To May 18 Memorial Foundation
Min Ko Naing
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Dear friends and colleagues,
I received the letter you sent with encouragement and compassion. I reckon that you all have heard and seen the spring revolution by the citizens of Myanmar. You all have seen that soldiers and police brutally terrorized civilians and dismantled the peaceful protesters with no weapon. The civilians only used non-violent ways. Starting from early February up to March 23th, there are 250 fallen heroes so far. But there are still some who have not been reported as fallen. And about 2500 to 3000 civilians are unlawfully arrested up to this moment.Those cases are not a new phenomenon in Myanmar. If we count from the coup from the 1962 civilians have sacrificed so much, their lives broken, crushed, and imprisoned during the uprisings. During the years 1961,1969, 1974 to 1975 to 1988, there were records of bloodshed.
We didn't notice immediately when your country went through the May 18 revolution. Due to less-developed communication and media as well as a very rigid media censorship system, we did not get to know about the revolution in your country. We got to know about the revolution through the Time News Week magazines requested by some of the embassies by chance and we were very shocked. First of all, we were very amazed and astonished by the news and we were inspired by the citizens of Korea and students’ unwavering courage and warrior mentality. We applauded the citizens of South Korea and we shared the story to achieve our goal.
The movements of our Korean friends in the May18th revolution including the battle for liberation by the oppressed citizens around the world became the examples and lessons for our 1988 uprising movements in Burma/Myanmar.
After we were released from prison in 2012, I came across the May 18th Memorial Celebration in Korea while I was travelling internationally, I felt as if I were in the May 18 Uprising by looking at the Korean friends who were singing the revolution song and raising the flags. I was able to sympathize mutually with Korean friends and with the feelings they went through during the revolution.
In the meantime, Myanmar’s Spring revolution should come to the point where there is no more bloodshed of our precious innocent civilians. The fact that our Korean friends wholeheartedly agree to this matter is expressed through the letters you sent to us.
As the saying goes that “A friend who lends a hand in times of need is a loyal friend”, and your letters become encouragement to renew our strength.
We, the citizens, are working diligently and we tighten our fists and move forward with a self-reliant mind-set.
Let me tell you that we really appreciate the claps of encouragement from around the world including all of you. Your acts of sympathy, standing together online and in front of the respective embassies, public squares and other places in order to support Myanmar’s spring and helping in the termination of military dictatorship in various ways are appreciated.
Once again, Myanmar’s spring is the global crisis issue. We, the civilians, give birth to the new era. We will protect what we give birth to with our own lives.
We are thankful for the encouragement around the world and we will reach our winning destination by appreciating the encouragement.
This letter can be sent to our friends around the world.
With loyalty