Post-Coup Neon Noir Leads to Prison and Out Again
Nway's relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi exemplifies a critical intersection in Burma's prolonged struggle for democracy. Nway, emerging from a background steeped in political repression, aligned with Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) not merely out of personal conviction but as a response to the socio-political currents that shaped modern Burma. This relationship is emblematic of the broader resistance movement against the Burmese military junta, a manifestation of the class struggle where the oppressed masses sought representation through democratic ideals. Nway’s journey, influenced by his family's political legacy, intertwined with Suu Kyi’s leadership at pivotal moments of national upheaval, underscores the dynamic interplay between individual agency and structural forces. Their collaboration reflects the ongoing dialectic between authoritarianism and the quest for democratic governance, a struggle that continues to shape the historical trajectory of Burma.
“To be honest with you, the people of Burma do not like NLD very much but their hatred for the military is stronger; many people are supporting NLD in order to get rid of the military.”
I am not an expert in sneaking but I had opportunities to enter her Inya Lake compound where she was under house arrest. I approached the person who is in charge of buying breakfast for her and also approached the gardener of the compound. I indirectly delivered some messages to Suu Kyi through people we can trust. It was never like the spy movies like James Bond.
Here is an interesting story. Before the Saffron Revolution in 2007, there were already talks among the citizens of Burma to implement the Saffron Revolution. As you already know, the Saffron Revolution was not led by NLD but the people of Burma themselves. The young people working in the NLD, including me, were already in contact with different revolution groups. We assigned one of us to send a message to an imprisoned elderly monk in the famous Insein prison in Yangon, to inform him of the decision of monks to lead the revolution. In order to send this message directly, the carrier must be arrested first. My friend, Myint Khaing, from Yankin township, volunteered to enter the jail and we thought of an idea for him to stand under a shadow at night. In Burma, the police can arrest any “suspicious” people for three days if they are seen sitting or standing under a shady area at night. For 9 days, Myint Khaing waited in the shadows at nighttime in Yangon but no one arrested him. Then, he went to Kyi Min Daing fishing market which was notorious place for crimes, but still, he was not successfully arrested. So, he went to illegal massage parlors which were mostly run by the military and yet, he was not arrested. In the end, he just hit one policeman and only then, he got arrested and was able to deliver the message to the monk in prison. Sadly, Myint Kaing had been murdered by the military in this 2021 revolution.
Again, during this 2021 revolution, some secret messages needed to be delivered to imprisoned politicians in the Insein prison. I wanted to tell my leaders that the difference between 2007 revolution and 2021 revolution is that this time, the solidarity of people standing against the military regime has created the largest social movement in history of Burma. People completely hate the military and, want to remove the whole system of military and its influence on Burma’s social, cultural and religious beliefs. Many people have sacrificed their comfort, safety and families to participate in the revolution. To be honest with you, the people of Burma do not like NLD very much but their hatred for the military is stronger; many people are supporting NLD in order to get rid of the military. There are people who disagree with what Aung Sann Suu Kyi’s political actions but it is more important to remove the Burmese military from Burma. Anyway, I managed to get arrested in April 2021.
However, I realized I made a mistake. Once I was in the jail, I remembered how dispersed the revolution groups were outside of the prison. The members of the parliament leading the current NLD government were hiding at the Mercy house while young people preparing for armed resistance were living at another safe house. Unknown of each other’s location and future plans, they were operating separately. I was the only one who knew all their locations and can help them find each other. Once I was in jail, I immediately tried to get out of jail. During the investigation with the guards, I tricked them into thinking they can trust me so that they will release me as soon as possible. I lied that we can negotiate with all parties including the military for a win-win situation in the country. Afterwards, they must have thought I was a spineless and flexible politician so they let me go quickly.