National League for Democracy

97B West Shwegondaing Street

Bahan Township, Rangoon

 

April 25, 2008

 

Statement No 11/04/ 08

(Unofficial Translation)

 

 

(1) The National League for Democracy (NLD) is a political party, which was formed according to the Political Parties Registration Act and exists officially. Whenever members of the NLD are attacked and abused, authorities never arrest culprits or take appropriate court action in the name of “rule of law.” If they can solve petty crimes in small streets, they are also responsible for being unable to solve the crimes that target the members of the NLD and happen in the main streets in broad daylight. Some of the crimes, which have happened since the State Peace and Development Council announced its call for a nationwide referendum to approve the Draft Constitution, to this day are as follows.

 

(A) Moe Naing Soe, a member of the NLD Taung Gok Township Organizing Committee in Arakan (Rakhine) State, was attacked by a group of thugs who came with three motorcycles at 11:00 PM on February 26, 2008. The attackers beat him with sticks, and then he fell down with blood.  The attackers left only when the people from the neighborhood arrived for help. He sustained severe injuries on his head and brain nerves. Although he filed a complaint at the Taung Gok Township Police Station on February 27, 2008, no action has been taken yet.

 

(B) At 12:00 AM on March 6, 2008, U Than Pe, Deputy Chairman of the NLD Taung Gok Township Organizing Committee was attacked by a stranger with a knife. He was unhurt.

 

(C) U Myint Aye, former Chairman of the NLD Kyimyindaing Township Organizing Committee, was attacked by unknown persons at 9:00 PM on March 27, 2008, at nearby Padonmar Sport Ground when he was on his way back to his home. He was hospitalized at the Rangoon General Hospital and sustained 5 stitches on his head.  

 

(D) U Myint Hlaing, Chairman of the NLD Hlaing Tharyar Township Organizing Committee was attacked by a stranger at 7:30 PM on March 31, 2008 while he was walking in front of his house. After beating his head with some hard material from his back, the attacker ran away. U Myint Hlaing sustained 3 stitches on the left side of his head.

 

(E) U Tin Yu, member of the NLD Social Assistant Committee from Hlaing Tharyar Township, was attacked by an unknown person on April 4, 2008, while he was waiting for a bus at a bus stop to go to his job together with his daughter. The attacker came with a motorcycle, driven by another person who was holding a walkie-talkie, and beat his head strongly with a stick. After the attack, they escaped quickly with their motorcycle. U Tin Yu’s left eye and forehead were injured and then treated at the emergency ward at Rangoon General Hospital. He sustained 21 stitches on his head and then went to the eye hospital for treatment. He now has blurry vision.

 

(F) Htwe Thein, a youth member of the NLD Rangoon Division Social Assistant Committee was also attacked by an unknown person with a belt on April 16, 2008. Thi Han, Youth In-Charge No (1) of the NLD Dagon Myothit Township was also attacked by a group of thugs at 7:00 PM on April 16, 2008. He escaped from the attack by fleeing and hiding in a nearby home.

 

(G) About 20 members of the NLD in Sittwe Township, Arakan (Rakhine) State were arrested by authorities for wearing T-shirts with a “No” logo on it, (during the Water Festival) and, they were tortured during the interrogation.

 

(2) Judging from the facts mentioned above, apparently there are threats that ban campaigning to cast a “No” vote. These threats are also forcing people to stop planning to cast a “No” vote and also stopping the encouragement of other people to cast a “No” vote. As members of the NLD, who have been trying hard to achieve democracy and human rights in Burma by peaceful means and who won a landslide victory in the 1990 multi-party general elections, are under severe attacks by thugs who prefer to use violence and torture as a means to solve the problems instead of political discussion, we hereby announce that Burma is now resembling an anarchic state.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the decision made by the Central Executive Committee in the meetings on 18 April 2008

 

Central Executive Committee

Rangoon                                                                                                                                                  National League for Democracy