Episode #108: Lives in the Balance
“You can you hear from how I speak that these days, I am very distracted and distressed by the development of the entire thing,” Han Htoo Khant Paing admits during this urgent and emotional interview. The author of a recent The Diplomat article describing the four state executions that the Tatmadaw has ordered to carry out, Han Htoo discusses the details surrounding this case.
Han Htoo, whom we interviewed last year about his key role in organizing strikes across Yangon in the early days of the resistance movement, explains that while the Tatmadaw has a history of handing out death penalties, it hasn’t actually carried through on any in over 30 years. Instead, the sentences are usually commuted to life, and sometimes even an early release; this was the case for our recent guest, Linn Thant, now the NUG’s representative in Europe. “But unfortunately, and to our great worry, the appeals of these four people were rejected by the court, a military court—not a civilian one! And the military spokesperson of the State Administration Counsel has confirmed that there will be no pardon. These four inmates will be hung according to the prison procedure.”
In the context of the military’s terrible brutality and atrocities—abducting, raping, burning, and killing with impunity since the start of the coup in February, 2021—some may wonder about the significance of this particular case. But the egregiousness of the military’s decision to carry out the death sentences is, in fact, a departure from precedent that cannot be ignored, according to Han Htoo. “The distinction here is the use of Rule of Law and court procedures, which are used as a cover, in broad daylight, for cold-blooded murder. So the institution which is supposed to bring justice is now ironically used to murder these people!”
Two of the condemned, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, are accused of the murder of a schoolteacher they believed to be a military informer. The other two are very prominent names from the democracy movement over the past few decades. One, Ko Jimmy was a student leader back in 1988 as well as being one of the key organizers of the 2007 Saffron Revolution. “Ko Jimmy represents freedom, democracy and the new Myanmar,” says Han Htoo. Thus, by killing him, it is attempt to erase Ko Jimmy’s memory, while “effectively and symbolically denying all of the values he stood for. This is a message for the international community,” according to Han Htoo. The other, Zayar Thaw, is credited with bringing hip hop to Myanmar in 2000. He also became a prominent leader during the Saffron Revolution, which led to his arrest. After being released, he joined the National League for Democracy, and became a Member of Parliament.
Han Htoo also notes how there has been no transparency regarding the trials of these four, which is presided over by seven military officers. It is not known if the accused were allowed to mount a defense, or if access to lawyers was allowed, or even to what degree they may have been beaten and tortured.
Zayar Thaw’s fiancé, Ma Thazin, also a rising hip hop star, barely escaped arrest, herself. She appeared on our Burmese-language podcast, Myanmar Revolutionary Tales to describe her ordeal. Han Htoo was greatly impressed by her interview. “I was moved by her calmness, determination, and her ability to control herself while she made an appeal to all people inside Myanmar, even to all over the world to use their freedom to speak out to save the lives of four people, including her fiancé.”
It is not accidental that the activism of both Zayar Thaw and Ma Thazin come from deep roots in hip hop. A musical genre defined early on in America by a spirit of resistance and a tool for calling out oppression, hip hop inspired Burmese artists to use it for the same purpose in their local contexts. “[Hip hop] quickly became a medium to influence the way people think, and to represent the wrongs and the problematic aspects of society, including the government, the society, and patriarchy. Hip hop became a new symbol and representation of change in Myanmar.”
Moving to the wider international context, Han Htoo is unsure what larger bodies could—and would—do. He focuses his comments on ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations), He says that “[ASEAN] is a huge individual case with super important relevance. And its Myanmar response could undermine ASEAN.” While acknowledging that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, the present Chairman of ASEAN, wrote a letter to the Tatmadaw requesting that they reconsider their course of action, and also suspecting that some sort backdoor diplomacy has been taking place, Han Htoo doubts that ASEAN will try to exert its influence any further. Simply put, “ASEAN traditionally embraces the policy of noninterference and neutrality.” Still, he does wonder whether a line so egregious exists, that if crossed by the Burmese military, might cause ASEAN to consider suspending, or even removing, Myanmar from the group, or applying economic sanctions. Han Htoo hopes that Western liberal democracies, who immediately condemned the sham trials and planned executions, would consider placing greater pressure on ASEAN member countries to come down harder on the junta, and remind them about the total failure of the Five Point Consensus.
But Han Htoo explains, “What [ASEAN member states] are really concerned about is not the atrocities, but just stability, and the regional security threat.” Since the executions don't really fit into that calculus directly, ASEAN is not getting involved. However, he believes that the executions will only instigate more resentment from the resistance, which could further escalate the conflict and generate increased instability.
In closing, Han Htoo urges listeners to do whatever they can in sharing his article and this interview, and writing to one’s local elected officials. He reminds us that if enough pressure is put on the Tatmadaw, it may literally save lives. “Please do anything that you can to save the lives of four champions of democracy and human rights.”
On a personal level, Han Htoo’s proximity to and involvement in the case has left him emotionally drained and depressed. “I'm afraid. Maybe something happened to them, like they would be hung while I'm sleeping. I think about what's on their mind while wearing these orange prison uniforms. I don't know what they are thinking or how they are feeling. Also, my thoughts are constantly with their immediate families. This is so much for me to handle.”