A portrait of Win Tin, who died aged 85 last year, with the blue shirt and longyi he wore in solidarity with remaining political prisoners. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA
One year ago today, Myanmar lost one of its leading democracy activists: Win Tin, the journalist and former political prisoner who spent 19 years behind bars for opposing the military junta. To mark the first anniversary of his death, hundreds of his friends and supporters gathered this morning for a memorial event in Yangon.
Men and women of all ages packed out the Royal Rose Restaurant in Bahan for the event organised by the Win Tin Foundation, which featured speeches from opposition leaders and a small exhibition of photos. Many attendees were dressed in blue shirts in tribute to his jail uniform, which he continued to wear in solidarity with the country’s remaining political prisoners until the day he died.
Among the crowds was Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of opposition party the National League for Democracy (NLD), who praised her former mentor for his humility. “[Win Tin] was a lot older than me, and more experienced than me, but he never acted like a master,” she said. As she walked through the exhibit afterwards, she was swamped by fans straining to take her picture and joining a loud chant to wish her good health.
Aung San Suu Kyi praised Win Tin in her speech. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA
Win Tin, a founding member of the NLD, was widely admired for his willingness to disagree with Suu Kyi on issues including her conciliatory stance towards the military, whose members still hold on to a quarter of the seats in parliament even after the transition to a nominally civilian government in 2011.
The opposition leader was swamped by fans as she explored the tributes. PHOTO/COCONUTS MEDIA
The activist’s view was informed by the years he spent behind bars, often in solitary confinement, from 1989 to 2008. He died in 2014 after suffering respiratory problems, still wearing the blue shirt, which was on display as part of this morning’s memorial. Many of his supporters praised his determination, which made him, in the eyes of the government, something of a ‘hard-liner’.
“He dared to say what he believed,” said Soe Htun, a leading member of the 88 Generation Students group, adding that he was unafraid to oppose Suu Kyi. “He was honest and courageous, he never surrendered when standing up for the public interest.”
U Aye Thar Aung, from the Arakan League for Democracy, who spent time with Win Tin in prison, said he had come to the event to pay respects to his old friend. “Me and U Win Tin worked together against the military power to develop democracy. In this fight we had the same mind and heart,” he said
