An Interview with a Released Mon Political Prisoner; Young Buddhist Monk Zaw Latt

February 25, 2012

HURFOM: Following the first amnesty announced by President Thein Sein on May 16, 2011, an estimated 14,600 prisoners, including some political prisoners were promised released. The most recent amnesty by the order of President Thein Sein on January, 13, as part of the release of 302 political prisoners, a Mon political prisoner, young Buddhist monk Zaw Latt was released.

Young Buddhist monk Zaw Latt, otherwise known as Ashin Oak-kan-sa, was put in prison by the military regime to serve his 15 years sentences under three different charges including a violation of Burma’s draconian Electronics Act. On January 7, 2010 he was arrested by military intelligenceand local policemen, in Kya-khine-ye ward, Thanpyuzayat Town after distributing posters opposing the 2010 general elections and the Guiding Star newspaper in Krain Ka-rate village and the nearby Thanbyuzayat Township.

This below is an interview with Ashin Oak-kan-sa conducted by HURFOM. In the interview Ashin Oak-kan-sa shares his opinions on future freedoms and rights of Mon people,the military regime-drawn 2008 Constitution, the varyingpoints of view on federal systems amongpolitical prisoners, and his personal experiences as a prisoner of conscience.

Question: In your opinion, what kind of future can we hope for for our Mon nationals to get freedoms and rights?

Answer: In my opinion, for our Mon nationals to get freedom, first, since there are many ethnic groups in our country, and they all want the country to become a federal union, we have to establish our country as a federal union. And, from that, we will get the freedom that we want and the rights to do what we want to do. Then, from that, we can get freedom for our Mon nationals.

Question: What is your opinion on the 2008 Constitution?

Answer: If we look back at the 2008 Constitution, there are very few opportunities and rights for minority ethnic groups. If we just go through this 2008 Constitution, for the people in Burma and minority ethnic groups, there is no hope for equality, which is what we want. Obviously, this is because the Constitution only includes few rights for minorities – the rights are very, very few. And, this is because the Constitution was drawn by no representatives representing on behalf of the minorities, but by the government itself. So, we can not accept this 2008 Constitution.

Question: Do you think the 2008 constitution should be re-drawn by the government itself again or together with representatives of ethnic minorities?

Answer: This 2008 Constitution should be re-drawn. The representatives from ethnic minorities and people must be included in drawing the Constitution. The real representatives from the people and minorities must participate in drawing the Constitution. So, that will be the federal system. I believe that that is the only way to be a federal system. And, from that step, the federal system, we can later get the freedom and rights for our Mon people.

Question: Did you get the chance to talk with other political prisoners about the future of Burma? If yes, what did you and other political prisoners discuss? And, were there any different perspectives between ethnic political prisoners and Burman political prisoners?

Answer: When I was in prison, we, together with many other ethnic political prisoners, used to have discussions. When I met with ethnic political prisoners, I always came across the discussion and agreement that we must have a federal system in our country. I heard the same voice from ethnic political prisoners, to have a federal system. But, from the views of Burman political prisoners, they did not agree with this federal system. They did not want to discuss about the federal system – they said that this federal system will lead the country to split apart. But, we, the ethnic political prisoners, said a federal system is the one structure that can lead the country to unity – not to separate and split apart. And, only a federal system can make the country a united country. Those are the different opinions and voices from the Burman political prisoners and the ethnic political prisoners, and that is what I heard during my prison term.

Question: Could you tell us why you were chased and arrested by the military intelligence and policemen in Thanbyuzayat Town? What were you doing before the arrest?

Answer: It was when I was on the back of a motorbike heading to Krain Ka-rate village, and yes, some devices were brought with me before I was chased and arrested by the military intelligence and policemen. Actually, I was heading to Krain Ka-rate village to copy some CDs as the memory of the video-recorder was full with data and the monastery in Krain Ka-rate had computers. Also, there was a celebration of a deceased monk at the time.

I distributed small posters and stuck the posters on some vehicles, cars and motorbikes, and on the way, I stuck some posters on the utility poles. The posters were about opposing the upcoming 2010 election. Right after I hung up the posters, I shot the videos. Also, at the time, there was a sentence at the bottom of every Mon National Day signboard, which had been erased by the government. Itwas the anniversary of the 63^rd Mon National Day. There was an order from the district governor to erase the last sentence on the announcements of Mon National Day right after the signboards were put up. I was taking the photos of the erased part of the announcements. And, I already took the videos and distributed the posters boycotting the general elections. These activitities were intended to alert the media,that was my plan.

