofhousearrest,totalingnearlyfifteenyears.
WhenThihaYarzar’sdeathsentencewasfurtherreducedtotenyearsin1997,prisonofficialstoldhimhewouldbereleasedbytheendof1998,becauseaten‐yearsentencecouldbeshortenedtosevenyearsunderBurmeselaw.But,twodayslater,thathopewascrushedwhenhissentencewaschangedbacktotwentyyears.HewasbeingcarriedalonghelplesslyontherollercoasterofBurmeselaw,asinterpretedbythemilitaryjunta.
Onthedayofhisrelease,in2008,hewastoldthefinaltwo‐and‐a‐halfyearswouldberescinded,aslongashewasnotchargedwithanyfurthercrimesagainstthestate.
“IthoughtIwoulddieinprison,”hesaid,“orIwouldbeover50,ifreleasedatall,becausetheyhadchangedmysentencesomanytimes.”
24 • no easy road
chapter three
sentenced
to die
The25year‐oldconvictedterroristwasdrivenbycartoInseinPrison.
Herememberedhisthoughtsabouthowhewouldbeexecutedduringthedrive.
no easy road • 25
Thiha’sdeathsentencewashandeddownonMarch7,1991,afteraone‐daytrialinamilitarycourt.Heappearedbeforeapanelofthreemilitarycolonels,allinfull‐dressuniform.Hestoodbeforetheminthefilthyclotheshehadbeenarrestedinalmostthreemonthsearlier.
Therewasnolawyerpresenttospeakinhisdefense.Hehadn’tspo‐kentoalawyersincebeingarrestedonJanuary17.
Theprosecutorreadthechargesagainsthim.Hewaschargedwithunderminingthecountry’speaceandstabil‐
ity,andwasconvictedofHighTreason.“Itwasmycountry,butnotmygovernment,”hesaidofthetrial.
“Therewasnolegitimacy.”Hedecidedthatsamedaynottoappealthesentence.“Theyweretheterrorists,notI.IdecidedIwouldnotgiveinand
kneelbeforethem.Itwasuseless.Iwouldbealaughingstock.Iwillmaintainmydignity.”
The25year‐oldconvictedterroristwasdrivenbycartoInseinPris‐on.Herememberedhisthoughtsabouthowhewouldbeexecuteddur‐ingthedrive.
“Howwouldtheykillme?Hangingpossibly...ButI’dratherbeshotinthehead.Therehavebeenmanyrevolutionarieswhohavebeenex‐ecutedbytyrantsanddictators,whodiedcalmlyandwithdignity.I’lldothesame.Maybeit’smyturn.Iwillfollowthem.”
Hesaidhethoughtaboutsingingarevolutionarysongathisexecu‐tion.
“Ihadmyrelief.Iwasreadytodie,”hesaid.“Ineverthoughtaboutitagain.”
26 • no easy road
HisarrivalatInsein,inMarchofthatyear,wasactuallyhisthirdtimebeingimprisonedthere.
InSeptember1987,hewasarrestedfororganizingstudentpro‐testsagainstthegovernment’seconomicpolicies.Asa21year‐old,heandsixteenotherstudentorganizershadopenlycriticizedthegov‐ernmentfornotconsultingparliamentbeforedevaluingthecountry’scurrency.
“Iwasdetainedunderprovisionsinthelawwhichallowedmetobedetained,butnotcharged,”hesaid.
Foralmostfivemonthshewasheldintheclotheshewasarrestedin.Hedescribedhowhehadtotearstripsoffhispantsandshirttocleanhisbodyafterabowelmovement.
Hewasfedonlyriceandbeansoup,withwatertodrink.Here‐ceivedasmallpieceofmeatonceaweek.
Theprisonerswerekeptinseparatecells.Hehadnocontactwithhis familyor theotherstudents.However,hismotherarranged forfoodandcigarettestobesmuggledintohimbyaSpecialBranchPo‐liceOfficer.
Ominously,hewasassignedtoacellonDeathRow.“Ididn’tknowatthattimeIwouldactuallybesentencedtodeath
in1991,”hesaid.Itwasalsoduringhis initial incarceration inInseinPrisonthat
hefirstexperiencedthebrutalinterrogationmethodsMilitaryIntel‐ligenceofficersusedonpoliticalprisoners.
Hesaidhewasbeatenfrequentlyinthefirsttwomonths,duringinterrogationsthatsometimeslastedfordays.
“They kickedme and hit mewith their fists in the back, andslappedme in the face. Sometimes Iwas standingand sometimesseatedonthefloor.Myhandswerehandcuffedbehindmeandmyheadcoveredwithahood.”
Hewouldspeakmorethanonceduringourinterviewsaboutex‐periencingbothwhitehotangerandagonizingterrorwhilebeingtor‐tured.
“Itwaslikehell,”hesaid.“Iwasveryangry.But,Iwasscaredat
no easy road • 27
thesametime.Itriednottocry.Ihadtoswallowtheanger.IrealizedIcouldn’tdoanythinginprison.ButmyfriendsandIwoulddomorewhenwewerereleased.Iknewtheymustreleaseussoonerorlater.”
EvenduringthisfirstimprisonmentThiha’sresolvewasbeginningtogrow.
“Iknewwewouldhavetodomoretowindemocracy,towinfree‐domformycountry.”
HewasreleasedinFebruary1988,butnotforlong.Aboutonemonthlater,twostudentswerekilledbypoliceduring
aprotest.“It was the first student blood spilled during our time,” he re‐
called.Inthenextweekover200studentsdiedatthehandsofriotpolice
andsoldiers.“Alltheuniversitieswereclosed.But,wedidn’tgohome.Wecon‐
tinuedtoorganizeprotests.Forthefirsttimeweshoutedtheword‘de‐mocracy.’‘Downwiththeone‐partysystem.Bringdemocracy!’”
OnMarch 17, 1988hewasarrestedwith 140other studentsatacampusresidence.
“Theybeatmeandallthestudentswithclubswhiletheyputusinthepolicevehicles.“
Theirdestination,onceagain,wasInseinPrison.“Iwastheonlystudentwhohadbeenarrestedandbeenheldthere
before.Foralltheothersitwastheirfirsttime.”Thejailersknewhimfromhislaststay.Hebecamealeaderbecause
ofhispreviousexperience.But thatalsomadehima target,asMilitary Intelligenceofficers
brutallyinterrogatedthestudentstogetinformationabouttheleadersofthepro‐democracymovement.
Hesaidfivestudentsatatimewerehungupsidedownwithhoodsover theirheads for two‐hourperiods, threedaysata time,withnofoodandlittlesleep.
Hewasalsokickedwhiletiedbetweentwochairs.“Ifeltnumbwhentheyhitme.SofarasIcanrememberthatwent
28 • no easy road
onforaboutaweek.Therewereconstantquestionsabouttheleadersofthemovement.
“Theywereafraidof thestudentsbecause theBurmesepeoplebelievedinthestudents.TheybelievedthemandreliedontheminBurma.”
HistoryshowsthatstudentshaveplayedamajorroleinBurmesepoliticssincetheendofcolonialrule.
“Thepeoplelookedtothestudentsforleadership.”Hisinterrogatorsalsotriedtousehisfather’spositionasanarmy
coloneltochangehismindaboutdemocracy.“Theytoldme,‘Yourfatherisanofficer.Youhaveeverything.If
thereisdemocracy,yourlifewouldbedestroyed.’”
no easy road • 29
chapter four
the colonel’s
son
‘Wehadeverythingasacolonel’sfamily.AtthetimeinRangoon,
Fatherwaspowerful.’
30 • no easy road
Thihasaidhisfamilydidenjoyagoodlifebecauseofhisfather’spositionintheArmyandthecommunity.
“Wehadeverythingasacolonel’sfamily,”hesaid.“AtthetimeinRangoon,Fatherwaspowerful.”
ColonelBaTwaytaughthischildrentouse theiradvantages tohelpotherstoo.
Thiha brought twopooryoung friends home to his fatherandmother,whosupportedthemthroughuniversity.
“Hetaughtmeyouhavetouseyourmoneytohelpyourfriendsandthosesuffering,especiallythestarving,”heremembered.
“Hewasalwayssmiling.Hetaughtmehowtotreatpeople.Ev‐eryonelikedhim.Everyonewouldsay,‘He’saverykindman.Helivesverysimply.’Hewasneverarrogant,”Thihasaidrespectfully.
“Myfatherwasaverykindman.Hespokesoftlytoeveryone.Henevershowedhisanger.”
But,therewasoneexception.TheColonelwasonlyasocialdrink‐er,whodidn’tsmokeorchewthetraditionalBurmesebetelnut.Andhedidnotliketoseeyoungpeopleundereighteensmoking,tothepointwhere hewas known to take cigarettes from kids he caughtsmoking.
Thiharemembered, “Hewouldsay, ‘I take it.NexttimeIcatchyou,Iwillbeatyou!’
“That’swhyIneversmokedbeforeDeathRow.”Thiha’sfathermadesurehelearnedothervaluablelifelessonsas
well.Helovedreading,andtookThihatothelibraryandtaughthimtoread.
no easy road • 31
“Hetaughtmeeverythingabouttheworld.Wehadabigwallmap,andstartingaboutagesixhewouldaskme,‘WhereisPoland?’Iwouldpointwithmyfinger.”
HisfatheralsomadesureThihawastaughtthestoriesofthehe‐roesofwarsandhistory,likeWilliamWallaceandJoanofArc,fromabookofchildren’sstoriescalledAHero’sTale.
“Gradually,Ibecamemoreinterestedinhistoryandbecameahis‐torymajor,”Thihasaid.
Similar lessonsabouttheheroesofhistorycamefromhismoth‐er,DawTinLayMyint,acollegeprofessor,whomadesurehelearnedaboutthe“ladyheroes”,aswellasmanyotherthings.
Shewasamajorinfluenceinhislifebecausethechildrenspentsomuchtimeunderhercarewhiletheirfatherwasawayfromthefamilyonarmybusiness,sometimesaslongasayear.
His fatherwasacolonel, butThihadescribedhismotheras thefamily’s‘drillsargent’.
Herememberedhisfatherwasquicktogivewhateverthechildrenaskedfor,buthismotherwasnot.
“Forme,Fatherwasanidealist.Momwasmorepractical.ShetaughtmetothinkbeforeIactandtomakedecisions.Shesaid,‘Dowhatyouthinkisright.Butdon’tharmorjeopardizeothersbyyouractions.’”
Herecalledhermakinga listofthe“FiveP’s”toputonthewallbesidehisbedineighthgrade.
Patience, politeness, perspective, persistence and pride in yourcountryandyourpeoplewereprinciplesthatherememberedandputintopracticeasaninsurgent,andlaterasapoliticalprisoner.
As a child,Thiha and his familymoved frequently as his fathermovedupthroughtheranksoftheBurmeseArmyafterenteringof‐ficertrainingateighteen.TheylivedinArakanandShanStates,aswellasTaungooTownship,PeguDivision.
Byage15,hebegantoreadbooksonsocialism,dictatorshipanddemocracy.
