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I participate in the UPRISING -88. I was a strike-leader, not as a student, but as joiner. In daily life I was making furniture.

In a country like Burma where a military junta is ruling roughly, labour unions are not allowed.

I distribute secret news papers. Such a task was very, very dangerous. A regime like that one in Burma will in every possible way prevent informa-

In 1989 persons from the security police surrounded the house where I was hiding. They took me to prison and examined me under torture. Then they put me in jail, the Insein prison in Rangoon, later on in Tharawaddy prison.

In Thailand I became a member of “Burma Political Prisonors` Union” and worked for them with political affairs, focusing democracy and human rights inside Burma.

Myo Aung`s story:

My name is Myo Aung. I was a soldier in Burma.

I finished state high school in 1978. It was very difficult to find a job. I did not get a job in my mother-land.

Then I started service in the Army in 1979. I was only 18 years old. My duty was from 8 to 4 o`clock. In the evening I attend to University. I finished University in 1992. I had rank as a sergeant in the Army. I served in the Computer department, at the office of the military headquarter in Yangon. Yangon was the capital of Burma earlier; now it`s Pyinmana about 40 Norwegian miles far north.

In August 1988 all Myanmar people demonstrated for democracy in Burma. I demonstrated together with students and other people. Two months later the military junta stroke back and has since then held the country in an iron grip.

Then the military regime arrested all demostrators. Thousand of students from all over Burma flee to the border of Thailand.

My wife had a son and was pregnant.

I and all soldier-demonstrators were arrested and punished. I got 5 years in jail from 1990 to 1995 in Insein jail. Insein jail is a well-known prison in my mother land. Aung San Suu Kyi was sitting there before she had to stay in her home in the University Street nr. 54. Today she has been as a prisoner in her home for 12 years and 48 days!

In 1999 we tried to demonstrate again for democracy. I was arrested once again. I was punished in months and put in jail.

In October 2000 I fled to Thailand. I worked for Burma Democracy Newspaper Office. I wrote political articles and news.

I hadn`t passport or Visa, so I was arrested several times by the Thai police.

In November 2004 UNHCR and UDI helped me and sent me to Norway. People of Norway are very kind to me and help me.

Now I am living in Hunndalen with my family. That`s great! Thanks a lot!

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Lins historie:

Arrestert første gang fordi han delte ut flygeblader med politisk stoff i gatene i Rangoon i 1988. Det han protesterte mot, var fortsatt stenging av skoler etter studentopprøret i-88, men selvsagt også for demokrati og frihet. Da var han bare 14 år gammel.
Han hadde det grusomt i fengslet, ble torturert, fikk TUB og mistet håret, fikk lite og dårlig mat, ble nektet å lese og skrive og hadde sjelden besøk av familien. Han satt først 3 år i fengsel.
2. gangen han ble fengslet, ble han fraktet langt hjemmefra, til Myincha. Der satt han i 6 år, og siden foreldrene er meget fattige, kunne de bare besøke ham en gang på disse 6 årene. Da fikk de snakke med ham i 15 min.
Røde Kors besøkte fengslet i 1999 og i april 2000 ble han løslatt.

Da var han 26 år gammel.

Lin ville fortsette utdannelsen,men det fikk han ikke lov til.
Han begynte å jobbe for å hjelpe familien sin, samtidig som han drev med hemmelig politisk virksomhet.
Venner ble arrestert, og Lin flyktet over grensa til Thailand.
For ett år siden fikk Lin vite at en av hans venner , Then Win Aung, fengslet i 1998 var blitt torturert til døde. Broren, Pyone Cho, sitter i fengsel på 11. året.
Lin har jobbet for radio- og TV-stasjonen DVB i Oslo.
131 studenter har mistet livet i burmesiske fengsler etter studentopprøret i 1988.

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