Question: Could you explain how you were chased and arrested by the military intelligence and policemen? How did you run with your bag, which included some technical devices?

Answer: Actually, my first plan was to go to Krain Ka-rate village. I knew that there were policemen and military intelligence following me at the time. One of them had a phone and they were in plain clothes. When I took a tricycle they would take tricycles too. I got off the tricycle at the entranceof Krain Ka-rate. I knew clearly that the men were military intelligence and police. Then, I accompanied one local youth and I headed into an Internet café. Worse yet, the connection was down so I could not hide in the Internet Cafe and had to leave the café and headed to Krain Ka-rate village. I took a motorbike taxi and right after driving outside Thanbyuzayat Town and arriving a Kuu Yar-bar village another motorbike followed. They stopped our motorbike and asked me where I was heading to,and, I said I was heading to Krain Ka-rate village. Then, they told me that one official from Thanbyuzayat wanted to see me,I asked why and what he wanted to do with me. They replied that they did not know. I told them I could not meet with the official as I was in hurry, butthey retaliated and told me I could go after my errands to meet the official. At the time, I knew what was happening, but I still maintained myself not to panic or get frightened. I agreed to see the official and we turned our motorbikes arounddriving and drove to see the official. While I was on the motorbike heading to see the official, I thought that I should not let myself get caught and that I would run away,so I asked the motorist to drive me away. But, the motorist said he could not drive me away as his motorbike’s license wasclearly visible. And he added that if he drove away, he would be caught. I understood his case, and I thought that I would let them arrest me. However, when we arrived near Kya Khaing Yae quarter in Thanbyuzayat, I asked the motorist to slow down and I got off the motorbike andran away. I was very worried, not just for myself, but I was also worrying for others since there was a lot of data in the computer, video-recorder and camera. After running for a while I went into a home. But, they were just following me. The homeowner asked me if they could help hide my stuff,but it was too late. At the time, I still had three posters left in my bag. The remaining three posters were the main problem as they have already seen the posters. They caught me and took me to the police station. At the police station, they did not check my computer and videos, but they asked me where I was heading to and I replied to them that I was heading to Krain Ka-rate village for the celebration being held for the deceased monk.

Question: Where were you taken to after the questioning at Thanpyuzayat Police Station? Had you already been disrobed at the time?

Answer: I was taken to Moulmein at about 8 PM, and we arrived in Moulmein around 9:30 PM. I was sent to No.5, Special Branch of Police Office, which is located on the top of a mountain.

No, I was still in monk robe when I was being questioned at the Thanbyuzayat police station, but I was handcuffed.

Question: What did the government officers at the No. 5 Special Branch of Police Office do to you? When were you forced to disrobe and how did the officers make you disrobe?

Answer: Arriving at the office I was ordered by the officers to sit down right at the entrance office, where people take off their shoes, with my monk robe. As ordered, I sat down. But, a bit later, another officer found it inappropriate and let me siton a chair. Then, they said,“Because of you, we are starving and suffering.” And they tried to disrobe me. They phoned a Mon monk at San-kae Nae-ka monastery first. After talking on the phone, which I could not hear the officer told me, “You are no longer a Buddhist monk. the chairman of San-kae Naka monastery said so. So, you can take off your robes now.” I responded,“It is nothing concerning you: I myself know whether or not I am a monk.” Then, they said “We do not know about that. We have to follow orders given from the high ranking officials, and we do not know other things. So, take off your robes.” Yet, I did not take off my robes and I just stood there. But, they said “If you do not take off your robes, we will do take it off.” And, they just pulled down my robe. At the time, I felt very sad, my tears ran down my face, thinking that I never thought they could do to this to me. After taking off my robe, they gave me some clothes to put on. They then sent me to main No. 5 office, where they opened the case and started questioning me.

Question: How did the officers question you and did they treat you well while you were at the office?

Answer: At the place, where they were questioning me, there were 15-20 people. And, there were five to six guys surrounding me to beat me if I did not answer the questions. The men started harassing me after I was disrobed. It was obvious that they would beat me if I did not answer their questions. At the office, I was bombarded with endless questions the whole night, from evening until the next morning.They questioned me on whom I worked with and if there were any other people concerned with the case.

Question: So, what did you tell them when you were being interrogated?

Answer: Well, actually, I had already sworn to myself while I was on the truck being taken to Moulmein from Thanbyuzayat that I would accept this case by myself; I would not accuse my friends, monks and laypersons, and our Mon organizations. I would not betray them, and I would accept this case and face through it by myself. I told them that this case concerned no one but only me.