AtthattimethecountrywasrunbytheBurmaSocialistProgramParty,underthecontrolofGeneralNeWin.Herememberslistening
32 • no easy road
carefullytothesocialistleader’sideasonhowtodealwiththeram‐pantpovertyinBurmaatthetime.
However, he was also influenced by the foreign friends of hismother,whowaseducatedatamissionaryschoolinRangoon.
Eventually, Thiha made a life‐altering choice: Democracy wasbetterforhim,andforBurma.
“In thebooks,communismorsocialismseemedverygood,”hesaid,lookingbackonhisteenyears.
“Butwearenotrobots.Weareflesh‐and‐bloodhumanswithabrainandaheart.Thefreedomtothinkandfreedomofexpressionbecamethemostimportantthingstome.Underdemocracywewouldhavethefreedomtothink,talk,write,criticize,andcreate.Idecidedourcountrywouldbebetterunderdemocracy.”
HeremembershisfatherwantedThihaandhisbrother,TwayYar‐zarKyaw,tojointhearmy.Buthismotherwantedhisfathertoresignfromthemilitaryinstead.
Hisfathertriedtodothatatonepoint,butwasthreatenedbyhismilitarycolleagues,sohestayed.
Hehasvividmemoriesofonespecificdaywhenhisfather,theninhislateforties,returnedhomefromthemilitaryheadquartersWarOffice.
“Hecameintothehousesilently.Isawhewasupsetwithangerinhisface.Isaid‘hello’.Hejustpattedmeonthehead.”
Hisfatherwentintothebedroomandspoketohismother.Thihaheardhimsay,“I’mfedupwiththoseguys.Theydon’tknow
howtorunacountryortreatpeople.Theyjustgiveordersandmoreorders.IsaidtomybossIwanttoquitthearmy.Butmybosssaid,‘SodoI.Butit’snotpossible.’”
Herememberedhismothersaid tohis father, “Darling, Iwantyoutobefree.Thetimewillcome.Wehavetowait.”
Eventually, Thiha became a history and philosophy student atRangoonArtsandScienceUniversity,wherehestudiedwesternphi‐losophyandworldreligions.
no easy road • 33
Aftergraduatingin1986withaBAinhistory,hebeganaMaster’sdegreeinhistory.
Buthisstorywouldunfoldinanunexpectedwayashispassionfordemocracycame face‐to‐facewith thepolitical turmoil in Burmaatthetimecausedbythemilitarygovernment’sbrutaltreatmentofthepeople.
The141studentswerefinallyreleasedonJuly7,1988.“Thatwasared‐letterdayforBurmesestudents,”hesaid.“Itwas
theanniversaryof thedayGeneralNeWindemolished theStudentUnionBuildingatRangoonUniversityin1962.”
Morethanhalfofthe141studentactivistsmettendayslaterattheShwedagonPagoda, inBahanTownship,asacred landmark forBur‐meseBuddhists.
“Wedecidedwewoulddoeverythingfordemocracy.Westudentsknewwehadaresponsibility.Burmawasourmotherland.”
TheyagreedtheywouldorganizedemonstrationsalloverBurma.However, the nationwide anti‐government uprisings thatwould
takeplacelessthanamonthlaterwouldputthemonacollisioncoursewiththemilitarygovernmentthatwouldchangethecourseofhistoryforBurma,andforThihaYarzar,forever.
34 • no easy road
chapter fi ve
student activist
to
armed revolutionary
“Shootingcouldbeheardalloverthecity.“Isaid,‘Ineedtobeinthecrowd
leadingthepeople.’Theysaid,‘Lookatyourrightleg.’”
no easy road • 35
ByAugust8,1988,ThihaYarzar,thetwenty‐threeyear‐oldpoliticalactivistandstudent leaderhadbeenappointedsecretaryof theNa‐tionalStudentUnion.
OnthatinfamousdaythepeopleofBurmaconfrontedtherulingmilitarywithanationwidepublicdemonstration.
ThihaledthepeopleofThingangyunTownship,wherehelived,onaseven‐milemarchtodowntownRangoon,carryinganti‐governmentplacards.
Thenationalandinternationalmediahoveredtoseewhatwouldhappen.WhattheywitnessedthatdayismarkedindeliblyinthemindsandheartsoftheBurmesepeopleandpro‐democracyactivistsevery‐where,forever.
Thiha recalled how the throngsofdemonstratorswalked into awallofpoliceandsoldiersnotlongaftertheyreachedtheareaofthegovernmentofficesneardowntown.
“Theyblockedtheroadwithmilitaryvehicles, includingatank,”hesaid.
When thepeople saw thesoldiers theysloweddown,until theyeventuallystopped.Thesoldiersjumpedfromtheirtrucksandaimedtheir German‐made automatic assault rifles at the demonstrators.Then,withoutanywarning,theyfiredatthepeoplefromabout60me‐ters.
Herememberedthecrowdonthe leftofhimwas inchaosafteraboutsevenpeoplefelltotheground,shot.
Peoplestartedrunningtowardthesoldiers,someoutofanger,butothersoutoffear.
36 • no easy road
Theycontinuedshooting,evenasthemediawatched.Hesaidhehadclimbedontopofacarandwasshoutingthrough
abullhorntothesoldierstostopshooting.Asthecrowdpanickedandstartedtorunawayfromthesoldiers
inalldirections,theystoppedshootingandranbacktotheirvehi‐cles.
Theylefttheareawhenthepeopledispersed.“SeveralfriendspulledmeoffthecarIhadclimbedonandpushed
meintoanothervehicle,whichdroveawayquickly.“Shootingcouldbeheardalloverthecity.“Isaid,‘Ineedtobeinthecrowdleadingthepeople.’Theysaid,
‘Lookatyourrightleg.’”Only thendid he realize he had been shot in the legandwas
bleeding.He liftedhispant leg,duringan interview, toshowmeasmallscarontherightknee,wherehesaidthebulletgrazedtheknee,butdidnotdamageit.
Heandhiscomradesreturnedtoastudentofficeinasecretloca‐tion.
“Someofmyfriendscried.Lotsofpeoplehaddied,”hesaid.“ItoldthembeforehandIknewthesoldierswouldshoot.Itold
themwewouldhavetocontinuethedemonstrationsuntilthegov‐ernmentfell.”
ThoughitisestimatedthatthousandsofdemonstratorswereshotbythemilitaryacrossBurmathatday,thedemonstrationscontinuedtogrowinsizenationwide.
General Ne Win tried to calm the widespread public unrestthroughaseriesoftransfersofpower,eventuallytoafigureheadlead‐er,Dr.MaungMaung.
However,fortydayslater,onSeptember18th,GeneralSawMaungtookcontrolofthecountrythroughamilitarycoup,promisingfreeandfairelections,andthatthemilitarywouldhandpowerbacktothepeoplethroughanelectedparty.
no easy road • 37
Thihaandhis fellowstudents remained in hiding, however, be‐causetheydidn’tbelievethenewrulers.
“Wedidn’ttrustthem,”hesaid.“Weknewthatafterthecoupwewouldbearrested.Wecouldguesswhatwouldhappen.”
Twodaysafterthecoup,Thihametwithhisfamilytodiscusswhattheyshoulddo.
Heurgedhisparentstopubliclydisownhimthroughanewspaperannouncement.Itwasaplanusedbymanystudentactiviststoprotecttheirfamilymembersfromharassmentandretaliationfromthegov‐ernment.
They announced theywould have no further contactwith theirson.
“Itwasmyidea,toprotectthemiftheywereinterrogatedbythepolice.Iknewmyparentslovedme.Mymomdidnotwanttodoit.Shesaid,‘Whateverhappens,wewillfaceit.’But,Isaid,‘NoMom.Itisthebestthingtodo.’So,mymothercried.
“But,Isaid, ‘Don’tcry.Iwon’tdie.NobodycankillmebecauseIhavelotsoffriends.’
“Fathertoldmenottoraiseagun. ‘Asastudentyoushouldbeapolitician,’hesaid.
“But,mymotherspoketomyfather,saying, ‘Hewasrightnottojointhearmywhenweaskedhimafterthetenthgrade.Butnowmaybethetimetouseagun,ifhewantsto.Heneedstodecideforhimself,inhisowntime.’
“Fathersaid,‘Youdohavetomakeyourownchoice.Butyouhavetoaccepttheconsequences,whateverhappens.Youmaydieoryoumaylive.But,whateverhappensweareproudofyou.So,youdecidewhatyoumustdo.’”
Hesaidhedidn’ttellthematthetimewhathewasgoingtodo.“Buttheyknewthatmoststudentswhofledwouldchoosetobe‐
comepartofthearmedstrugglefordemocracy.”Hehuggedandkissedhisfather,mother,andsister.
38 • no easy road
His sister said she knewher husband,anarmycaptain,wouldbedismissedbecauseofThiha’sinvolvementintheprotests.Butshesaidshedidn’tcarebecauseherhusbanddidnotwanttocontinuehisarmycareer.
“Ifeltverysad,becauseeventhoughmyparentsandfamilysup‐portedme,Ihadtoleavebecausemyactionswouldputthemindan‐ger,”hesaid.“TheyknewIwouldfleetoThailand.”
Eventually, his father and brother‐in‐law would be dismissedfromthemilitary.Hismotheralso losthercareerasa teacheratagovernmentcollege.
Itwouldbealmosttwodecadesbeforehewouldseesomeofthepeoplehehuggedthatdayagain,face‐to‐face.
no easy road • 39
chapter six
on the run
‘Iwouldn’tjointhearmyasahighschoolstudent,
althoughIwasthesonofacolonel.ButnowIwasinuniformanyway.’
40 • no easy road
Thenextday,heandseveralfellowstudentactivistscrossedtheAndamanSeatoKawthung,onthesoutherntipofBurma.Twodayslater,theyillegallycrossedtheborderintoThailandatRanong.
ThihaYarzarhadleftBurmabehind,forthefirsttimeinhislife.“IkeptthinkingaboutmyparentsandthepeopleinRangoon,”he
said.“Someofmyfriendscried.Ididn’tcryinfrontofthem,butIwasworried.Thesituationwasverycomplicatedandconfusing.”
HestayedwithafamilymemberofformerUnitedNationsSecre‐tary‐GeneralUThantafterarrivinginBangkok.
HerecallsatthattimethatBangkokandothercitiesandtownsacrossThailandbecamehavensforBurmesestudentleaders,asThaipolice“lookedtheotherway.”
When the All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF)wasfoundedinDecember1988,Thihajoinedandenteredatwo‐monthOfficerTrainingCourseandwastrainedbyagentsofforeigngovern‐ments,includingIsrael,France,andtheUnitedStates.
HealsoreceivedtwomonthsofmilitarytrainingfromtheDemo‐craticAllianceofBurma(DAB).
“Thiswasaverystrangeturnofevents,”hesaid.“Iwouldn’tjointhearmyasahighschoolstudent,althoughIwasthesonofacolonel.ButnowIwasinuniformanyway.
“Asastudent,myhobbywassingingandplayingguitar.Now,IheldanM16andapistolinsteadofaguitar.”
