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Mizzima: Being an elected MP in Bur
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Being an elected MP in Burma
March 4, 2001; Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)
He was one of the rich persons in the town a decade ago. But things
have changed dramatically since the multi-party elections were allowed
to be held by the ruling military junta in 1990. Now, he is struggling
hard to survive with his tiny teashop, facing daily harassment of the
military authorities. The guilt is nothing but being an elected Member
of Parliament from the National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
The NLD party led by the Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi won in a
landslide victory, securing more than 80% of the parliamentary seats in
the May 1990 election. He was one of the winning MPs, elected with
overwhelming votes against the military-backed National Unity Party
(NUP).
His name is U Maung Kyun Aung, above 60, an NLD MP from the Rathae Taung
Township Constituency No. 1 in Rakhaing State.
There were two members of parliament in the township, one U Thar Noe was
elected from Rathae Taung (2) from the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD)
and the other was U Maung Kyun Aung from Rathae Taung (1) from the
National League for Democracy (NLD). U Thar Noe fled the country in 1995
and now takes shelter in India as an exiled MP.
The ruling junta, known as State Peace and Development Council (SPDC),
refuses to honour the verdict of the people and never allows to convene
the people?s parliament even though it is already more than ten years
after the elections were held.
U Maung Kyun Aung has faced and continues to face the regular
harassment, intimidation and threat by the military intelligence (MI)
personnel in the town. He was initially offered bribe by the junta?s
agents but later detained when he turned down their offer.
After the release, since 1998, the MI Unit 18 has been forcing him with
various methods to resign both from the MPship and from the NLD party.
But, he consistently refuses to bow to these pressure. The consequences
are that the military intelligence personnel have been disturbing
whatever business he does, the government-sponsored Union Solidarity and
Development Association (USDA) members threatening the local people not
to do any business with U Maung Kyun Aung. They had, indeed, troubled
the local people who did business with the NLD-MP.
As a result, once-a-rich U Maung Kyun Aung lost his wealth and has
reached to a point where he has to open a small teashop in his hometown
for survival. But, that still doesn?t make him free from the troubles.
Recently, his son was sentenced to six-month prison for ?destabilizing
the security of township.? One or two members of the local intelligence
unit and the USDA everyday come and sit at his teashop not because they
like his tea very much but to put the words around that the customers
would be troubled if they continue to come to the teashop. The customers
are threatened they would be even charged. And now, many dare not to
come. But, U Maung Kyun Aung continues to stand on as a NLD-MP in this
town of Southwestern Burma.
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<center><b><u><font color="#000099"><font size=+2>Being an elected MP in
Burma</font></font></u></b></center>
<p><font size=+1>March 4, 2001; Mizzima News Group <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font>
<p><font size=+1> <font color="#660000">He was one of
the rich persons in the town a decade ago. But things have changed dramatically
since the multi-party elections were allowed to be held by the ruling military
junta in 1990. Now, he is struggling hard to survive with his tiny teashop,
facing daily harassment of the military authorities. The guilt is nothing
but being an elected Member of Parliament from the <b>National League for
Democracy </b>(NLD) party.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>The <b>NLD</b> party led by the
Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi won in a landslide victory, securing more
than 80% of the parliamentary seats in the May 1990 election. He was one
of the winning MPs, elected with overwhelming votes against the military-backed
National Unity Party (NUP).</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>His name is <b>U Maung Kyun Aung</b>,
above 60, an NLD MP from the Rathae Taung Township Constituency No. 1 in
Rakhaing State.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>There were two members of parliament
in the township, one U Thar Noe was elected from Rathae Taung (2) from
the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) and the other was U Maung Kyun Aung
from Rathae Taung (1) from the National League for Democracy (NLD). U Thar
Noe fled the country in 1995 and now takes shelter in India as an exiled
MP.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>The ruling junta, known as State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC), refuses to honour the verdict of
the people and never allows to convene the people?s parliament even though
it is already more than ten years after the elections were held.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>U Maung Kyun Aung has faced and
continues to face the regular harassment, intimidation and threat by the
military intelligence (MI) personnel in the town. He was initially offered
bribe by the junta?s agents but later detained when he turned down their
offer.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>After the release, since 1998, the
MI Unit 18 has been forcing him with various methods to resign both from
the MPship and from the NLD party.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>But, he consistently refuses to
bow to these pressure. The consequences are that the military intelligence
personnel have been disturbing whatever business he does, the government-sponsored
Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) members threatening
the local people not to do any business with U Maung Kyun Aung. They had,
indeed, troubled the local people who did business with the NLD-MP.</font></font>
<p><font color="#660000"><font size=+1>As a result, once-a-rich U Maung
Kyun Aung lost his wealth and has reached to a point where he has to open
a small teashop in his hometown for survival. But, that still doesn?t make
him free from the troubles. Recently, his son was sentenced to six-month
prison for ?destabilizing the security of township.? One or two members
of the local intelligence unit and the USDA everyday come and sit at his
teashop not because they like his tea very much but to put the words around
that the customers would be troubled if they continue to come to the teashop.
The customers are threatened they would be even charged. And now, many
dare not to come. But, <b>U Maung Kyun Aung </b>continues to stand on as
a NLD-MP in this town of Southwestern Burma.</font></font>
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