Forwarded with Compliments of Free Voice of America (FVOA):Ý Accurate News and Interesting Commentary for Amerika's Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free.ÝÝ NOTE:Ý Thanks to Irrawaddy.org for this.ÝÝ --Ý kl, pp

Eyewitness Tells of Bloody Friday

By Aung Zaw

June 06, 2003-An eyewitness now in hiding describes last Friday's clash as an organized attack on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters, in a letter obtained by The Irrawaddy. The letter was written by a witness to the events in Depayin Township, Sagaing Division who smuggled the news out of Burma.

The eyewitness writes that thugs broke the windows of Suu Kyi's vehicle and beat her with bamboo sticks while she was still in her vehicle. In a detailed account of events, the eyewitness says the attack was initiated by members of the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA), a social organization backed by Burma's ruling junta. The chairman of USDA is Sr-Gen Than Shwe, head of the ruling military government.

The letter, believed to be genuine, supports initial claims of mass violence and the killing of unarmed civilians. Diplomats in the Burmese capital have already said that Suu Kyi was injured during the attack. The US Embassy in Rangoon reported yesterday that the attack was a well-planned ambush.

According to the eyewitness, the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader and her entourage left Butalin Township for Depayin at around 6.30 pm. As the convoy left the town, an unspecified number of vehicles carrying USDA members started trailing her.

At around 8.30 pm, Suu Kyi and her entourage arrived at Kyi village about three miles from Depayin. The letter reports that villagers came out to welcome Suu Kyi and other party members.

Brutal Beatings

Then the trouble began. As Suu Kyi and her members drove past the waving villagers, a monk claiming to be from Kyi village stopped Suu Kyi's car and asked her to give a speech. Suu Kyi's bodyguards, who had been traveling with her from Rangoon, told the monk that it was already too late in the evening for the convoy to stop. But the monk insisted, the eyewitness's letter reports.

ÝThe situation remained volatile until 2 am. There was violence and screaming for several hours, the letter says.

Htun Zaw Zaw, who has been a close aide to Suu Kyi since her release last May, got out of the car and appealed to the monk. While he was talking to the monk, the USDA members who were following the convoy began to attack the villagers who were standing nearby.

As the violence continued, more vehicles arrived. USDA members moved closer to the NLD entourage. NLD members looked as though they didn't expect the USDA to attack, says the letter.

The letter claims the monk and his followers stood by and watched the beating. The NLD youth members who were guarding Suu Kyi appealed to the monk to intervene and stop the attack but he refused to help. Other reports coming out of the country indicate that many men dressed as monks were seen during the attack.

The brawl lasted for thirty minutes and unarmed NLD members did nothing to provoke the violence, the letter says. Students who had followed Suu Kyi from Monywa began collecting bricks and rocks from the side of the road to defend themselves against the USDA members. NLD leaders called on the supporters not to react, according to the letter.

The beatings of NLD leaders began soon after the supporters were set upon. Those sitting inside vehicles were attacked. Others were told to get out of their cars and had their clothes stripped. Some people, including female NLD members were left naked, the letter says.

As supporters tried to protect Suu Kyi's car, USDA members moved in and beat them over the head. NLD youth members chained their arms to guard Suu Kyi's car, but they were knocked down.

After Suu Kyi's car windows were broken, USDA members and thugs began to beat her with sticks but her driver was able to speed off towards Depayin.

Other accounts from opposition sources inside Burma said that USDA members shouted insults like "Are you protecting the wife of Kala?" Kala is derogatory term for South Asians, Indians and Muslims in Burma but it is also used as an insult for Westerners. In the past, the Burmese military government has used the term to deride Suu Kyi due to her marriage to British-born academic, Michael Aris, who died in March 1999.

ÝUS Embassy staff found considerable debris along the road near the clash. They saw torn and bloodied clothing, numerous weapons and smashed headlights and mirrors.

During the commotion, NLD Vice Chairman Tin Oo was seen fighting with an assailant. He got out of the car and ran, the letter says. USDA members wielding metal and bamboo clubs chased NLD members as they tried to run to Depayin. But according to the letter there were more USDA members waiting in the town. Some supporters tried to escape the violence by hiding in nearby rice fields, the letter says.

The letter names some of the NLD supporters who were injured and are presumed dead. They include Htut Soe (from Rangoon), Paw Khin (an NLD MP from Myinchan), Dr Win Aung (from Amarapura, Mandalay), Zaw Lin (from Amarapura, Mandalay), Aung Ko, Khin Aye Myint (a female NLD member), Khin Maung Oo (a photographer from southwest Mandalay), U Chit Tin (from northwest Mandalay), and Nyunt Nyunt (a female NLD member from northwest Mandalay).

As the violence continued, people from Depayin came out and chanted: "Long Live Daw Aung San Suu Kyi." Meanwhile, the letter says, USDA issued a curfew over a loudspeaker from one of their vehicles. Military vehicles arrived soon after and local army units confronted villagers from Depayin.

