June 29: The National League for Democracy (NLD) party members have been barred from making a living for their family by the authorities of Burma’s military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

Vehicle control authorities of Rangoon Thonegwa Township recently pressurised the owner of a bus company to remove NLD Organising Committee member Yin Aye who had been making a living as a hired driver for his company.

“His (Yin Aye’s) job was working as a driver for another owner,” NLD spokesman and lawyer Nyan Win told DVB. “The ‘Ma-Hta-Tha’ (Vehicle contol authority) asked him to be fired from his job as he is involved in politics. The owner didn’t. He argued that driving is his own business. But in the end the Ma-Hta-Tha arranged the cars to be vehicles for (ferrying) university (students). Thos who are involved in politics can’t be drivers for university students. Therefore, the owner could not employ his cars if he appointed his man. In Burma, you can only employ your car with the arrangement of the Ma-Hta Tha. He can’t be a driver for the university ferrying students. He had no permit to go anywhere. So he had to quit his job.”

Nyan Win added:

“It is completely unfair. You can’t drive a car because you get involved in politics! It is not a logical excuse. What they are doing is, making it impossible for NLD members, political activists to make a living.”