Interview with the wife of U Ko Ko Gyi

DVB ( July 29,2003 )

The DVB had reported yesterday that Mandalay NLD’s treasurer U Ko Ko Gyi was arrested by the military intelligence (MI) on the 24th of July and currently being tried.

The father of Ko Kyaw Soe Lin who volunteered as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s driver during her last trip, U Ko Ko Gyi was arrested by the MI agents at Mandalay Airport after visiting his son at Khamti Prison in Northern Burma.

When he tried to see his son, U Ko Ko Gyi was turned back five times from travelling by plane with the excuse of bad weather. His wife told the DVB that in the end three family members (U Ko Ko Gyi, his wife and a daughter) had to travel by boat via Monywa to reach their destination up the country:

U Ko Ko Gyi’s wife : Yes. We, the three family members went to see him. They changed and cancelled our scheduled flight five times. Their excuse was bad weather. We did try the last time but they turned back after Homalin. We felt impatient and took the boat to Monywa. We slept one night in Monywa and took a boat up the country. We had to sleep on the boat for three nights. We slept one night in Khamti. Then, we met the MI agents and they planned the speedboat for us to meet him (her son). We had to climb the stairways that lead to the top of a hill. We met him for fifteen minutes. Then, we returned by the same speedboat. They arranged a car for us as we got plane tickets. They (MI agents) only went home after we were on the plane. We reached Mandalay by plane. They were waiting for us at the airport. He had to follow them. They dumped us by the roadside in front of our house and took away my husband. It was at 4pm, on the 24th of July. We only managed to meet fifteen minutes. He (her son) told us that he is well and enquired after our health and the like. We told him that we are OK…

DVB : How was Ko Kyaw Soe Lin’s mental and spiritual condition?

U Ko Ko Gyi’s wife : He is in the usual mode. He is quite tough by nature. He has strong spirit. He rarely feels dejected.

DVB : As Ko Kyaw Soe Lin was involved in the Dipeyin incident, did you see any wounds on him?

U Ko Ko Gyi’s wife : I could not see him properly as my eyes are not that good. As I saw him move around and assumed that he is well. I could not see his back and other places on his body properly as he was wearing clothes. They (MI agents) were also present. So, we didn’t ask him anything particular. He told us that he is well and talked about this and that and we had to come home.

DVB : How did they take away U Ko Ko Gyi?

U Ko Ko Gyi’s wife : Before we reached our home, they told me and my daughter to remain at home and that they wanted to ‘discuss’ something with him…We still have no contact with him. They told me to bring some clothes for him that day and I did. They asked me to meet them at a teashop and they took the clothes with them.

DVB : Your son is in prison. One of your daughters is missing. And whatever it is – your husband is being detained. As a mother, what do you feel in your heart?

U Ko Ko Gyi’s wife : I do have some anxieties about these matters. What can you do? (giggles) These things tend to happen. I do have some worries. It doesn’t really matter. I have the ability to endure that much. I was quite relieved to see my son. As they say, it was not his day to die. I am partly happy and partly sad. It is like being sent into exile… (giggles)