SoonhewaschosenforaspecialmissionbytheDAB.HeandtwootherformerstudentswouldbesentintoBurmatophotographmili‐
no easy road • 41
tarytargetsinRangoon,includingawaroffice,militaryarchives,andmilitaryheadquarters.
TheteamcrossedtheborderintoKarenStateinSeptember,1989.“Iwasafraidofbeingcaught,butIwantedtoseemyfamilytoo.”After reenteringBurma,Thiha had two secretmeetings in 1990
withhismotheratthepagodainatownshipneartothefamilyhome.Hesaidheapologizedtoherbecauseheknewsheworriedabout
himjoiningthearmedstruggle.“Ihavebecomearebel,”hetoldher.Shesaid,“It’sokay.Itaughtyoutothinkbeforeyouact.Sodowhat
youthinkisright.Idon’twanttoseeyouwithagun.Youhavebecomearebel,butIsupportyou.It’sokay.Wedon’thavemuchtime,Son.Youdowhatyouthinkisright.YouknowbetterthanIdoaboutthestu‐dentsandthestudentmovement.Iwon’tcriticizeyou.Keepfightingforwhatyoubelievein.”
Hedid.ForthenextthreeweeksThihaandtheotherstudentsstayedin‐
sidethecountry,takingphotographs,investigatingtroopmovements,andcarryingdocumentsandletterstoactivistleaders.
Hewasdeployedontwoothermissionsin1990,narrowlyescapingcapturebothtimes.
InMay,heliedhiswayoutofbeingarrestedwiththewitandskillsofaseasonedspywhilehecarriedgrenadeshiddeninabasketofbetelnuts.Hesaidasoldieratthecheckpointactuallyputhishandonthebasket.
Whenothertravelersinthevehiclegotoutandwenttotheofficetoshowtheiridentificationandtraveldocuments,Thiharemainedbe‐hind.Theofficeraskedhimtoshowhisidentification,butThihatoldhimhiswifehadalreadytakenittotheofficetoshowit.
Whenthewomanreturnedtothevehicle,Thihaaskedherinfrontoftheguard,“Didyoushowyourdocuments?”
Whenshesaidshedid,theofficerthoughtshewasThiha’swifeandhadshownhisdocumentstoo.
“During training they toldus tomakeeye‐contactandshowno
42 • no easy road
fear,”hesaid.“Iwasafraid,butdeterminedtocompletethemission,nomatterwhattherisk.
“Ihadplannedwellandwaswell‐preparedandbelieved inmyheartthatIwouldbesuccessfulandnotbearrested.”
Hesaidthegovernmenthadpublishedhisphotoinapropagandamagazine,andaninformerhadtoldpolicehewasinsidethecountry,sohewasawantedmaninBurma.
Heknewfromintelligencegatheredfromdoubleagentsthatthegovernmentwas searching for him, but so far hadn’t been able tocatchhim.
Onthatmission,hetalkedhiswayintotheconfidenceofpoliceatacheckpoint,whowarnedhimnottoproceedontheroadhehadbeentraveling.Threepeoplewerelatercapturedinthesameareaandaccusedofabombingtheyhadnothingtodowith.
Theyarestillinprisontoday,hesaid.In July, hewas smuggling three single‐useM72 rocket launch‐
ersintwobagsofpeanutsontheroofofatruck,andcarryingapis‐tol,whenaborderguardnoticedthebagslookedstrange,butdidn’tbothertoclimbontotherooftocheckthebags.
“Iwasprepared to shootanysoldiersorpolicewhodiscoveredthem,”herecalled.
Laterthatnight,heusedanillegaltaxitotransporttheweaponsbecausetherewasnoregulartaxiatthebusstation.
Hesaidhehad touseextremecautionwhenhe foundout thetalkativetaxidriverwasanoff‐dutypoliceman.
“WhenheaskedwhatIdid,ItoldhimIwasinthetimberbusi‐ness.”
Helefttheweaponsatamonasteryinthecareofamonkheknew.Theywerepickedupthenextdaybyhiscomrades.
WhileononeparticularmissioninsideBurma,Thihadevelopedarelationshipwiththeeldestdaughterofapoliticianwhohidhiminhishome.
no easy road • 43
Thetwenty‐fouryear‐oldfreedomfightermarriednineteenyear‐oldHtwayHtwayOoonhisbirthday,December25th,1989.
OnOctober1,1990,shegavebirthtotheirdaughter,whowasgiventhenameToneTonebythefamily.
However,thedivergingrolesofasoldierinthearmedstrugglefordemocracyandafathertoToneTonewouldeventuallycreateatensioninsideThihathatwouldcausehimgreatturmoilformanyyears.
Aseriesofeventswasabouttounfoldthatsethimonapaththatled back to Insein Prison’s Death Row, forwhat prosecutors hopedwouldbethelasttime.
44 • no easy road
chapter seven
caught
“IknewIwouldfacehorribletortureandImightdie.Icouldguesswhatthey
mightdotome.IwasluckyIdidn’tgomadthelasttimetheytorturedme.”
no easy road • 45
Whenthebabywasjustoverthreemonthsold,ThihaledateamofinsurgentsthatattackedamilitarybarracksnexttoamediaoutletinRangoon.Elevengovernmenttroopswerekilledintheattack,andtworocketsdestroyedthebuilding.
TheteamwasorderedtofleetoThailand.Oneofthethreeinsur‐gentsleftfirst,whileThihaandtheremainingmanweretoattempttotakeadifferentroute.
TheyhadactuallyboardedabusandtakentheirseatsonJanuary10,butThihareceivedalast‐minutetelephonecallfromhiscommand‐ersdirectinghimtoremainbehindtomakecontactwithanotherfree‐domfighterinMandalay.
Thethirdman,whostayedonthebus,madeitsafelytoThailand.Thihadidn’t knowwhenhegotoff thatbushewouldnot leave
Burmaagainfornearlytwodecades.
Forthenextweek,hewaitedformoredirectionfromhisbosseswhoweresettingupthemeetinginMandalay.
Duringthattimehewascontactedbyhisfifteenyear‐oldbrother‐in‐law,MyoAung,whowantedarecommendationfromThihasohetoocouldjointheinsurgency,tofightinthejungle.
“Irefusedtorecommendhimbecausehewastooyoung,”hesaid.“Hewasjustinthetenthgrade.IworriedIwouldbeblamedbyhis
parentsifsomethinghappenedtohim.Hewastheappleoftheireye;theyoungestchildandeveryonelovedhim.”
Butthedeterminedboylefthomewithfourotheryoungmenafter
46 • no easy road
makingothercontactsintheunderground.Hewasgivensensitivedocumentsoutlininginsurgencyactivities
intheareabyamanThihaknew.ButMyoAungwasnotawarethedocumentsincludedaletterwhichcontainedThiha’scodename.
Onthewaytodeliverthosedocuments,theboysaccidentallymetanotherpopularactivist,whowasundersurveillancebyMilitaryIn‐telligence.
Theywereall arrested thateveningat themain bus station inRangoon.
Theboysweretorturedduringinterrogation,givinginformationabouttheinsurgencyandthenameofthemanwhogavethemthedocuments.Thatman,BhaminDhit,wasarrestedthatnightaswell.HewasbrutallytorturedandgavetheauthoritiesThiha’srealnameandlocation.
OntheafternoonofJanuary17,1991,ThihawashidinginasafehouseinSouthOkkaLepaTownship,inRangoon,waitingforfurtherorders.
Hewasveryillwithmalaria,whichhecontractedduringoneofhisfirstmissionsinsideBurma.
Herecalledthatagovernmentofficial fromthe localneighbor‐hoodcametovisithimaround3p.m.Thihasensedhewasingravedanger,butwastoosicktomovequickly.
“Heseemedtobeafraidofme.Hewaspale.“Suddenly,thehousewasraidedbysixarmysoldiersandtheman
scurriedawayquickly.”Thehouse,whichhadbeencompletelysurrounded,wassoonfull
ofsoldiersandplainclothespolice.“Theywarnedmenottotrytorun,forcingmedowntothefloor.
Whentheyhandcuffedmyhandsbehindme,they liftedmetomyfeet.
“Myheadwaspounding from themalariaand Iwasshivering.TheyteasedmethatIwasshiveringfromfear.ButIhadatempera‐
no easy road • 47
tureof102degrees!”Theyplacedablackhoodoverhisheadandledhimthroughthe
crowdgatheredoutsidethehouseintoawaitingcar.“IthoughtabouthowIcouldescape,”hesaid.“ButIcoulddonoth‐
ing.“IknewIwouldfacehorribletortureandImightdie.Icouldguess
whattheymightdotome.IwasluckyIdidn’tgomadthelasttimetheytorturedme.”
ThihaYarzarwastwenty‐fiveyearsold.
Hearrivedataninterrogationcentreabout4:40PM.Theyplacedhiminalineofthirteenotherswaitingtobeprocessed
bypolice.Ashelookedattheothersaheadofhiminthatline,herecognized
hisfifteenyear‐oldbrother‐in‐lawMyoAung,aswellasBhaminDhit,thecolleaguewhohadgivenawayhislocationtopolice.
BhaminDhitwasstillbleedingfromhisheadbecauseofthetor‐ture.Hisfaceandeyeswerebruised,hislipwasswollenandhisnoselookedlikeitwasbroken.
“Iunderstoodverywell.Noonecouldstandupinthatsituation.Iknewverywellaboutthetorture.Isympathizedwithhim.”
Thihasaidhesawamessageinhiscolleague’seyes.“Heapologizedwithhiseyes,asifsaying,‘Icouldn’thelpit.’“Islowlynoddedtohimandsawaverylittlesmile.”Eventually, theyoungboyand theothermanwhogavehimthe
documentsbothreceivedthedeathsentence.MyoAungwasreleasedinFebruary2009.BhaminDhitisstillinprison.
Thethreejustlookedateachotherinthelineup.Then, Thiha’s hands were freed momentarily while being pro‐
cessed.Thepolicehadlaidoutanumberofweaponsseizedfromin‐
48 • no easy road
surgentsonatablenearby.Hethoughtforamomentaboutgrabbingoneofthoseweaponsandtryingtoescape.
“ButIworriedaboutthesafetyoftheboyandmycolleague,andwhetherornottheotherprisonerswouldhelpbyjoiningtheescapeattempt.”
Themomentwasgone.Thihaandhisfellowfreedomfightershadjustenteredhell.
no easy road • 49
chapter eight
the pain
begins
“Iwillprotectmyself—mymind,soulandspirit—
becauseIcan’tprotectmybody.”
50 • no easy road
After being photographed and videotaped, the prisoners wereseparated.
Thihawasblindfoldedandtakentoaroomwherehesatacrossthetablefromamanwhoaskedhiminaquietvoicetorevealtheloca‐tionofweaponstheysuspectedhimofhiding.
Hetoldthemanhehadnoweapons.HesaidhehadleftthembehindintheforestinKarenState.
