Mie Mie

Thin Thin Aye (Burmese: သင်းသင်းအေး, pronounced: [θɪ́ɴ θɪ́ɴ ʔé]; better known as Mie Mie (မီးမီး, [mí mí]); b. 1970), was a Burmese democracy activist who played a leadership role in numerous anti-government protests. She was imprisoned three times between 1988 and 2012, and Amnesty International considered her to be a prisoner of conscience.^[1]

8888 uprising and 1996 arrest

In the summer of 1988, a series of protests escalated in Yangon and other cities demanding the resignation of General Ne Win, Burma's military ruler.^[2] These protests took their name from the date of the largest march, 8-8-88.^[2] Mie Mie, a 10th-grade high school student at the time, joined the uprising and became active in the All Burma Federation of Student Unions.^[3][4] On 7 March 1989, she was arrested for the first time for distributing fliers commemorating the one-year anniversary of the death of Phone Maw, whose killing by security forces helped prompt the previous year's uprising. She was detained for three months, then released.^[4] In 1990, she traveled to campaign on behalf of the National League for Democracy (NLD).^[3]

In 1996, Mie Mie was studying at Dagon University in Yangon when she took part in a protest and was subsequently arrested.^[4] She was then imprisoned for seven years in Tharyarwaddy Prison.^[4]

Saffron Revolution and third arrest

Following her 2003 release, she became involved with the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students Group. When rising fuel and commodity prices led to widespread unrest in Yangon in August 2007, the 8888 Generation Students Group played a major role in organizing protests.^[5] The largest of these rallies drew over one hundred thousand protesters, most notably a number of Buddhist monks, giving the uprising the popular nickname "The Saffron Revolution" for the color of their robes.^[6] The New York Times described Mie Mie as "prominent in photographs and videos of the first small demonstrations", noting that she appeared in the shots "with her fist raised".^[7]

Following a government crackdown on protestors, members of the 88 Generation Students Group were swiftly arrested.^[5] On 22 August, the day after several 88 Generation leaders had been arrested, Mie Mie led a protest march and then went into hiding.^[4] She was arrested herself on 13 October 2007 at a rubber plantation where she was hiding with fellow leaders Aung Thu, Htay Kywe, Zaw Htet Ko Ko and Hein Htet.^[4]

Trial and imprisonment

Leading up to her trial, Mie Mie was detained with other activists at Insein Prison.^[4] On 11 November 2008, she and other 88 Generation members were convicted of four counts of "illegally using electronic media" and one count of "forming an illegal organization", for a total sentence of 65 years in prison apiece.^[8][9] Mie Mie reportedly shouted in response to the judge, "We will never be frightened!"^[10]

Amnesty International named her a prisoner of conscience and called on multiple occasions for her release.^[1][11] Human Rights Watch called for the 2007 protesters to be exonerated and freed,^[12] as did Front Line.^[13]

Mie Mie's health was said to be deteriorating as a result of her imprisonment.^[11] In 2008, an NLD spokesperson alleged that prison authorities were refusing her proper treatment for her heart condition.^[14] Her husband stated that she also suffers from spondylosis and arthritis.^[15]

Mie Mie was released on 13 January 2012 as part of a mass presidential pardon of political prisoners.^[16]

Family

Mie Mie married Hla Moe in 1990 and has three children with him.^[15] Hla Moe works in a car repair shop and in 2009 told Irrawaddy magazine that he was allowed one twenty-minute prison visit with his wife per month.^[15]

References

External links

• Profile at Assistance Association for Political Prisoners