Burma is under thugs' rule now that is how a veteran Burmese politician expresses his views. Amyotheryei U Win Naing, a seventy-year-old pro-democracy activist of Burma also anguished, "Burmese people have become the most vulnerable people in the world against inhuman attacks by the officially sponsored gangsters-like goons."
The leader of Democratic National Affairs Activists group of Burma (Myanmar), Mr. Naing has expressed his views in an appeal (copy of which is with this writer) to the world communities. A student leader turned politician Mr. Naing's views received importance following the incidents of protest rallies in many parts of the country, which were subsequently dismantled by the military assigned thugs.
The former capital of Burma, Rangoon city witnessed a silent protest rally on August 19 over an abrupt hike of fuel price. It was followed by more than six such rallies in Rangoon and other parts of Burma, which faced the attacks from the pro-junta goons. Till date, over hundred pro-democracy activists were arrested by the military government.
The military rulers raised the price of fuel with affect from August 15 without any prior notification. The new price of petrol went up to Kyats 2500 (US$ 1= Kyats 1300) from Kyats 1500 per gallon. Similarly diesel price soared from 1,500 Kyats to 3,000 Kyats (per gallon). The price of a canister of compressed natural gas (CNG) was raised up to 2,500 Kyats. The price hike soon starts affecting the commuters, as the public transport fares went up. The minimum bus fare jumped to Kyats 100 from Kyats 40.
"We are not protected by laws or ethical or moral practices any longer," revealed Mr Naing, who was attacked by a group of government thugs recently. "On 19 August 07, Sunday afternoon, we were on our way back from North Okalapa and Therkaita , Rangoon sub-urban townships where we donated rice to the poor people. On our way back, me and two of my associates (Soe Myint Htein and Ba Khin) faced the attack," he added.
He has earlier written a letter to the UN Secretary General narrating the assassination attempt on him and appealed for taking urgent and appropriate measures to stop further similar assaults on the citizens. Mr. Naing also claimed that in a week, 'seventy to one hundred Burmese citizens through out the country have been forcibly taken into custody by thugs acting in collaboration with military government officials'.
"I most urgently appeal to the world to come to the Burmese people's protection.
People are now taking to the streets asking for adequate living conditions and survival," stated Mr Naing adding that he and his group had tried to help the starving people by donating rice, but the military government's goons with the support of the officials were bent upon preventing them.
Anti-government rallies are normally rare inside Burma. The government adopts suppressive actions, whenever there emerged public protests. A nationwide democratic Uprising took place in Burma during 1988, hundred thousand demonstrators participated demanding democratic changes. The military retaliated with guns and tanks that resulted in the killing of around 3,000 Burmese. The situation had finally forced the then military ruler General Ne Win to step down. The present regime under the leadership of Senior General Than Shwe took control of Burma there after.
Meanwhile, condemnation poured on the junta government from UN to EU to various distinguished human rights bodies. The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on the Burmese government 'to exercise restraint'. The European Union, US and British government also joined the chorus of condemning the junta for the suppression. Earlier the New York based Human Rights Watch also slammed the junta for arresting the participants of the rally in Rangoon arguing that the crackdown was a violation of the fundamental rights of congregation. Words of condemnation came from the Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission and the New Delhi based Asian Centre for Human Rights too.