Hedeniedknowingthelocationofanyweaponsthreetimes.“Okay,takehimtothedarkroom,”themansaidtootherofficers
intheroomafterThiha’sthirddenial.Hewasremovedtoanotherroomwherehewasexaminedbya
doctorbecauseofhishighfever.“Hewon’tdiefrommalaria,”thedoctortoldtheofficers,although
hehadatemperatureof102degrees.Hewashandcuffedby the leftarm toan iron ringaboutwaist
highonthewallinthedarkroom.“Theyallleft.Iwasalone,sittingonthefloor.Itwascompletely
dark.Ididn’tknowifitwasdayornight,”heremembered.“Iwasthinkingaboutmythreemonth‐olddaughterandPaand
Maandmyfriends.ButIknewitwasnogoodtothink.Ihadtofacethetorture.
“Iwillprotectmyself—mymind,soulandspirit—becauseIcan’tprotectmybody.
“IfIgiveintofearIwilllosemyreputation.So,Iwillresist,ormydaughterandmyfamilywillhavetoliveknowingthattheirfatherandtheirsonwasatraitor,andtheywouldsufferbecauseotherswouldbe
no easy road • 51
arrestedandtorturedbecauseofme.”Hesaidhewasleft inthedarkroomallthatnightanduntilthe
eveningofthenextday.“TheyhadnotfedmesinceIarrivedattheinterrogationcenter.I
wasthirsty,soIkickedthedoorandaskedforwater.“Theyledmeblindfoldedandhandcuffedtoasmalltoiletdown
thehall.Theyopened thedoorandpushedme in, saying, ‘Youcandrinkallthewateryouwant.’
“Ihadnochoicebuttodrinkthewaterinthetoilet.“Fromthatdayonward, formorethanamonth,whenever Iwas
thirstytheytookmetodrinkfromthewaterinthetoilet.”
Laterthatnighthewasinterrogated.Hewastiedbyhishandstoasteelpoleinthestandingposition
whileblindfolded.Herecognizedthevoicequestioninghimasbeingthemanwith
thegentlevoicewhointerrogatedhimthefirstnight.Formorethantwohourshewasquestionedaboutthenamesof
relatives.Therewerenoquestionsaboutweaponsthistime.“HepattedmeontheshoulderandsaidinBurmese,‘Yourfuture
willnotbeverypleasant.Youreallydonothaveafuture.’”Thiha was taken back to the dark room for another sleepless
night.Onthethirdday,hewasfinallygivenasmallcupofricesoup.He
wasalsoallowedtodrinkmoretoiletwater.Thatnightthetorturebegan.Hewastiedagaintoapoleinthestandingposition.Hisheadwas
coveredbyahood.ThreeorfourMilitaryIntelligenceofficersbeathimforaboutanhour.
“Atfirsttheyhitmewiththeirfistsonmyfaceandinmyribsandstomach.Whentheyuntiedmyhands,Iwasbleedingfrommynoseandmouth.
“Iwasfilledwithtensionfromrage.Theywerecowards.
52 • no easy road
“‘Letmeseeyou!Iwanttoknowwhoyouare,’Iscreamedatthem.‘It’snotaman’sworktobeatsomebodyblindfolded.’
“Theylaughedatme.”Theyuntiedhishands.Butthenhefeltastickstrikehimacross
theshinsandhefelltothefloor.“Theykickedmeallover,inthechest,back,hipsandstomach.”Hewasthentakentoanotherroomwherehewasseatedonastool
withhishandshandcuffedbehindhim.Hewasaskedmorequestionsaboutthelocationsofweaponsandhiscomrades.
Hesaidhetoldthemhedidn’tknowwhereanyweaponswere,andallhiscomradeswerebackinThailand.
Theykickedhimoffthestoolontothefloorandbeathimandkicked him all over his body, before taking him back to the darkroom.
“I thought, ‘Dohumansact like this?’They treatedme likeananimal.But,theyweretheanimals.Aretheyhuman?”
Hesaidhewas losinghis senseof time in thedark room, butcouldhearguardstalkingtoeachotheroutinthehallandcouldde‐duceifitwasnightorday.
“Itwaslikeanightmare.Afterbeingbeaten,Iwasnumb.Ididn’tknowwhereIwas.
“Mymindwasnumbtoo.Ididn’tgounconscious.IfeltlikeIwasfloatingintheair.”
Thenextmorninghewastakentoanotherinterrogationcenterinadifferentlocation.Hewasfedriceandaboiledegg,andgivenmoretoiletwater.
That night they began to question him for about twenty‐fourhours, non‐stop,with interrogatorsworking in pairs for two hourshifts.
Thequestioningonceagaincenteredonweaponsandcomrades.Hewasgivennofoodanddrankonlytoiletwater.“By that time the toiletwater seemedverydelicious because I
neededwater.IwasinthesameclothesIwasarrestedin.Theywerefilthy.Mywholebodywasstickyandsweatyanddirty.”
no easy road • 53
Thatnighthe learnedaboutthetorturemethodcalled“thecra‐dle”.
Hewas suspended horizontally between twopoles aboutwaist‐high.Hewasblindfoldedandfacedupwardtowardtheceiling.
OneMilitary Intelligenceofficer stoodbesidehis head,pouringwateronhisfaceandslappinghimintheface.Meanwhile,twootherstookturnskickinghiminthesideandlegs.
“Iwaschoking.Icouldnotbreathe.AndIswungbackandforthbetweenthetwokickingme,likeIwasinacradle.
“Iwantedtoscream,butIcontrolledmyself.Ididnotwanttoshowthemmyfearandmyrage.Iswallowedmyvoice.Ididnotwantthemtothinkofmeasacoward.”
He recalls using Buddhistmeditation techniques to control hismindandtodealwiththepain.
“Itlastedabouttwohours,butIdidn’tgivethemanynewinforma‐tion.Ionlytoldthemthingstheyalreadyknew.”
Hesaidhedrewonhispreviousexperiencesbeingtortured.“Iknewhowtoanswerthem.Buttherewasn’tasmuchpaintodeal
withasthefirsttwotimes.IknewifIgavethemanyinformationatallitwouldbeworseformebecausetheywouldonlytorturememore.It’sbetternottogivethemanyinformationatall.”
Healsobenefitedfromtheexperienceofotherpro‐democracyac‐tivistswhohadbeentorturedbythegovernmentbeforehistime.
HesaidsomeofthepoliticianswhowereinterrogatedandtorturedafterthedeathofformerUNSecretary‐GeneralUThantin1974talkedtohimaboutit.
“TheytoldmestoriesabouthowtheyweretorturedwhenIwasyoung.Now,itwasmyturn.”
Duringthetorture,theguardssometimestalkedabouthimmostlikelybeinggiventhedeathsentence.
“Ithoughttomyself,‘I’mgoingtogetadeathsentenceanddieintheend,or,maybetheywillkillmeherewhiletheytortureme.
‘Iamgoingtodieintheendanyway,soI’llfightanddiewithdig‐nitynow.Iwillnotanswerthem.’”
54 • no easy road
Herecalls hearing theguards trying to restraineachother be‐causeiftheywenttoofarwiththetortureandkilledhim,theywouldnotgetanyinformation.
Theywerefrustratedbyhissilence.
ThetorturecontinuedforaboutamonthasThihawastransferredtovariousMilitaryIntelligenceandSpecialBranchPoliceinterroga‐tioncenters.
“ItwaslikeIwasaball,kickedfromoneplacetotheother.”ThegameendedwhentheballcametorestonDeathRowatIn‐
seinPrisononMarch7,1991,followingabrieftrial.
no easy road • 55
chapter nine
death row
again
LifewasaboutwaitingtodieforthoseonDeathRow.
Noonehadanyideahowlongtheywouldremainthere
orwhenoriftheywouldactuallybeexecuted.
56 • no easy road
ThihaYarzarwashousedincell51,inacellrangeofsixtywhiteconcretecellswithironbarsforadoor.Therewasnothinginsidebutathinbamboomatforabedandtwoceramicbowlsforatoilet.
Out of 140 Death Row prisoners, five were political prisonerswithdeathsentences.ThreeofthosewereThiha,hisfifteenyear‐oldbrother‐in‐lawMyoAung,andBhaminDhit,themanwhogaveThi‐ha’snameandlocationtothepoliceafterbeingtortured.
Fourmorepoliticalprisoners,whodidnotreceivedeathsentenc‐es,werealsojailedthereasaformofmentaltorture.
ThreeotherDeathRowprisonershadbeenstudentswithThiha.“Howdid it come to this?We justwanted to studypeacefully.
Noneofuswantedtotakeuparms.Butwehadtofightfordemocracyandhumanrightsinstead.Andnowtoendupthisway...notonlymebuttheothersaswell.
“Who is responsible? It is the faultof the tyrants, themilitaryleaders.Iwasangry.
“But,wehadnoregrets.Weweresatisfiedwehaddonetherightthing.Wewereatpeace.
“Iwasinprison.But,Iwasreallyfreeinmymind.IencouragedotherprisonersonDeathRownottobeafraid.”
LifewasaboutwaitingtodieforthoseonDeathRow.Noonehadanyideahowlongtheywouldremainthere,orwhen
oriftheywouldactuallybeexecuted.Atleastthefilthyoldclotheshehadwornsincehisarrestwere
no easy road • 57
finallygone.Thihaandtheothersnowworeaprisonuniformmadeofawhite,short‐sleevedshirtwithacollarandawhitelongyi,orsarong.
EveryFridayhewasallowedtwovisitorsfromhisfamily.Hiswifeandmotherandsisterwouldtrytocomforthim.
“Theycriedandencouragedme.ButIsaid,‘I’mokay.Youbecare‐ful.’”
Hiswifewasarrestedonceaftervisitinghim.Hiswife’sfamilyeventuallyhadtosellthesmallpickledteashop
theyoperatedbecausepeoplewereafraidtobuyfromthem.Hiswifewasastudent.Shewassupportedbyherparentsandhis
familyaswell.Somesympatheticpoliticianssecretlyhelpedthefamilyfinancially.
Inside,Thihahadhisshareofchallengestoo.HeandotherprisonerswerecaughtsmugglinginformationtoBBC
Radioabouttheconditionsinsidetheprison.Theyweresenttoliveinpunishmentcellswithmilitarydogshousedon‐site.
Herememberstheywerekeptinshacklesandheardthesoundsofotherprisonersbeingbeateneveryday,buttheymadethebestoftheirpredicament.
“Afteraweek,weandthedogsbecameveryfriendly.So,wecouldeattheirmeat.Thedogshadbetterfood.Weonlyhadricetoeat.”
Thiharecountedhowprisonfoodwasusuallysobad,hetriednottoeatit.
Guardsweresadisticandbrutal.Prisonerswereforcedtoshout,“Iamnothuman.Iamjustapris‐
oner!”whilebeingpunished.Hesaidprisonstafforganizedprostitutionandsolddrugstomake
money.Femaleprisonstaffhadsexwithprisonersformoney.Child soldierswhohad tried todesert butwere recapturedand
58 • no easy road
senttoprisonweresoldtootherprisonersandstaffforsexbyguardseagertomakeextramoney.
Thihawantedthoseconditionschangedandheandothersusedmoneygivenbyoutsidesupporterstobribeguardstobuyashortwaveradioandtwocellphonestheyusedtopass informationabouttheconditionsinsidetheprisontotheoutsideworld.
