Former US President George W. Bush has written a letter to jailed Myanmar activist Phyoe Phyoe Aung, who was arrested and subsequently charged during a crackdown on student protests in Letpadan on March 10.
Phyoe Phyoe Aung, general secretary for the All-Burma Federation of Student Unions and a member of the Bush Institute’s Youth and Leadership Forum, was among more than 120 demonstrators rounded up in the city north of Yangon. Many were let go but dozens are still in prison awaiting trial.
Democratice Voice of Burma reporter Angus Watson posted a shot of the letter on Twitter on Tuesday, which was apparently written as Phyoe Phyoe Aung would not be able to attend the graduation ceremony for the forum in the US (Coconuts Yangon could not independently verify the document).
In the signed message dated May 14, Bush writes that “Laura [his wife] and I wanted to send you a note of encouragement,” adding later that “We stand with you and hope that you will soon be released.”
The letter ends with “Stay strong, and may God bless you and your family.”
As might be expected with such a divisive figure as Bush, not everyone was moved by his attempt at solidarity. The BBC’s Jonah Fisher openly mocked it.
This isn’t the first time Bush has reached out to Phyoe Phyoe Aung. In March, the former president and first lady released a joint statement calling for the release of the students.
Photo: Wikicommons
