Saw Ni Aung

* 1955

  • SAW NI AUNG SECOND CLIP In detention cell, we were handcuffed from behind, tied with a rope from behind and attached around the neck. And then had to sleep with back turning up. From time to time taken out with hood over the head (we) did not know where and beaten without knowing by who. In this way we were taken to interrogation. Sometimes as soon as I got in detention cell, they left me one by one with in-charge detainee to hit me, beat me being handcuffed. They give him a bamboo rod and ask him to beat me. Later he felt embarrassed to do so. Then they told him "if you don't hit him, he will beat you back". So he has to beat me despite being embarrassed. I was hit plainly being handcuffed with bamboo rod in the face, all over the body. How I could say, at first I tried to resist, the blows hurt. But later on I felt dumb. Then police came in saying "Are you, Saw Ni Aung? Come on!"and punched me with guns, gun barrel and beat me with the stock. In this way I was beaten whenever they had a chance, they are angry at me. Police was there, MI was present, in the presence of army, even regional commander sitting there to supervise. Delta commander Major General Myint/Nyunt Aung, that is what I am told. Finally they took me along with another one. I don't know who he was as my head was covered with hood. I realized during interrogation that there was someone else. I was blindfolded, handcuffed from behind and tied with rope attached to the beam. Feet barely touched the floor, the whole night. They interrogated me and the other alternatively. I think it was dawn, they took the other outside. I heard a sound, I think, a sound of gun fire. I thought next time would be my turn. I was praying. Then there was a phone call. I think it is very close to senior office. After the phone call, they came down and I was hit by something I don't know. I cannot say hit in the chest whether with fist or kicked with leg. I was out of breath, almost unconscious. Then I heard them saying they are not satisfied not being able to kill me. They released the rope and I collapsed. They carried me to detention cell. There is another thing. When I was about to be transferred to Bogalay, they asked me to queue in line to take record picture. It was raining lightly. Rain drops get into my eyes covered with hair. It hurts my eyes. So I shake my head. As I did not bathe for one month, I shake my head. The guy next to me called/swore me by names. Then a soldier showed up, said "you filthy". I looked him up and I kicked me with military boot, I was thrown away about 2 meters. What I mean is we had to endure whatever they did to us at that time. I was transferred from detention to Insein prison without food, without drinking water. I was convicted by Bogalay special court with three separate criminal charges : section 19(a) Arms act, section 17/1 for being associated with illegal organization, other one was section 124 for what they call, I don't know, sedition act against State. I was sentenced separately for criminal accounts: 7 years under Arms act, 3 years for being associated with illegal organization, 7 years under section 124, all together 17 years. For 3 different verdicts. I served 7 years in Insein. After that transferred to remote prisons, to kalaya and then sent to Mong Set prison.

  • My name is Saw Nyi Aung. My father is U Saw Eddy and my mother is Daw Ga Ye Ga Ya. My date of birth is 14 January 1955. At that time, I lived in Kat Tha Myin Village of Bogalay Township. It was November 1991; I was elected as interim chairman by village tracts. I served those duties and I was busy. When I went on ground for farm land related matters, we heard the leak information that people from some villages got contact with armed groups and they took weapons. Due to this, investigation was being done and I was arrested based on the events happening during investigation. When it happened, I didn’t know what to do as I was just a third person. I couldn’t decide, so, I went to police station to inform about that. But they detained me at once. It didn’t take too long at Sat San police station. I don’t remember the number of days. Later, I was sent to Bogalay. I think it was only one or two days at Sat San police detention and I was detained at Bogalay detention for the whole investigation period. I think it took about one month.

A Karen ethnic who was separated from his family by death due to the totalitarian regime

Saw Ni Aung is a former political prisoner and he stayed almost 14 years in prison. He was severely tortured in police station and interrogation camp. Saw Ni Aung is a son of U Saw Eddy and Daw Ga Ye Gaya and he was born in Namtu, Northern Shan State. Previously, he served as chairman of village administration. He is a Kayin ethnic and his religion is Christian. His wife Daw Khin San Myint was passed away when he was in jail. They have two sons. He is graduated with B.Sc (Zoology) and he is an expert in sculpture carving. He was wrongly arrested in 1987 in connection with Pho Thagyan bombing and he was released after interrogation. Military intelligence arrested him at Sat San village track in 1991 during Mone Tine Operation conducted in Bogalay Township.