“Everyonehasaresponsibilityfordemocracyandhumanrights,evenmeasaprisoner.Iwasstillyoung.”
no easy road • 59
chapter ten
taungoo, kalay,
and taunggyi
“Icried.Itwaseasiertodealwiththetorture
thanthemalaria.”
60 • no easy road
InJuneof1994hewastransferredtoTaungooPrison,PeguDivi‐sion,afterthreeyearsinInseinPrison.Thetransfercamejustbeforeotherprisonerswerecaughtwiththecellphonesandradiosandre‐ceivedlengthysentences.
Fouryearslater,hewentonahungerstriketoprotesttheauthori‐ties’decisionnottoreleasehimearly,aftertheyhadsaidtheywould.
HewasforcedtoreceivenourishmentfromaglucoseIV,andwastransferredtoKalayPrison,innorthwesternBurma,neartheIndianborder.Theweatherwasknownfor itsextremesofhotandcold.Itwasalsoamalariaarea.
“Politicalprisonerswhocausedproblems inotherprisonsweretransferredtoKalay.Itwasabadsituation.
“Almosteveryprisonerandstaffgotmalariafrequently,andbothprisonersandstaffdiedfromthedisease.”
Thiha said he gotmalaria in Kalay nearly thirty times in fouryears—almostmonthly.Hewashospitalizedthreetimes.
Herecountedtheperiodsofsufferingthroughboutsofhighfe‐ver, chills and shivering, aching bones and body, vomiting,weightloss,andterribleheadaches.
“Iwaslosingmymind.Ihadafeverof106degrees.Ifeltalone,isolated,andsufferedterriblywiththedisease.
“Icried.Itwaseasiertodealwiththetorturethanthemalaria.Itwasterrible.”
Duringone interview,heshowedacopyofadocumentstatingtheRedCrossvisited him inKalay PrisononMarch 29, 2000andDecember12,2001.
no easy road • 61
Hesaid localdoctorsandRedCrossofficialsrecommendedhistransfertoaprisonwithapermanentphysicianandahospital.MilitaryIntelligencerefused.
“Theysaid,‘LethimstayanddiehereinKalay.’”Atthattimehejoinedinahungerstrikewithtenotherpris‐
oners, includinghis friendKhunMyintTun,aMemberofPar‐liament‐electfromtheNationalLeagueforDemocracywhowasneverallowedtotakeoffice,whoistodaytheLaborMinisteroftheNationalCoalitionGovernmentoftheUnionofBurma,thegovernment‐in‐exileformedbymembersoftheNationalLeagueforDemocracy.
“Ourdemandwastoreleaseallpoliticalprisonersuncondi‐tionally,”hesaid.
“Itwasasifwehadnorights.Weweretreatedlikeanimals,notlikehumanbeings.
“Iwasfullofanger.Iwasbecomingmentallyill...crazy.”HeandKhunMyintTunwenttwenty‐onedayswithoutfood,
eighteendayswithoutwater.Ondaytwenty‐one,theywentunconsciousandweregivenan
IVandflowntoTaunggyiPrisoninSouthernShanState.Twenty‐fivedays later,ThihawassenttoMaiSatPrison, in
EasternShanState.
62 • no easy road
chapter eleven
mai sat
“Iwantedtotalktomydaughter.Italkedwiththebugsinmycell
andtalkedwiththestarsabouther.”
no easy road • 63
HewascoveredwithahoodandbeatenuponarrivalatMaiSatPri‐sion.Hewasdraggedtosolitaryconfinementandputinaconcretecellwithnofurnitureandnomattress.
Hispersonalbelongingswerestolen.Atnightguardsthreatenedhimthroughthedoor,constantlywak‐
inghimuptodeprivehimofsleep.Butstill,thesparkofactivismhadnotdiedoutcompletely,evenafterallthistimeandsuffering.
Hewrotealetterabouttheconditionsintherelativelysmallprison,whichheldthreehundredmaleandfemaleprisoners.Hethentriedtobribeastaffmemberwithclothingtocarryitoutoftheprison.
Thestaffmembertooktheclothing.Hedidnotdelivertheletter.“But,justwritingitwassatisfying,”heremembered.“Iwastrying.”“Theycoulddestroyourbody.But,theycouldn’tcontrolourmind,
oursoul,orourspiritsinprison.Theoppressiononlycausedus—forcedus—tofightback.”
Thihadidfightback,butnotonlyforhisowncause.Onemorningheoverheardguardsmistreatingaprisoner inan‐
othersectionoftheprisonhecouldnotsee.Theprisonerwasforcedtokneelinthehotsunfortwohours,while
shouting,“I’mnothuman.I’maprisoner!”Hiscrimewasstealingsomevegetables.“Thihashoutedbackfromhiscell,“Hey!Stopit!Iamalsoapris‐
oner,but,Iamhuman.”Hecontinuedhisprotestuntiltheprison’sHeadJailercameand
spoketohim,toquiethimdown.TheJailertoldtheguardstostopthepractice.
64 • no easy road
ButduringhissixyearsofisolationinMaiSatPrison,Thihaalsohadtofindwaystofightagainstgnawingdepression.
Duringthedaytimehecouldseeamountaininthedistanceifheleanedagainstthewallacertainwayinastandingposition.
Hestillremembershowbeautifulthatmountainwastohim.“Itwasgreen,with lotsoftrees. I lovedthosetrees. I imagined
strollinginthatforestundertheshadeofthosetrees.Itouchedthemandhuggedthem.Iranlikeachildamongstthem.”
Hisimaginationactedasamagiccarpet.“SometimesIcouldn’tsleepdayornight,forthreeorfourdays.
Then,Iwouldsleepfortwenty‐fourhours,withnofood.Sittingonthebedandleaningagainstthewall,Iimaginedthewallinfrontofmewasacinemascreen.Isawmylife.Isawmyfriends.IimaginedwatchingSeanConneryas007andJean‐ClaudeVanDamme.Isawlotsofmoviesonthatwall.”
Whenbored,hesatwithhislegsthroughthebarsofthecelldoorandhuggedthebarswithhisarms.
Heremembers lookingupattheskyandtalkingtothe insectsandsharingricewiththebirds.
“Iwantedtoflylikeabug,”hesaid.“Atnight,thestarsandthemoonweremycompanions.But,my
skywasverysmallbecauseofthesizeofmywindow.Icouldjustseethirteenstars.But,thosethirteenstarsweremybestfriends.Icouldnotsurvivewithoutthestars,themoon,thebugsandbirds,andthosetreesonthatmountain.”
Heaskedfavorsofhiscompanions,thebugsandthebirds.“‘Talktome.Say,‘Hello’,tomydaughter,’”heremembersasking
them.“Sometimesthesituationwassodepressing.Iwantedtotalkto
mydaughter. Italkedwiththebugs inmycellandtalkedwiththestarsabouther.”
Herecountedtheexperienceofbeingisolatedforsolong.
no easy road • 65
“Thesameness—theroutine—isdepressing.Ihadonlythepres‐ent.Nopastandnofuture.”
Heremembered,“Isangatnighttocomfortmyself.”Heusedpainkillersanddiarrheapillsaschalk,towritepoetryon
thefloorandwalls.“Mybestpoemwasformydaughter,”hesaid,passingmeahand‐
writtencopyofthepoem.Itisentitled,“PerfectMoment”:
JustadropofloveSpiltfrommybeloveddaughter’sheartMakesthewholeworldfullofcelebration.
Iwalkintheclouds.ThedruminmychestisBeatingitselfaloud.
Thebreezeisgiggling.Thetreesarewavingtheirhands.EventherainbowBecomesabridgeofgold.
Wow!ShecallsmeDaddy.IbelievethatTonightwillbestarry.
JustadropofloveSpiltfrommybeloveddaughter’sheartMakesmefeelhappinessthatIhaveneverhad.
ThepoemwaswrittenonToneTone’s sixteenth birthdayas hispresenttoher.Itwasalsothedayhereceivedaletterfromherinwhichshecalledhim“Daddy”forthefirsttime.
66 • no easy road
Shewasthree‐monthsoldwhenhewasarrestedandThihawasworriedtheywouldneverbeabletomakeupforallthelosttime.
ButsomeofThiha’sfriends,whowerealsostudentactivistsandpoliticalprisoners,includingtheprominentstudentleader,MinKoNaing,whohadjustfinishedservingasixteen‐yearsentence,inter‐venedtohelphimbegintodeveloparelationshipwithher.
Hesaidtheywrotetohimandsaid, “Don’tworry.Wewill takecareofyourdaughter.Wewillcareforherasifshewereourown.”
“Theywereworriedshehadnofeelingsforme,”Thihasaid.“Theyexplainedmystorytoherandencouragedhertocontactme.Theygavehermoneyandaschooluniform.Theyhelpedalot.Theyhelpedmecuremymentalillnessaboutmydaughter.”
He remembered his excitement when she wrote him the firsttime.
“Iamnowsixteen‐yearsold,”shewrote.“Iamatenthgradestu‐dent.Takecareofyourself.”
“Ireaditagainandagain,”hesaid.Shewroteagain,threemonthsafterherepliedtothatfirstletter.“Takecare.Iamokay.Now,Iamlearningaboutcomputers,”she
wrote.But itwas theword “Daddy” inher third letter thatwas likea
miracledrugtoThiha.“Ikeptitinmyshirtpocketandreaditagainandagain,”hesaid.
“ThatnightIwrotethepoem.”However,hebegantoworryabouthisinabilitytocareforTone
Tone,evenifheweretobereleasedsomeday.“Istartedtoworryaboutmyrelationshipwithmydaughter.She
saidshewantedtogoslowwiththerelationship.ButwhenwouldIbereleased?AndwhatwouldIdoforaliving?CouldIevenpayforhereducation?”
Thatworryintensifiedwhenhisfriends,whohadbeensohelpfultohimandhisdaughter,werearrestedagainduringtheSaffronRevo‐lutioninthefallof2007.
ThihaonceagainlostallcontactwithToneTone.
no easy road • 67
Butnow,barelyayearlater,ThihaYarzarlistenedcarefullyasBur‐mesemilitaryandpoliceofficialstoldhimhewouldsoonbeonaflighttoRangoon,wherehewouldbereunitedwithhisbeloveddaughterandtherestofhisfamily,nearlytwentyyearsafterhelefthisparents’homeasanexiledfreedomfighter.
68 • no easy road
chapter twelve
the prisoner’s
dream comes true
“Sheaskedme,‘AreyouDad?’Isaidnothing.
Ihadnostrengthtospeak.Ihadnowords.”
no easy road • 69
“Itwaslikeadream,”heremembersofthenighthewasdriveninataxitohissister’shouse.
Wasthisthatoldprisoner’sdream,andwouldbereturnedtopris‐onjustbeforewakingup?
He got lost because the city streets and the neighborhood hadchangedsomuchwhilehewasinprison.Twopolicecarsfollowedthetaxiashetriedtofindthehousehehadspentsomuchtimeinasachild.
Buthedidn’twakeup inhiscell. Instead,hefinallystoodathissister’sdoor.