Question: When were you sent to Rangoon after being kept and questioned at No. 5, Special Branch of Police Office? Where were you sent to and what happened after that?

Answer: I was sent to Rangoon from Moulmein on 8^th Jan, 2010 in the afternoon. We arrived in Rangoon around 2-3 AM the next morning. In Rangoon, they opened the case in the court of law at the office of Aung Thabyay Sitt Kyaw Police Station, 8 miles Ward, Mayam Gon Township. They investigated me for two nights and two days and they gave me nothing to eat and drink for two days. That was what their policy, not to give food and water if their questions were not answered.

Question: How were you interrogated and tortured while you were kept at the Aung Thabyay Sitt Kyaw Police Station?

Answer: They used many techniques like tricking and persuading me to answer their questions.

Among the many types of tortures they did to me, one type that hurt the most was when they would beat my head and my face with their boots. They took off their boots, and from behind they beat my head and face with their boots. They did this because I did not answer their questions. They also tortured me in many different ways. However, they did not torture me to permanently disfigure me. Besides that, they tortured me physically and tortured me mentally. They were trying to persuade me to tell them everything. Yet, I was aware that they would trick me to talk. What they said was that if I did not tell them who and what they want to know, my case is such a big one that they would detain me for up to 40-50 years. But, if I told them information that they wanted to know, they would reduce the years of imprisonment. They were trying to convince me by saying that was in their hands to reduce and increase the time served in prison and that they could even release me. I knew that they were tricking me. That is how they tricked and persuaded people. Another tactic they used was telling me that they would arrest the abbot from Naing-ha Lain village and my parents. Frightening me like that, my tears ran down my face, and they asked me whether or not I was afraid. I asked them in return “Why they were concerned with this?” They replied “Whether or not it concerns them, it is our responsibility to arrest your teachers and parents.” That was how they frightened me. That’s the time they interrogated me.

Question: At the Aung Thabyay Sitt Kyaw Police Station in Rangoon, how long were you kept there and what did they do to you while you were kept there?

Answer: At that police station, I was kept there for about 23 days, and I was questioned non-stop for two days and two nights. They also sometimes interrogated me on other days. They bombarded me with endless questions on the first two days that I had got there. They did not let me rest and sleep nor did they give me something to eat and drink. I was worried about my friends. Concerned with their interest in myphotos and videos. I would counteract their questioning with the fact that photography and film have been my hobbies since childhood. I was very interested in them since I was young. Whenever I went anywhere, I always took my camera and shot photos, that is my hobby. Also, at any meeting, whether or not they invited me to attend, I always went there to participate and when I got there I always took photos and videos. I did not know what their meetings were. They were none of my business and I did not care about that. People did not ask me about my ideas and opinions and I did not tell them eitherBecause there were lots of photos in the camera, I could make them blurry and complicated. So, they could not know and check out what they were and did not find many problems with the photos. The photos included the entire Mon nationals, and there were thousands of photos. Because there were so many photos, they did not focus much attention on the photos. Yet, what they found problems with me was with the Guiding Star newspapers that I distributed and the posters opposing the general elections,these were the main problems.

Question: When were you transferred to Inn-sein Prison? And what happened right after your arrival at the prison?

Answer: Rhat was on February, 1, 2010, when they transferred me to Insein Prison. Having been transferred to Insein Prison, they opened the case in a trial court in accordance with the laws ofInsein Prison. It took more than 8 months. And, it was on 27^th October, 2010 when they announced that I would be imprisoned. Right after their imprisonment announcement, I said “Thar Duu” three times and I also thanked them. Upon the announcement I was neither afraid or sad, I was even happy. This is because I knew that I was now a Mon political prisoner. Afterward, I started singing our Mon National Anthem right in the court. At the time, their eyes became wide since they did not know what I was singing about. I said Thar Duu and sang our Mon National Anthem as I wanted to show that I was still brave and loved our Mon people even though I was announced to be jailed as a political prisoner.

Ashin Oak-kan-sa is 30 years old and he is a resident of Mu-doon Village, Chaung Zone Township, Mon State. Before his incarceration, he was an assistant lecturer in Buddhism at Aung Zay Ya, Buddhism-teaching Monastery, in Nine-halon village, Mudon Township, and he lived and served as an assistant lecturer there for more than five years.

After his release, Ashin Oak-ka-sa continues his Buddhist monkhood. In addition, he will keep fighting for his beliefs and his people’s freedom and rights through politics and journalism.

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