The letter states that gunfire could be heard but it was not clear whether troops were shooting directly at people or into the air. The situation remained volatile until 2 am. The eyewitness writes that there was violence and screaming for several hours.

The Morning After

On Saturday morning, the witness saw Tin Oo's vehicle in a small canal nearby with its windows smashed. Other accounts from inside Burma also report that several vehicles were burned. The interiors of two vehicles belonging to the Mandalay offices of the NLD were said to be soaked with blood.

US Embassy staff found considerable debris along the road near the clash. They saw torn and bloodied clothing, numerous weapons and smashed headlights and mirrors.

About 60 NLD members who had managed to hide from the attackers returned to the site of the clash and regrouped after sunrise. Army, police and local officials soon arrived and took most of them away in a truck.

Among those arrested were Thet Htun Oo (from Laeway, an NLD MP), Aung Soe (from the NLD's Mandalay Division Organizing Committee) and Hla Oo (from Amarapura, Mandalay).

After hearing news of the clash, many supporters tried to follow Suu Kyi's car but they were intercepted by other vehicles and attacked. The eyewitness reports that nails were planted on the road and that tires were shot.

The letter also says that Win Mya Mya, a well-known NLD member from Mandalay, was arrested by local army officer Capt Aung Naing. Win Mya Mya's family members have no idea where she is being detained. An NLD source in Mandalay said her arm was broken in the beating but there has been no independent confirmation that she sustained any injuries.

Hospital staff in nearby Monywa said they had not admitted any injured NLD members. Phone lines in Monywa and Depeyin were cut.

The letter says many of the NLD supporters still in hiding have no food and that many are wounded and in need of medical treatment. Meanwhile, authorities have continued to arrest pro-democracy supporters. Vehicles are still being prevented from passing through the towns of Monywa and Depeyin.

Recent reports from international news agencies have suggested that the death toll is closer to 80, not four as government sources insist. NLD sources in Mandalay report that people saw dead bodies being taken away in trucks. [Top]

Funeral for Black Friday Victims

By Naw Seng

June 06, 2003-A brief funeral was held today for members and supporters of the National League for Democracy (NLD) who died in Friday's clash. The service was held at a Buddhist temple in Ruili, China, near the Burmese border.

The service, organized by members of the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) (NLD-LA) northern branch, honored the monks, students and working people who died in the clash and called on Burmese people to pray for the deceased. It began early this morning.

"We are so shocked [by the clash]," said Yan Naung Myint, a leading member of the NLD-LA northern branch. "We regard this move as a Nazi action."

According to witnesses, at least 80 people were brutally killed by a pro-junta group while protecting Suu Kyi and NLD leaders. The number of dead NLD members has not yet been confirmed.

The Thai-based NLD-LA members are also gravely concerned about the junta's inhumane crackdown on the NLD and its supporters. "I feel so much trepidation that the junta will continue these terrorist acts," said U Tin Aung, a leading member of NLD-LA Thailand.

"We have to prepare for a long-term armed struggle, because the junta won't hand over power without a fight," an NLD-LA northern branch member from China said. [Top]

Regime Organizes More NLD Attacks

By Kyaw Zwa Moe

June 06, 2003-Local authorities are secretly plotting more protests against the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) just days after Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers were attacked by pro-junta groups in Upper Burma, sources in Rangoon said today.

In some Rangoon townships, there were reports of half a dozen people in each neighborhood being summoned and instructed to stage anti-NLD demonstrations. Authorities were, however, vague on details about where the protests would be launched.

ÝA lawyer in Rangoon said he was sure that the order for protests came from top military leaders.

"Two days ago, local authorities in Yuzana Garden City [a housing estate], in Dagon Seikkan township, summoned five people from each street and told them to prepare for protests against the NLD when necessary," a Rangoon resident told The Irrawaddy.

Sources added that the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) has always played a key role in encouraging anti-NLD activities.

A lawyer in Rangoon said he was sure that the order for protests came from senior military leaders. "Nobody dares to do such a thing without approval from the top military leaders, " he said.

The lawyer said reports of people being organized against the NLD were coming in from around the country. He said he believed that last Friday's attack was planned by military leaders and that pro-democracy supporters inside Burma could only expect more attacks in the coming weeks.

Suu Kyi has been detained since the clash on Friday evening and reports indicate that she was injured. There are still no reports about party Vice Chairman Tin Oo, who was also taken into custody.

Yesterday, the US Embassy in Rangoon said it believed the attack on Suu Kyi "was planned" by government supporters. Two staff members from the embassy visited the area and reported that the site "had obviously been the scene of great violence." The US State Department now believes that "government-affiliated thugs" were behind Friday's violence in Upper Burma and that many more than four people were killed. According to the junta, four people were killed and 50 injured in the clash.

In the months leading up to the attack on Suu Kyi in Sagaing Divison, there were reports of the military equipping a militia-like organization known as Swan Arr Shin. The members were given bamboo clubs and slingshots. Many say that Swan Arr Shin groups were being armed and prepared to disturb the work of dissidents, especially supporters of the NLD. [Top]