Whenhissister,DawKhinMarWin,answeredthedoor,theyjuststaredateachother.TheyhadnotseeneachothersinceshevisitedhiminInseinPrisonin1992.
“Sheshouted,‘Hey!ThisisThiha!’Shecamerunningtomeetme,crying.”
“Mommyishere,”shetoldThiha.Thihastaredinamazementashewatchedanoldwomancomeout
ofthehouse.“Itwasmymother.ButIdidn’trecognizeheratfirst,”hesaid.DawTinLayMyintwasnow68years‐old.Heremembersherhair
hadturnedwhite.Shewasthin,butlookedhealthy.“She just stared atme, as shemoved slowly towardme,” he re‐
called.“ThisisThiha!”hissistershouted.“Theythought Iwasdead,”Thihasaid,explainingthattheyhad
losttrackofhimsincetracinghiswhereaboutstoKalayPrison.
70 • no easy road
“Momtouchedme,myhair,myface,myshoulder,”heremem‐beredvividly.
Theytoldhimthefamilyhadmadeplanstomakeacontributiontoamonasteryinhismemoryjustdaysbeforebecausetheythoughthewasdead.
“Then,mysisteraskedmeifIhadescaped,”heremembered.“Whatdidyoudo?”sheasked.“Therewillbeaproblem.”But,Thihaeasedtheirconcernsbyshowingthemhisreleasedoc‐
uments.
Thatevening,Thihalearnedofhisfather’sdeathin1996,theyearbeforehiswifedied.
Healsolearnedhowhisfatherlosthisrankinthearmyandwasforcedtoretire.
“I’mverysorry,”Thihatoldhismotherandsister.“Itwasbecauseofme.”
But,theytoldhim,“It’snotyourfault.”“Thiha, I’mvery happy to seeyoualiveagain before Idie,” his
mothertoldhim.Theytoldhimtheydidn’tholdoutmuchhopetoseehimalive
againbecausesomanyprisonershaddiedinprison.“Ihadseensomuchdeathandsomanyfamiliesdestroyedduring
myprisonterm,”Thihasaidduringourinterview.“AndIshouldhavediedinprison.Manyotherssufferedsomuchlossontheoutsideandthendied.”
Thenextday,Saturday,September27,2008,wasthedayThihafearedmightnevercome.Hewenttohiswife’sparentshometomeetthedaughterwhohadgrownupwithouthim.
Herecalledittookhimmorethantwohourstofindthehouse.Again,hegotlostonthewaybecausethecityhadchangedsomuchduringtheyearshewasinprison.
Whenhefinallyarrived,hismother‐in‐law,DawShweYu,wassweepingleavesinsidethefamilycompound.
no easy road • 71
“Finally,Thihaishere!”sheexclaimedwhenshesawhim.“Comeandseewhoishere,”shecalledtohisdaughter.ToneTonecameandstoodinthedoorway.“Sheaskedme,‘AreyouDad?’”herememberedvividly.“Isaidnothing.Ihadnostrengthtospeak.Ihadnowords.”Hismother‐in‐lawcametohimandhuggedhimtightly.ThenhewalkedtowhereToneTonewasstillstandinginthedoor‐
way.“ItouchedherhairandItouchedherface,justlikemyMomhad
donetome,thenightbefore.Irememberthinking,‘Sheislovely,justalovelyyounggirl’.
Hetriedtohugher.“Shewascold,”hesaid.“Shehadgottenusedtonothavingmeinherlife.”Heknewthen,itwouldtaketimeforhertoacceptthefactthathe
wasalive.“Iwasdisappointed,butIalsounderstoodherreaction.Iwasvery
confusedinmymind.ButIwasjusthappyseemydaughter.”Intime,Thihatriedtoexplainhisactionsinlightofthepolitical
situationinBurmatohisdaugther.“Butshewasnotinterested,”hesaid.“‘BecauseofthisIhadnofatherduringmychildhood.Becauseof
thisyouwereimprisonedforsolong.HowcanyouunderstandhowIfeelaboutitall?’”sheasked.
“Buteventuallywebegantounderstandeachother’sfeelingsalit‐tlemore,”Thihasaid,lookingback.
Thestruggletounderstandothersandtobeunderstoodhasbe‐comeanissueinmostofThiha’srelationshipssincehisrelease.Hesaidthesurvivalinstinctsthatkepthimaliveinprisonmakeitdifficulttotrustpeopleandcommunicateoutside.
“Ifelt like—andstill feel like—Icamefromanotherplanet.Thisplanetisnotmyhome,”hesaid,withfrustration.
72 • no easy road
chapter thirteen
life on
another planet
“Theworld,asIknewit,nolongerexists.”
no easy road • 73
“It’slikeadifferentplanetnow.Theworld,asIknewit,nolongerexists,”hesaid.
“It’sdifficultforus,myfamily,tounderstandeachother.Itisverydifficulttocommunicate.Idon’tknowwhy.
“Iaskmyself,‘Areyoucrazy.Areyoumad?’“Thereissomethingwronginmyrelationshipswithotherpeople.
NobodycanunderstandmeandIcan’tunderstandthem.I’moversen‐sitive.Ifindithardtorelaxandtrustpeople,totrusttheirmotives.Aretheymakingfunofme,laughingatme,beingsarcastic?”
Healsosaidhefeelspeopledistrusthismotivesbecauseheisanex‐prisoner.
Evenstill,sincehisreleasehehasnotbeenquietabouthisstrongfeelingsregardingthecontinuationofthearmedstruggleforfreedominsideBurma.
“Thearmedstrugglehasnotbeensuccessful,butwehavetimetochangethings.Wecan’twinagainstthemilitarygovernmentbecausewecan’tdefendourselves.
“Armedstruggle,aswellaspoliticalandeconomicpressure,willforcethegeneralstonegotiatepeace.Organizedarmedstruggleisane‐cessity,alongwithotherdiplomatic,political,andeconomicmeans.”
HesaidheseesadeclineinsupportfortheBurmesepro‐democ‐racymovementsinceSeptember11,2001,andhecallsontheinterna‐tionalcommunitytosupplythe“toolsforanarmedstruggle”,suchastechnologyandweapons.
“Therehasbeenreluctancebytheinternationalcommunitytoget
74 • no easy road
involvedinthearmedstruggleinBurma,despitetheobviousinjus‐tices.”
Hebristlesattheaccusationthatheandhisfellowinsurgentsareterrorists.
“Terroristsandfreedomfightersarequitedifferent!Wearefree‐dom fighters.Wedo not harm innocent civilians.We are fightingagainsttherealterrorists—themilitaryleaders.Wefightfordemoc‐racy,humanrights,andjusticeinBurma.”
Thihaiscriticaloflargernations,likeChina,witheconomicin‐terestsinBurma.
“It is like they feedthepoisonoussnake,”hesaid. “Andthe in‐ternationalcommunityandtheUnitedNationshaveallallowedtheSPDC(theBurmeseStatePeaceandDevelopmentCouncil)totightenitsholdonthecountry.
“Wehave triedmanymeans toend injustice inBurma.Armedstruggleisacontinuationofthat.It’snotfairtobrandusasterroristsbecausewecontinuetofightwithguns.
“Weareontherevolutionaryway.Inanycountrywhenpeopleat‐tackdictators,therewillbebloodshed.Wecan’tavoidthat.Wechosemilitarygovernmenttargets,notciviliantargets.
“Wehavetocreaterevolutiontogetridoftheunjustmilitarydic‐tators.
“Iamnotakiller.IstillwishIhadaguitarinsteadofmypistol.Ididn’twanttokillanybody.Ihadanorderfrommyheadquarters.Wewereinabattle,fightingfordemocracyandhumanrights.”
DuringoneinterviewheusedtheanalogyoftheAmericanuseofnuclearweaponstobringanendtothewarwithJapan.
“Theimportantthingistowin.Inthebattlethereisnotjusticeorinjustice.Wehavetobringchange,bringfreedomanddemocracyourselves.Weareatwar!Theyareverycunning.Armedstruggle isnecessaryforus.Thereisnofairorunfairinwar.”
Withina fewdaysofhis release,Thihawasapproachedbyhis
no easy road • 75
oldenemies,representativersofthemilitaryauthorities,whosoughttotakeadvantageofhismoneyproblems.HesaidhewasofferedajobwiththeSPDCpropagandawingandhewasofferedmoneytobeanSPDCpolitician.
“Theyofferedmemoneydailyfortwoweeks.Myfamilymemberswereafraid.”
Hesaidhewasalsofollowedandwasattackedbymembersofthepro‐governmentUSDA(UnionSolidarityandDevelopmentAssocia‐tionParty).
“That’swhenIfledtoThailand,”hesaid.
ButlifeinThailandhasnotbeenwithoutbattleseither.OnDecember3,2008,ThihacrossedtheMoeiRiver illegallyby
boat, atMyawaddy,Karen State, enteringThailandatMae Sot,TakProvince.
OnFebruary 1,2009,hewasdetainedbyThaipoliceandforcedtopay4,000baht (Thaicurrency,approximately$125US), tobuyhisfreedom.
“It’sdifficulttosurviveinThailandwithoutlegaldocuments,”hesaid.
HewastoldbytheUNHCR(UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees)andseveralNGOs(non‐governmentalorganizationsas‐sistingrefugees)togotoarefugeecamp.So,inFebruary2009,hewenttoUmphiemMaiRefugeeCamp,nearMaeSot.
“AtfirstIthoughtIwasfreeinThailand,andtheUNHCRwouldprotectmefromThaipolice,andIwouldbeinvitedtoberesettledinathirdcountry.But,nohelpfromtheUNHCR.Theyappeartodonicework.Butnoaction.”
Soon,hemovedbacktoMaeSotwherehenowlives.Itisknownbymanyas“TheCityofExiles”asthestreetsandshophousesarefilledwithmigrantsandthosewhohavefledpoorconditionsinBurma.
But Thiha’s dream of a new life through resettlement has notdied.
76 • no easy road
“Resettlementwillhelpmeobtainalegalidentityandfinancialstability,”hesaid.“AndIcanhelporganizeBurmeseandhelpthecausefromanothercountrybytellingtheBurmesestory,andmystory.”
no easy road • 77
chapter fourteen
free burma!
“IwilldowhateverIcantocontinuemyfight
fordemocracyandhumanrights.”
78 • no easy road
ThedecisionmadebyThihaYarzar,theyounghistorystudentatRangoonUniversity,topursueanddefendthecauseofdemocracyinBurmabecauseitisthebetterway,andhiswillingnesstopaythesteeppricetosecure it,hasnotwaivereddespite longyearsof imprison‐mentandtortureandsufferingtohimandhisfamily.
“IdidmydutyandIwillcontinuetodomyduty.EveryBurmesehasaresponsibility tostruggle fordemocracyandhumanrights inBurma,”hesaid.
“I’m free,and I’mgettingstrength fromthe fact that I’ma freeman.IwilldowhateverIcantocontinuemyfightfordemocracyandhumanrights.”
