NLD Statement No. 7/97 (translation

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Subject: NLD Statement No. 7/97 (translation)

[The following is translated from the Burmese original]

National League for Democracy
No: 97/B, West Shwegonedine Road
Bahan township, Rangoon

Statement No: 07/97

1) At 4:00 p.m. on 08-06-97, the authorities concerned informed the
family of U Tin Shwe (Monywa), a member of the Central Committee of the
National League for Democracy, that he had died at 1:35 p.m. on the same
day in Insein jail.

2) After receiving this information, the wife and son of U Tin Shwe went
to the mortuary at Rangoon General Hospital (RGH) on 08-06-97, but the
concerned authorities would not allow them to view his body. They went
there again on 09-06-97. They were again not allowed to view the body,
instead they were informed at the autopsy which stated that he had died
as a result of succumbing to a blockage of the blood vessels to the
heart. 

3) When his family requested for an obituary notice to be placed in the
newspapers, the authorities would only allow a statement that U Tin Shwe
(Monywa), a High Court lawyer, had passed away on 08-06-97. The
authorities would not allow any mention of when or where the body would
be cremated.

4) When the funeral took place on 12-06-97 at Rayway cemetery in
Rangoon, the family, relatives and friends were not allowed by the
authorities to take part in a procession to carry his body from the RGH
to the Rayway cemetery. They were told that they had to go and wait at
the cemetery.

5) The authorities arrested U Tin Shwe on 29-11-90. He was tried on the
accusation that he had violated Penal Code Section 5(a)(b)(j)and was
sentenced to serve 10 years imprisonment in Insein Jail. Before the
previous Water Festival [April 1997], he suffered heart disease and was
admitted to the hospital inside the jail.

6) On 21-04-97, his family made an appeal to the authorities for the
permission to allow him to have treatment by physicians and specialists
outside the jail. The appeal was made in vain. Instead, on the same day
he was taken out of the hospital in the jail to the cell where he had
been imprisoned.

7) On 23-04-97, learning that his health had greatly deteriorated,
Chairman of the NLD sent a letter to the SLORC in which the following
was stated:

"...Hereby, the NLD would like to inform that it will hold the
authorities if U Tin Shwe was to pass away without enjoying proper
rights of a patient such as proper food and admission to a hospital in
order to receive proper care treatment."

8) On 30-04-97, due to his worsening condition, U Tin Shwe was admitted
to the Insein prison hospital again, but was discharged and sent back to
his cell on 03-06-97. When his family was allowed to meet him on
06-06-97, he told them that his health situation was not bad.

9) On the morning of 08-06-97, while he was meditating, his room-mate
went outside for a while. After a while, when the room-mate heard a
sound of something hitting the steel bars, he came back and had a look
only to find that U Tin Shwe had fallen and lay flat in the room. While
he was carried to the prison hospital, he died on the way.

10) From there, U Tin Shwe was taken from the prison hospital to the
RGH. Upon arrival at RGH, the officer-on-duty said that the patient
could not be admitted as he was already dead. It led to a dispute with
the jail staff who was assigned to take the body to RGH. This incident
is indicative of the attempts by the concerned authorities to hide their
actions conducted with a lack of conscience or responsibility.

11) U Tin Shwe should be highly honoured. He struggled actively and
selflessly for the restoration of democracy and devoted his whole life
for the goodness of the country. The NLD recognises his death as a loss
not only for the NLD but also for the country, and has bestowed high
honours on him.


Rangoon

Central Executive Committee
Nayon 7th waxing day, 1359
National League for Democracy
June 12, 1997
_____________________

Following is the translation of pamphlet distributed at his funeral.

Biography of U Tin Shwe (Monywa)

Monywa U Tin Shwe (B.A, B.L) was born on 17 April 1930 (Thursday) at Moe
Than village in Monywa Township. His parents are U Ba Moe and Daw Thaung
Yin, and he is the eldest among his siblings. Since he was young, his
favourite hobby was reading and writing. In 1950, he passed his
matriculation and attended Rangoon University. From 1950 to 1958, he
actively participated in the student movement in Mandalay and Rangoon
Universities. He graduated with Bachelor of Arts from Rangoon University
in 1961 and he attained Bachelor of Law in 1968.

He worked as a translation editor at an embassy from 1960 to 1976. He
wrote the following books under the pen-name of Maung Tin Shwe:
-Ivy Lenin, his life and his story
-Biography of Thakhin Ko Daw Hmine
-One hundred Laygyoe of ThaKhin Ko Daw Hmine
-Biography of Chu EnLay
-Biography of Chu Tay
-Biography of Suvanophon, the President of Laos
-Counter interrogation Techniques
- The Arts of Law and Testimonial Law

He also wrote articles on politics and literature and translated short
stories in Luduu (People) newspaper, Luduu journal, Karen Forwards
journal, Mawgun (Record) magazine, ShuDaunt (View Point) journal, Pyiduu
Kyae (People's Star) journal, Moe Wai magazine and Shumawa magazine.

His first printed story is titled "Return from Pwe" published in Rangoon
journal of 1952.

U Tin Shwe passed away on 08-06-97 (Sunday)

END