Paw Oo Tun (alias) Min Ko Naing

Over 15 year's imprisonment
(23 March 1989 - 19 November 2004)

Min Ko Naing, the second most prominent political prisoner after Aung San Suu Kyi, is the chairperson of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). He was imprisoned for 15 years and is currently being detained again by the Burmese military regime.

Name: Min Ko Naing (Pseudonym)
Alias: Paw Oo Tun
Occupation: Chairperson, All Burma Federation of Student Unions
Date of Birth: 18. 10. 62
Father's Name: U Thet Nyunt
Mother's Name: Daw Hla Kyi
Address: No. 151, Waizayanda Street, 16/2 Quarter, Thingungyun Township

Min Ko Naing was born in October 1962 in Rangoon. After passing his matriculation exams in 1985, he studied at a Regional College in Rangoon majoring in Zoology. After two years' study at the college, he continued his study at Rangoon University.

In March 1988, he participated in the student protest (later recognized as Red Bridge affair) that took place on one lakeside of Inya Lake that was crushed by riot polices. After that bloodshed episode in June, he and other companions led the student protest of Rangoon University. His political activities and commitments were highest in August 1988 when nationwide uprising of the people appeared in Burma. On august 28, 1988, he was elected as Chairperson of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) by the first student conference since 1962 which was held in the location of former student union building.

He became an inspirational figure for his fellow students and to the people of Burma. His speeches, public pledges and poems caught the spirit of the people, and made him a leading light in peaceful opposition to the military rule. When the so-called State Law and Order Restoration Council seized the power in August 1988, thousands of students and people escaped to the border and joined with the ethnic resistance groups and started arm struggle. But he refused to flee to the border and said he would remain inside Burma where the students, student unions and people exist. When Daw Khin Kyi, mother of Daw Aung san Suu Kyi, passed away, he organized and formed a funeral committee together with monks, labors, peasants, former political prisoners and fought for free homage to Daw Khin Kyi.

Min Ko Naing believed that the student movements are totally peaceful and non-violent. And as the leader of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), he had decided to oppose the regime's unjust and oppressive Order 2/88 by organising a “civil disobedience” movement in respect of the prohibition against people gathering in numbers exceeding four persons.

He was arrested on March 23, 1989 while waiting to catch a bus shortly after visiting the leader of the National League for Democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The military authority said that they had arrested Min Ko Naing, chairman of the illegal ABFSU, because he and his associates instigated disturbances to the detriment of law and order, peace and tranquillity. Further more, they said, he had been found to have repeatedly violated Order No 2/88 (forbidding gatherings of more than four people) and action would be taken against him.

He was detained in solitary confinement in Insein Prison without any trial and finally on December 17, 1991, he was arbitrarily sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment under section 124(a) of the Criminal Law and section 17(1) of the Printing Law.

In 1998, he was transferred from Insein Prison to Sittwe Prison, in Arakan State located in western Burma. Again on July 21, 1999, he was charged under section 10(a) of the State protection law. At present, he is in Sittwe Prison.

On 24, November 2004, he was released sittwe prison.

Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, Pyone Cho and Htay kywe were detained by Home Affair Minstry on September 27, 2006. Then they were all released on January 11, 2007. At that time, authority gave a prason to them was for discussion. However, these leaders didn't have a chance for disscussion with authority.

After he was released from Prison in 2005, he still continue advocate for restoring democracy and human rights and national reconciliation. As a result, he was again arrested on September 27, 2006 with Min Ko Naing,, Min Zeya, Pyone Cho, Htay Kywe who were in prison for over decades.

1989- Arrested after being accused of having repeatedly violated an order of the regime (forbidding gatherings of more than four people)
1991- Sentenced to 15 years imprisonment
1998- Moved to Sittwe prison, a remote prison located in western Burma
1999- Prison term expired in July, after having been commuted to 10 years under an amnesty in 1993, but the regime continued to hold in detention
2004- Released in November following a power shift in the military clique.
2005- During his 15 year imprisonment, Military Intelligence personnel visited him many times and tried to force him to sign a paper saying he would no longer be involved in politics after his release. He never signed.
US congressman Bill Richardson was allowed to visit Min Ko Naing in 1994 during his imprisonment, at which time he asked the congressman to tell his colleagues- “not to give up.”

International Awards
1999- John Humphrey Freedom Award (Canada)
2001- Student Peace Prize (Norway)
2001- Homo Homini (Czech Republic)
2002- Honorary Citizenship in Ivera (Italy)
2005- Civil Courage Prize (USA)

He was arrested August 21, 2007 at his home.