AsthecrowdpressedthegateattheUNHCRcompoundinMaeSot inMay2009,demanding thereleaseofAungSanSuuKyiandallpoliticalprisonersinBurma,Thihashowedhiswordsarenotjustactivistbravado.
Whensomeonewasneededtoleadthewaybyspeakingupforfreedom despite concerns of retaliation from Thai authorities, hesteppedtothefrontwithfireinhiseyes,litbytheflamesofthefireinhisbelly,hisclenchedfistpunching thesky,andshouted, “FreeBurma!”.
80 • no easy road
appendix i
timeline
of modern burmese history
with events from the life
of thiha yarzar
19July1947GeneralAungSan,leaderofthecolonialindependencemovement,andfatherofAungSanSuuKyi,isassassinatedalongwithmanymembersofhiscabinet.
4January1948BurmaachievesindependencefromBritishcolonialruleandUNubecomesthefirstdemocraticallyelectedprimeminister.
2March1962GeneralNeWinleadsBurmesearmytroopsinasuccessfulcoup,overthrowingthegovernmentofPrimeMinisterUNu.Manygov‐ernmentleadersarearrestedorforcedintoexile.
3March1962NeWindissolvesthe1947constitution,whichguaranteeddemocra‐cyandlimitedfederalismforanindependentBurma,andannouncesthatheandhisrevolutionarycouncil,madeupofseniormilitaryofficers,arenowrulingthecountry.
July1962TheBurmaSocialistProgrammeParty(BSPP)isestablishedbythemilitary,withanagendacalledthe“BurmeseWaytoSocialism”.NeWin’sideologyleadstoBurmabecomingapolicestate.
7July1962Followingstudentprotests,themilitarydestroystheheadquartersoftheAllBurmaFederationStudentUnionatRangoonUniversity,andbrutallyputsdownfurtherstudentdemonstrationsbykilling,wound‐ing,andarrestingmany.
August1962Thegovernmentbeginscensoringthemediathroughthenewlyestab‐lishedPressScrutinyBoard.
23February1963Thegovernmentnationalizestheprivatesector.Everythingisownedandregulatedbythemilitary.
4March1964Allpoliticalpartiesarebanned,exceptthegovernment‐runBurmaSocialistProgrammeParty.
25December1965ThihaYarzarisborninRangoon.
11–12December1974Martiallawisimposedandschoolsareclosedafterstudentsandmonksdemonstrateagainstthegovernment’slackofrespectforBur‐mesehero,UNGeneralSecretaryUThant,onthedayofhisfuneral.
1October1976Studentleadersarearrestedandsentencedtodeathafterpublicdem‐onstrationsagainstthegovernment.
1986ThihagraduatesfromRangoonUniversitywithaBAinhistory.He
beginsstudyingforhisMaster’sdegreeinHistory.
no easy road • 81
82 • no easy road
5September1987Morestudentsarearrestedafterprotestingagainstthegovernment’smovetodemonetizealllargebanknotes.DuringSeptember,Thiha,nowastudentactivist,isarrestedforthe
firsttimeandisimprisonedfornearlyfivemonths.
March1988Riotpolicekilltwouniversitystudentsduringaprotest.Thenextweek,200studentsarekilledduringclasheswithpolice.Unrestcontinues.
17March1988Thihaisarrestedforthesecondtimewith140otherstudentsandis
imprisonedformorethanthreemonths.
April1988Inordertocareforherailingmother,AungSanSuuKyireturnstoBurmaafterlivinginEuropeformanyyearswithherhusbandandtwosons.
23July1988GeneralSeinLwin,knownasthe“ButcherofBurma”followinghisroleinthebrutalkillingofstudentprotesters,takespowerafterNeWinresignsinanefforttoquellunrest.
August1988Thihaiswoundedwhileleadingdemonstratorsfromhistownship
nearRangooninanationwideuprisingknownas“8888”.
Morethan3,000peacefulprotestorsarekilledbygovernmenttroopsoverfourdays.Manyothersarewoundedandarrested.Inanattempttocalmthenation,GeneralSeinLwinresignsafteronlyeighteendaysinpower,toappointamoderatecivilian,Dr.MaungMaung,aspresident.
no easy road • 83
26August1988SeveralhundredthousandpeopleattendAungSanSuuKyi’sfirstpublicspeechatShwedagonPagodainRangoon.
18September1988Themilitary,ledbyGeneralSawMaung,respondstocontinuedcivil‐ianprotestsbybrutallycrackingdownondemonstrators.MartialLawisimposedandtheStateLawandOrderRestorationCouncil(SLORC)isestablishedtorunthecountry.
20September1988ThihameetswithhisfamilybeforefleeingtoThailand.
23September1988ThihaleavesBurmaforthefirsttimeinhislife.
24September1988AungSanSuuKyihelpsfoundtheNationalLeagueforDemocracy(NLD).ThemilitarygovernmentarrestspeopleattendingNLDeventsthroughtheimpositionofabanprohibitingpoliticalgatheringsofmorethanfourpeople.
December1988ThihabeginsfourmonthsofmilitaryofficertraininginThailandwith
thenewlyformedAllBurmaStudentDemocraticFront(ABSDF)and
theDemocraticAllianceofBurma(DAB).
27May1989ThemilitaryregimeunilaterallychangesthenameofthecountrytotheUnionofMyanmar,andalsochangesthenamesofmanycitiesanddivisions.
20July1989AungSanSuuKyiisputunderhousearrestforthefirsttimefordefy‐
84 • no easy road
ingthebanagainstgivingspeechestolargeaudiences.
September1989ThihareturnstoBurmaonamissionfortheDABtophotographmili‐
tarytargetsinRangoon.
25December1989Thihamarries19year‐oldHtwayHtwayOo,onhis24thbirthday,whileonamissioninsideBurma.
January1990ThihaleadsarocketattackagainstamilitarybarracksinRangoon.
ElevenBurmeseArmysoldiersarekilled.
27May1990Whilesheisunderhousearrest,AungSanSuuKyi’sNLDpartywins392outofthe485seatsintheGeneralAssemblyinanoverwhelm‐ingelectionvictory.Thejuntarespondsbynullifyingtheelectionresults,disallowingatransitionofpowertothenewlyelectedNLDandarrestingmanyoftheparty’sleaders.
1October1990Thiha’sdaughterToneToneisborn.
17January1991ThihaiscapturedbyMilitaryIntelligenceofficersinRangoon.
20January1991PrisonandMilitaryIntelligenceauthoritiesbegintotortureThihafor
severalweeks.
7March1991ThihaissentencedtodeathforHighTreasonandimprisonedon
DeathRowinInseinPrison.Heis25yearsold.
no easy road • 85
10December1991StudentsarearrestedanduniversitiesclosedasstudentsdemonstratetofreeAungSanSuuKyiaftersheisawardedtheNobelPeacePrize.
June1994ThihaistransferredfromInseinprisontoTaungooPrison,PeguDivi‐
sion.
July1995ThejuntareleasesAungSanSuuKyifromhousearrest,butimposestoughrestrictionsonhermovementandbarsherfrompoliticalac‐tivities.
July1997BurmabecomesamemberoftheAssociationofSouthEastAsianNa‐tions(ASEAN).
16November1997SLORCisrenamedtheStatePeaceandDevelopmentCouncil(SPDC)upontherecommendationofanAmericanpublicrelationsfirmhiredtoimprovetheregime’simageinternationally.
May1988ThihaistransferredtoKalayPrison,neartheIndianborder.
June2000InternationalLaborOrganization(ILO)decidestotakepunitiveactionagainsttheBurmesejuntaforthewidespreaduseofforcedlabour.
21September2000AungSanSuuKyiissentencedtoasecondtermofhousearrest.TheSPDCsaysitisforherownprotection,todefendherfrombeingused
86 • no easy road
by‘criminalandterroristelements’.
June2002Aftera21‐dayhungerstrikeThihaistransferredtoMaiSatPrison,
ShanState,whereheisplacedinsolitaryconfinementforsixyears.
6May2002AungSanSuuKyiisreleasedfromthesecondtermofherhousear‐rest.
30May2003WhiletravelingtomeetsupportersinMandalayDivision,AungSanSuuKyi’smotorcadeandentouragearebrutallyattacked.Nearly100NLDmembersandsupportersareslaughteredinwhatwillbecomeknownasthe“DepayinMassacre”.AungSanSuuKyiisplacedunderhousearrestforthethirdtime.TheofficialreasongivenbytheSPDCisonceagainthatthedetentionisforherownprotection.
August–September2007PoliticallyactiveBurmesemonksleadanationaluprisingknownasthe“SaffronRevolution”toproteststeepincreasesinfuelpricesandtocallfordemocracy.Again,themilitaryregimereactswithbruteforce.Thousandsofmonksanddemonstratorsarebeaten,arrested,andimprisoned.Othersaremurderedordisappear.Manymonksfleethecountry.
2May2008CycloneNargismakeslandfallintheIrrawaddyDelta,leavingatleast138,000deadorunaccountedfor,andmorethan2.3millionaffectedinitswake.
10–24May2008Whiledecliningoffersofinternationalassistanceforthevictimsofthecyclone,theregimeschoosestogoaheadwithaplannedrefer‐
no easy road • 87
endumonanewconstitutionwhichguaranteesex‐militaryofficers25%oftheseatsandvetopowerinbothparliaments,regardlessofanyfutureelectionresults.
27May2008AungSanSuuKyi’sthirdperiodofhousearrestisextendedforan‐otheryear,whichisillegalunderbothinternationallawandBurma’sownlaws.
23September2008ThihaisreleasedfromMaiSatPrisonafterservingseventeenyears,six
monthsandsixteendaysasapoliticalprisoner.
26September2008Thihaseeshismotherforthefirsttimeinnearly20years.
27September2008Heseeshisdaughter,ToneTone,forthefirsttimesinceshewasa
newborn.
3December2008AsaresultofunrelentingharassmentfromBurmeseauthorities,Thiha
fleestoThailand.
1February2009ThihaisdetainedbyThaiPoliceinMaeSot,Thailand,becauseheisin
thecountryillegally.
10February2009ThihamovestoUmpiemMaiRefugeeCamp.
20April2009ThihamovesbacktoMaeSotasanillegalmigrant.Heisgivensome
aidfromtheAssistanceAssociationforPoliticalPrisoners(AAPP).
88 • no easy road
3May2009AmericanJohnYettawswimsacrossInyaLaketomakeanuninvitedvisittoAungSanSuuKyi.
13May2009AungSanSuuKyiisarrestedforviolatingthetermsofherhousearrestbecauseshehadallowedYettaw,whopleadedpoorhealthandexhaustion,tostayinherhousefortwodays.
27May2009ThihaleadsademonstrationattheUNHCRcompoundinMaeSot,
callingforthereleaseofAungSanSuuKyiandallpoliticalprisoners
inBurma.
11August2009Afterputtingherontrialforviolatingthetermsofherhousearrest,thejuntaextendsAungSanSuuKyi’scurrentperiodofhousearrestforanadditionalthreeyears,whichisimmediatelyreducedto18monthsbySPDCSeniorGeneralThanShwe,ontheconditionofhershowing“goodbehavior”.
