April 24, Mandalay Division National League for Democracy (NLD) vice-chairman and Singu Township elected representative (MP) Saw Htay was ‘given permission’ to resign as ‘he was fed up with the NLD because of personal grudge and division within the party’ and that he ‘expressed his support to the seven-point Road Map and the National Convention’, according to a recent announcement in Burma junta’s mouthpiece, the New Light of Myanmar.

But a divisional organising committee member Win Mya Mya told DVB that Saw Htay was forced to resign due to various types pressure piled on him by the authorities.

“When it comes to the position of U Saw Htay’s resignation, I assess that U Saw Htay resigned because he was given various pressures,” insisted Mya Mya Win. “No letter (of resignation) arrived at our Mandalay Division or the Central (NLD) in concerning with the resignation of Sayagyi (great teacher) U Saw Htay. We learnt about it through the media based on the pamphlets (newspapers) of the higher authority organisation.”

When asked how Saw Htay was pressured, Win Mya Mya said:

“As for the pressures, inside the country, politicians who are carrying out the NLD politics are enduring the onslaughts of the political world. After Dipeyin (Massacre), there have been some coaxing-method pressures for resignation with business incentives and negotiations. Therefore, we don’t know how Sayagyi U Saw Htay was forced to resign. But Sayagyi U Saw Htay was a very dutiful person when he was carrying out duties in the NLD. He was someone who had complete faith in the politics of the NLD. Sayagyi U Saw Htay’s health started to deteriorate in the beginning of 2005. He faced every kind problem in economical and social situations, and took a long leave from the beginning of 2005. When one is away from the divisional and township organising (committee) and the township for health reason thus or due to various reasons, there are certain pressures to resign by means of threat and coaxing, (which are applied on you) alternatively. We are unable to say exactly as to how Sayagyi U Saw Htay was pressured and coaxed for resignation. Only Sayagyi U Saw Htay will know that.”

Win Mya Mya maintained that Saw Htay didn’t quit the party because he lost his political belief or because he supported the junta’s seven-point roadmap as claimed by the paper, but due to relentless pressures put on him. She added that other NLD leaders within the division such as Sinkkaing Township chairman, retired army captain Tun Sein, divisional organising committee chairman, retired army colonel San Hla Baw who has been resting for reasons of health and the elected representative of Myingyan Township Maung Maung Win, have all been under pressures and coaxed with monetary incentives to resign from the party and quit it.

“They do that with the go-betweens/agents,” Maung Maung Win told DVB. “They say why not you start a little business and the like. They approached us a little bit and beating about the bush. As we are the persons who do not accept this kind of things, they dared not say much. The reason being, we are firm persons (hard-cores). Our general secretary (Aung San Suu Kyi) told us that we have to be firm/strong. Those who are firm will have no problem. As soon as they (agents) know that they could not enter, they just stepped back. It depends on the person who is tested on. Here, as for our organisation, there is no hand-raising, no knees bending (surrendering) whatever you entice us with. As for us, if we have to die, we will die.”

According to other NLD members, the local authorities of Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in some townships of Mandalay and neighbouring Magwe Divisions, said that they are wiping out the party by 2006, using all available means, by hook or by crook.