Daw Aung San Suu Kyis driver in Khanti Prison

DVB ( July 4 )

The driver of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Ko Kyaw Soe Linn is being detained in Khanti Prison in northern Burma. His family members told the DVB that the ICRC staff who have just returned from Northern Burma informed them of his whereabouts.

Ko Kyaw Soe Linn is a second year law student of Mandalay University and he is the son of U Ko Ko Gyee, the chief NLD organiser of Mandalay Division. On the day of the incident, he was able to drive Daw Aung San Suu Kyi out of the murderous and brutal assaults of the USDA members. Although he was able to drive away from Kyi Ywa, he was later arrested by the authorities at Ye-U. Later, he was sent to Khamtee Prison with 17 NLD youth members. We interviewed Ko Kyaw Soe Linn’s older brother, Ko Linn Linn who is planning to see him soon:

Ko Linn Linn : …First I sent a motorcycle with Ko Kyaw Aung, the chairman of the Northwest Township and a car. But they never returned. Then Daw Suu said, let’s go and follow them and we did. Daw Suu’s car was stopped by two fake monks. They blocked them and shone spotlights on them. The people who followed the motorcade beat up the people [NLD supporters]. The two monks demanded Daw Suu to give a speech. My brother stopped the car for awhile. Then the people who were lying in wait were beaten up and two or three people who were protecting Daw Suu fell.

DVB : Do you know who they are?

Ko Linn Linn : I don’t know who they are exactly by name. The people who returned told me. The car screen was then smashed. He then drove the car away from the scene to escape the assault. The intelligence agents at Ye-U got the news. A driver of DYNA pick-up was told by the intelligence agent to knock my brother’s car off. The agent held the driver at knifepoint and forced him to knock the car off. He had to do so. My brother had to drive through a dry creek to escape. Then, there were some logs used as barriers in front of them. He managed to drive over the logs and escape. In the car were my brother, Daw Suu and Tun Zaw Zaw. They were stopped at Ye-U and arrested.

DVB : Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was taken to one place and your brother and another youth were arrested?

Ko Linn Linn : Yes. That’s how I heard. They were detained at Shwebo for two days. He was then taken away with 85 Kyi Ywa villagers and 17 NLD youth under the cover of tarpaulin.

DVB : Who are the 17 people? Could you tell us as much as you know?

Ko Linn Linn : I don’t know who they are but I am sure that they are in Khamtee Prison. I got a letter from my brother through the ICRC.

DVB : When did the ICRC inform you that your brother is there?

Ko Linn Linn : They informed us on the second of July.

DVB : Did the ICRC tell you that they met your brother at Khamtee Prison?

Ko Linn Linn : Yes. I told them that I was unable to contact my brother and they told me that they will try to locate him. If they found him, they would inform me they said…

DVB : Ko Kyaw Soe Linn’s letter is in your hand now?

Ko Linn Linn : Yes. The ICRC gave it to me.

DVB : What did he say? Could you tell me what he said?

Ko Linn Linn : He told me not to worry and asked how we were. He told us not to worry. The journey is quite difficult. But if I could come, I should come and the like. With him Ko Myint Ngwe of Yenanggyaung is also well. He also asked me to ring his family up and I did. Beneath the letter is the signature of the official, I think. There is no signature of his but it is his handwriting. If you could not come don’t come. It’s not important but just send mosquito repellent coils and clothes, he said.

DVB : When are you going to meet him?

Ko Linn Linn : We are still preparing for it and we hope to go there on Monday. The ICRC told us that we could see him.

DVB : As a family member how do you feel about your brother’s arrest for supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?

Ko Linn Linn : My brother is working for the country. We are not worried about the loss of life and the like. We are very proud of him. There is nothing to feel sorry about it…We have to carry on the fight.

Their younger sister Ma Thandar Soe also accompanied Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the day the incident occurred and there is still no news from her, said Ko Linn Linn. There have been many people who are missing like Ma Thandar Soe after the Dipeyin assault.

The family of Daw Tin Myint, a woman NLD member of the Mandalay Northwest Township is still unable to find out about her. She was rumoured to be in Shwebo Prison but she is not in the list of people met by the ICRC there. There have been also people who were arrested after the incident. U Sein Tun, the vice-chairman of Singu Township NLD, Mandalay Division, U Sann Oo Maung and the two brothers of U Sein Tun, Ko Hla Swe and Ko Thet Naing were arrested on the 28th June by the military intelligence. U Soe Aung, the chief organiser of Sagaing Division was also arrested on the 29th of June, according to the local NLD supporters.