Tin Maung Oo, A Rose In December 74
By Maung Maung Taik

It was in our adulthood. We young people appreciatively had long hair, bell-bottom pants and long-sleeved shirts for a couple of years. At the same time, we were introduced to dynamic music songs on the radio. And not only songs, but also self-defense sports such as judo and karate attracted the youth. We had some challenges among ourselves, and then fighting followed. It became a tradition in that period. Basically, it was rude behavior. However, with those actions, they vented their anger at the so-called Socialist regime that had undressed from their military uniforms and cracked down on the people.

During that time, we university students were put in prison. One of my prison mates, a lawyer called Kyaw Linn, named that period "the long-haired revolution" because over 2000 of the students who participated in the U Thant demonstration had long hair. Actually, we not only had style, which changes over time, but also activities for the country and people. To give some examples, we participated in June 1974 labor strike and student demonstrations.

I sometimes think about those activities and am reminded of someone. He is Ko Tin Maung Oo, a Chin ethnic student who was the first political prisoner to face the death sentence after the Socialist military junta took power in 1962.

I can still hear his speech. "Look back at the year 1962. Students were brave enough to participate in political activities---". Under the hot afternoon sun, holding a microphone in one hand and standing on a car, he talked to students. It was during the U Thant demonstration. The junta had been jealous of U Thant, a Burmese diplomat who became Secretary General of the United Nations (from 1961 to 1971). The junta was running the country into isolation and economic ruin; U Thant was receiving international respect for his handling of various crises during the Cold War era. After he died in New York, his body was flown back to Rangoon, but the junta ordered that no state official should meet the body and he would be simply buried like any other ordinary person. His body was disrespectfully laid out at an old racetrack. The people and we students became angry with the junta and gathered there. The sun was on our heads. We were thinking about what to do next, when we heard someone shout. "Now, we students are going to manage the funeral!" It was Ko Tin Maung Oo. The crowd applauded his announcement and four or five Red Cross members who were near the corpse left. Students took responsibility for holding a dignified funeral.

Thus, on December 10, 1974, we were put in prison for opposition to the government. Over 5000 people were arrested and about 520 were sentenced to four to ten years imprisonment.

Ko Tin Maung Oo was not included in the arrests. However, in prison, there were plenty of rumours about him: He was shot dead, he had betrayed the student activities, he had joined an ethnic armed group etc. Within two years, while prison conditions deteriorated, he was arrested and sent to the prison with other student leaders.

Strikes began after the junta made a new constitution announcing that there were no political prisoners. It meant that we were not political prisoners anymore and we had to behave like criminal prisoners. The labor unionists and student activists including high school students inside the prison rejected the authorities' idea and refused their unjust orders. We decided that our next step would be a hunger strike. Consequently, the prison authorities cracked down on us brutally. We were beaten and pulled out to the cells on death row. Some of us passed out. 5 to 8 of us were put in the 8' x 12' cells . We secretly planned to continue the hunger strike until we died. We were all very young, aged between 15 and 25 years old.

The experience was totally terrible. The weather was hot and we weren't allowed change of dress. For the toilet, there were only two bowls at the corner of the cell. Those two bowls were full and overflowed with urine. The cells were very small so we had to stand up.

Eight people were given the death sentence. Ko Tin Maung Oo was one. They were fed good rice with thick pea curry in the morning and meat curry in the evening. They shared their quota with the prison staffs and sometimes with us. However, we did not want to take those special meals from the people who were waiting to be killed.

One day, one of the cell-mates who went outside to clean the toilet bowl came back with a letter from Tin Maung Oo. He used to talk with his close friends while pretending he was exercising. He was handsome as he had a tight muscular body and healthy skin. While exercising in short pants, he was like a beauty king.

While we started to read the letter about the hunger strike in Hall 3, a prison officer came in and seized it. We shouted at him as he beat our friend who had brought the letter. The staff also shouted at us from the corridor. Tin Maung Oo arrived near us then. "Give the letter to me!" he ordered the staff, who handed it to him. After reading the letter, he chewed and swallowed it. And then, he challenged the staff in a karate position, "What are you going to do to me? Do you dare to kill me? " We saw it clearly as it happened right in front of our cell. The arrogant staff dared not say anything and ran away.

Tin Maung Oo said, "There is a hunger strike in Hall 3. You guys need to participate. I don't know whether I'll be executed or moved to another place." Then he ran away, the muscles on his back covered in sweat. It made him like a stone statue. It was the last time we saw him.

Two weeks later at 4 a.m. in the morning, we heard someone shout. It was him. "Go ahead my comrades. I want to say goodbye" The words were incoherent because the prison staff were crying out loudly. They did not want the rest of us to hear Tin Maung Oo. But I heard him and grit my teeth while I held the iron bar. My heart was not strong anymore and I cried although I tried to control myself.

Later, I gently approached the two criminals who sent breakfast. They said, "Tin Maung Oo said goodbye to you all. However, the staff yelled aloud and you were not able to hear him."

Tin Maung Oo who had said goodbye to us was not moved to another hall or prison for a moment. He was sent to the place where we could not reunite again. The authorities hanged him, destroying a future prominent leader who opposed the junta. However, his portrait is still alive in the hearts of current student activists as he bravely gave his life for his beliefs. The hero of the December 1974 student movement will be alive within the history of the country as there is a saying, "Martyrs never die."

About the Author
Maung Maung Taik was born in 1950. He started participating in the political struggle in 1974 while in his final year of Psychology at Rangoon Art and Science University. His involvement in politics led to his arrest in that same year and he was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. After being released, he continued his work for the movement - still thirsting for Democracy. As a result, he was thrown behind bars once again, charged under section 5/j, and was sentenced to 7 years. Three years after his release, he faced another peoples' uprising in 1988 and he also devoted himself to this democracy movement. Thousands of people including monks, women, students, workers were killed or arrested during this time, and many fled to the Thai-Burma border to continue the unfinshed struggle.

Maung Maung Taik was one of these people and he soon joined the student Army (All Burma Student Democratic Front ) (ABSDF). He is now living on the Thai-Burma border and remains a member of the ABSDF.