Eyewitness accounts of Black Friday
DVB (2003 June 14)

According to news from military circles, more than 46 people detained in the incident at the Dipeyin on the 30th of May were handed back to their parents. But according to the latest news from another source, those released are not the people who were ambushed at Dipeyin but students who were arrested between Monywa and Dipeyin. According to yet another source, the people who were attacked at Depeyin are still being detained at the Northwest Military Command at Monywa. Most of them are believed to be seriously wounded and those who were slightly injured were sent to Insein Prison via Mandalay Prison, according to news from people close to prison authorities.

At the same time, the NCGUB has issued a list of the exact names and addresses 115 people from Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions who are still missing from the Dipeyin incident. To sum up the list, members of Mandalay Division NLD organising committee, U Tin Aung Aung, Dr Hla Soe Nyunt, U Paw Khin, Daw Win Myat Myat and other four people. Eight members from Mandalay Southeast Township including U Htway and U Chit Yin.

18 people from Northwest including Daw Nyunt Nyunt, Daw Khin Aye Myint, Daw Thandar Sann. 19 people from Northwest Township including Ko Zaw Zaw Aung, Daw Khin Myat Win, Daw Kyi Kyi Myint. 21 people from Northeast including Ma Win Ipphyu and Ma Yi Yi Linn. Two people from Amarapura Township, 3 people from Tub Don Thit Township, 2 people from Democratic Party for New Society, 14 drivers and 20 people from Sagaing. These are the names of the people who came from Mandalay and Sagaing Division. The names of local people from Monywa, Butalin and Dipeyin are not yet included. If their names are included, it is estimated that there could be more than 200 people missing. Although the local people are saying that about 70 people could be dead, nobody could confirm the figure yet.

Meanwhile, the website of the NLD (Liberated Area, Australia) is featuring an interview with Ko Zaw Zaw Aung, the chief organiser of Mandalay NLD youth organisation. Ko Zaw Zaw Aung accompanied Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during her trip and he was the first eyewitness to be contacted… According to Ko Zaw Zaw Aung, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her team left Butalin at 5pm and arrived at Kyi Village at 8pm. 3000 people welcomed her and she delivered a speech to them…

Ko Zaw Zaw Aung : But when the team was about 100-200 yards from the village to depart, 2 (fake) monks and 3 people stopped the car of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and told her to leave after delivering another speech. The villagers were still there. Those people didn’t come to hear her speech while other people were doing so. They could have done so. They kept on waiting in front of the car and forced her to deliver a speech. It was quite dark and we had to go to Dipeyin. ‘Dear reverends, it is quite dark. We have no time. Please allow us to go,’ we begged them. But the monks would not budge. ‘My men are coming from the back. Listen to a monk like me. Try to deliver a speech’, said a monk with his eyes wandering and he would not let us go. During that time seven lorries and DYNA pickups full of unknown passengers turned up. The passengers alighted the vehicles and beat up the villagers without warning while glaring lights shone on them.

After beating up the villagers, those fake monks started to attack Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s convoy repeatedly, continued Ko Zaw Zaw Aung:

Ko Zaw Zaw Aung : We had no weapons. Our leaders didn’t allow us to defend or react when we are attacked by the other side. To say all, we were told to endure the beating. The severity of the beatings became so bad that they would beat anyone that moved after the beating. ‘This person is not dead yet, keep on beating,’ they shouted. ‘I am afraid. Please spare me,’ if someone shouted like that they would keep beating the person. They would also beat up people who were walking by. ‘We build roads and bridges and we don’t include you. What has your Aung San Suu Kyi done for the country? She is the wife of an Indian who obeys his order,’ said the thugs and they kept on beating people who were already limp and lifeless.

The thugs not only swore at Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with such xenophobic words, they also did unmentionable things to NLD women members who were wearing traditional Burmese clothing. The assaults lasted nearly 2 hours and four cars including the one ridden by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were able to drive away from the assaults. After they left, gunshots were heard from Dipeyin, the direction where her car was heading to, according to Ko Zaw Zaw Aung who is still hiding for his life inside Burma.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 14 June 03