7November2010Thefirstelectionsin20yearsarescheduledtobeheldwithouttheparticipationofAungSanSuuKyiortheNationalLeagueforDe‐mocracy,thewinnersofthepreviouselection.Approximately2,100politicalprisonersremainjailed.
Atthistime,Thihaisworkingtowardsresettlementandasylumina
thirdcountry,whilecontinuinghisstrugglefordemocracyinBurma.
no easy road • 89
TimelinecompiledbyPaulPickrem,GarrettKostin,andAndreaValentin
TimelineSources:•SoeMyint,BurmaFile:AQuestionofDemocracy,2002•ZoyaPhan,LittleDaughter:AMemoirofSurvivalinBurmaandthe
West,2009•WhitneyStewart,AungSanSuuKyi:FearlessVoiceofBurma,Sec‐ondEdition,2008•JustinWintle,PerfectHostage:AungSanSuuKyi,Burmaandthe
Generals,2007
90 • no easy road
Insein
Mai Sat
Kalay
appendix ii
Map of Burmese Prisons
showing 44 prisons, including five
that held thiha yarzar
no easy road • 91
appendix iii
20 recommended books
for a deeper understanding of
modern burmese history and
issues confronting burma today
AungSanSuuKyi,FreedomFromFear,1995essays:history,culture,politics
AungSanSuuKyiwithAlanClements,TheVoiceofHope,1996interviews:modernhistory,politics,spirituality
Charney,Michael,AHistoryofModernBurma,2009colonial/WWIIhistory,modernhistory,currentevents
Connelly,Karen,TheLizardCage,2005fiction,politics,politicalprisoners
Fink,Christina,LivingSilenceinBurma,2009(secondedition)colonial/WWIIhistory,modernhistory,politics
Ganz,Nicholas,andElenaJotow,Burma:TheAlternativeGuide,2009modernhistory,politics,travelinformation
KhooThwe,Pascal,FromtheLandofGreenGhosts,2002autobiography,modernhistory,ethnicminorities,migrants
92 • no easy road
KoehlerJohnson,Bernice,TheShan:RefugeesWithoutaCamp,2009memoir,ethnicminorities,migrants,travelogue
Koetsawang,Pim,InSearchofSunglight:BurmeseMigrantWorkersinThailand,2001refugees/migrants,essays
Larkin,Emma,FindingGeorgeOrwellinBurma/SecretHistories,2004colonialhistory,modernhistory,travelogue
Larkin,Emma,EverythingisBroken,2010CycloneNargis,SaffronRevolution,Naypyidaw
Lintner,Bertril,LandofJade,1996modernhistory,politics,ethnicinsurgencies,travelogue
Marshall,Andrew,TheTrouserPeople,2002colonial/WWIIhistory,modernhistory,ethnicminorities,travelogue
Mawdsley,James,TheIronRoad/TheHeartMustBreak,2001memoir,activism,ethnicminorities,politicalprisoners
McClelland,Mac,ForUsSurrenderIsOutoftheQuestion,2010memoir,politics/activism,ethnicminorities,refugees/migrants
Mirante,Edith,BurmeseLookingGlass,1993ethnicminorities/insurgencies,travelogue
Phan,Zoya,LittleDaughter:AMemoirofSurvivalinBurmaandtheWest,2009autobiography,ethnicminorities/insurgencies,refugees,politics/
activism
no easy road • 93
ThantMyint‐U,TheRiverofLostFootsteps,2006autobiography,colonial/WWIIhistory,modernhistory
Thornton,Phil,RestlessSouls:Rebels,Refugees,MedicsandMisfitsontheThai‐BurmaBorder,2006ethnicinsurgencies,refugees/migrants,travelogue
Wintle,Justin,PerfectHostage:AungSanSuuKyi,Burma,andTheGenerals,2007biography,colonial/WWIIhistory,modernhistory,politics
94 • no easy road
appendix iv
recommended
burma-related websites
get involved/get informed!
CAMPAIGNSandRESOURCES
BurmaPartnershipwww.burmapartnership.org
U.S.CampaignforBurmawww.uscampaignforburma.org
BurmaCampaign‐UKwww.burmacampaign.org.uk
BurmaCampaignAustraliawww.aucampaignforburma.org
CanadianFriendsofBurmawww.cfob.org
ThaiFriendsofBurmahttp://fobcm.wordpress.com
BurmaGateway‐AustralianBurmeseNetworkwww.burmagateway.org
BurmaActionIrelandwww.burmaactionireland.org
no easy road • 95
Women’sLeagueofBurmawww.womenouurma.org
OpenSocietyInstituteBurmaProjectwww.soros.org/initiatives/bpsai
NEWSandINFORMATION
TheIrrawaddywww.irrawaddy.org
MizzimaNewswww.mizzima.com
DemocraticVoiceofBurma(DVB)www.dvb.no
BurmaNewsInternationalwww.bnionline.net
BurmaNetNewswww.burmanet.org/news
ALTSEAN‐Burmawww.altsean.org
TheBestFriendLibrarywww.thebestfriend.org
BurmaDailywww.burmadaily.com
BurmaDigesthttp://burmadigest.info
96 • no easy road
OnlineBurmaLibrarywww.burmalibrary.org
KachinNewsGroupwww.kachinnews.com
IndependentMonNewsAgencyhttp://monnews.org
ShanHeraldAgencyforNews(SHAN)www.shanland.org
HUMANRIGHTS
AssistanceAssociationforPoliticalPrisoners‐Burmawww.aappb.org
AmnestyInternationalwww.amnesty.org
ExPP‐ACThttp://borderlinereport.blogspot.com/
NetworkforHumanRightsDocumentation‐Burmawww.nd‐burma.org
BurmaLawyers’Councilwww.blc‐burma.org
BurmaMediaAssociation(BMA)www.bma.co.cc
BurmaVoiceswww.burmavoices.com
no easy road • 97
BurmeseAmericanDemocraticAlliancewww.badasf.org
HumanRightsWatch:Burmawww.hrw.org/asia/burma
FreeBurmaRangerswww.freeburmarangers.org
MAP(MigrantAssistanceProject)Foundationwww.mapfoundationcm.org
ArakanRohingyaNationalOrganisationwww.rohingya.org
ChinHumanRightsOrganizationwww.chro.ca
KarenHumanRightsGroupwww.khrg.org
KarenWomen’sOrganizationwww.karenwomen.com
HumanRightsFoundationofMonlandhttp://rehmonnya.org
ShanHumanRightsFoundationwww.shanhumanrights.org
ShanWomen’sActionNetworkwww.shanwomen.org
98 • no easy road
ENVIRONMENTALISSUES
SalweenWatchwww.salweenwatch.org
EarthRightsInternationalwww.earthrights.org/burma
BurmaRiversNetworkwww.burmariversnetwork.org
ArakanOilWatchwww.arakanoilwatch.org
ArakanRiversNetworkwww.arakanrivers.net
ProjectMajewww.projectmage.org
no easy road • 99
Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) is a federally incorporated non-governmental organization working for democracy and human rights in Burma. Established in 1991 by a network of concerned Canadians and civil society organizations, CFOB has tirelessly raised awareness among Canadians on the situations in Burma, successfully launched campaigns and educational outreaches, and constantly encouraged the Govern-ment of Canada to support the Burmese Democracy Movement and the ethnic struggles in Burma.
Recent accomplishments include:
• Government support for a UN ‘Commission of Inquiry’ into human rights abuses in Burma,• Continuous humanitarian and capacity-building support on the borders of Burma,• A ‘toughest’ economic sanction against the repressive Burmese military regime,• Honorary Canadian Citizenship for Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi,• a historic meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Burmese exiled leader Dr. Sein Win,• divestment campaigns (e.g., Ivanhoe Mines), and• various actions and campaigns, including calling for the release of all political prisoners in Burma
Contact address: Suite 206, 145 Spruce St., Ottawa, K1R 6P1, Canada Tel: 613.237.8056 • Fax: 613.563.001 Email: [email protected] • Website: www.cfob.org
!
ExPPACT:ExPoliticalPrisonersAssistance,CounselingandTrainingisanorganizationfoundedmainlybyformerpoliticalpris‐onersfromBurmanowresidinginThailand.
TheMaeSot‐basedorganisationsupportsformerpoliticalprison‐
erswhohave?ledtoThailandtoescapefurtherpersecutionbythe
Burmesemilitaryjunta.Accordingtoourbudget,weprovidepsycho‐
socialandlegalassistance,shelter,traininginlanguageandcomput‐
erskills,vocationaltraining,andsupportpublicationsonBurma.
ThihaYarzarisExPP‐ACTco‐founderandjointsecretary.
YoucanalsocontactusattheMaeSotof?iceinThailand:
ThihaYarzar,JointSecretary,+66(0)806824274
BoHtwayLwin,ViceSecretary,+66(0)806824274
AyeMinSoe,Spokesperson,+66(0)822259968
ortheBerlinof?iceinGermany:
MarkusBaude,Founder,ProjectCoordinator
+49(0)3026376288,+66(0)845315317(Thailand)
Pleasefollowusonourblog:www.borderlinereport.blogspot.com,soon:www.exppact.org.
pm=unfhwkduftzGJ h0ifvSsifpmtkyfrsm;tcrJhiSg;Ekdifonf?t*Fvdyfpm uGefjyLwmoifwef;rsm; tcrJhwufEkdifonf?
ROADROADROADNO EASY
a burmese political
prisoner’s story
by Paul Pickrem
•
THEREISNOEASYROADTOFREEDOMANYWHERE,ANDMANYOFUSWILLHAVETOWALKAGAINANDAGAIN
THROUGHTHEVALLEYOFTHESHADOWOFDEATHBEFOREWEREACHTHEMOUNTAINTOPOFOURDESIRES.
—NelsonMandela
InSeptember1987,twenty‐oneyearoldThihaYarzar,thesonofaBurmeseArmyColonel,wasarrestedinRangoonasoneoftheleadersofagroupofuniversitystudentsprotestingagainstthemilitaryregime’seconomicpolicies.HewasheldatBurma’snotoriousInseinPrisonforalmostfivemonths.
Fouryearslater,followingcontinuedpoliticalactivityandashamone‐daytrial,ThihawassentencedtodeathforHighTreasonandreturnedtoInsein,believinghewoulddiethere.
NoEasyRoad:ABurmesePoliticalPrisoner’sStorychroniclesThihaYarzar’snearly18‐yearjourneyonthelongroadtofreedom,firstasapoliticalprisonerjailedandtorturedinfivedifferentBurmeseprisons,andthenasapoliticalexileinThailand.
Ithoughttomyself,‘I’mgoingtogetadeathsentenceanddieintheend,or,maybetheywillkillmeherewhiletheytortureme.
Iwaschoking.Icouldnotbreathe.AndIswungbackandforthbetweenthetwokickingme,likeIwasinacradle.
Iwantedtoscream.But,Icontrolledmyself.Ididnotwanttoshowthemmyfearandmyrage.Iswallowedmyvoice.Ididnotwantthem
tothinkofmeasacoward.—ThihaYarzar
250
baht
Ex-PAACT
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