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MIN KO NAING "Conqueror of Kings" |
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In March, 1988 university students in Rangoon protested against the BSPP's brutal killings of some students from Rangoon Institute of Technology [RIT].
On 16 March 1988, "A thin, dark-skinned young man with curly hair, a slight moustache and beard was giving anti-government speeches at Taung Ngu dormitory in the RASU campus - that was Min Ko Naing," said Thu Rein, a close aide of the student leader. About 3,000 students came to listen to his speech. |
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During the gathering, Min Ko Naing asked students to speak out against the government's mistreatment. Moreover, Min Ko Naing told students the history of student movement in Burma, and the role of the students in national politics, something few students knew about as the military tried to play down the role of students in politics in their textbooks. That was Min Ko Naing's first public speech, but he wasn't using the name "Conqueror of Kings" yet.
After that, the university students in the campus marched to the Convocation Hall where other student activists and Min Ko Naing gave more speeches. He criticized the education system in the country and explained the need for a legal students' union. "We have no union, so we don't have a chance to present our demands." |
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In his speech, he also mentioned how the students' movement in Burma was brutally crushed by the government. Min Ko Naing said: "Our brothers in the past sacrificed to topple this military dictatorship but their demands were only met with violence, bullets, and killing."
Soon after he and other student leaders' defiant speech, the students went out of the campus to join students in RIT where a small demonstration broke out. However, soldiers suddenly appeared on the Prome Road, with 3 rows of barbed wires and 7 soldiers standing by each row. Two armored personnel carriers were positioned behind the barbed wire and there were 3 military trucks full of soldiers in the back. |
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Min Ko Naing asked students to sing the national anthem. Then, the students saluted to Gen. Aung San (Burma's national hero, father of Aung San Suu Kyi and founder of the Burma Army), Bo Aung Gyaw (the first student to be killed during the struggle for independence from British colonial rule) and all the student activists who have lost their lives. Min Ko Naing encouraged the
students to convince the soldiers to join them, and students started shouting "the people's soldiers are our soldiers."
To control the explosive situation, Min Ko Naing and two other students went to negotiate with an army officer. Min Ko Naing stressed the importance of a good relationship between the soldiers and the people. He then asked the officer not to block the road. Min Ko Naing told the army officer: "We are brothers. We understand your position but we have no guns not even a needle but only schoolbooks. We are not harmful you. Please let us go." The army officer refused to comply with the request, insisting that he had to follow the order from his superiors. |
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However, Min Ko Naing's eloquent and smooth communication with the army officer resulted in a better understanding. Astonishingly, soon after Min Ko Naing's talk, soldiers aiming their guns at the student demonstrators seemed reluctant to use force. According to witnesses and students who were involved in the march, the soldiers lowered their arms and the tension eased.
"We don't want violence. I can guarantee that. We just want to join our fellow students in the RIT campus," Min Ko Naing said. The problem was momentarily solved, but then hundreds of riot police rushed in behind the student demonstrators. Without warning, they started beating the students. Hundreds of students ran away, but many were beaten and taken into Insein prison. Female students were severely beaten and those who fled to nearby Inya Lake were chased by riot police and many drowned. Knowing the unrest was simmering around the capital and other provinces the government closed down the universities and colleges. |
