Union Organizer killed by Burmese Military
21 May 2005
The Seafarersf Union of Burma S.U.B would sadly like to announce that Ko Moe Naung, our organizer in Ranong Region (Thai-Burma Border) (38 Years Old) was murdered by the Kawthaung based Burmese military (Light Infantry Regiment 431) at 11:00 pm ( Thai standard time) on 19 May 2005.
At 8:00 pm local time on that day, Ko Moe was arrested at his resident in Ranong by unidentified men. He was brought to 8-Mile Village based LIR 431 in Kawthaung, Burma and tortured to death during interrogation, according to our sources from the vicinity of the LIR 431 in Kawthaung.
Ko Moe was merely Trade Union leader, who was organizing Burmese fishermen and migrant workers from Burma at the Ranong area. He was seeing and witnessing day to day Burmese workersf plights, suffering in the hands of Thai bosses as well as oppressed by Burmese authorities. He was enthusiastic to help such peoples and actively joined with the SUB in building the labor solidarity network for Burma to fight for workersf rights.
Due to his leadership skills and energetic organizing activities that influence on Burmese workers in that area, he was targeted by Military regime. The degree of hatred on Trade Unionist like Ko Moe is obviously proved that he was killed within 3 hours after being arrested.
The fall of Ko Moe is great lost for labour movement of our country and for our organization. His courage and great leadership skills were un-replaceable. We express our great sadness and at the same time we are proud for his lifelong scarification for labour movement which peruse for better life of all workers. We are trying to assist and contact his wife, who is surviving in Ranong as well as his family in Burma.
The murdered on Ko Moe again vividly highlights the brutality of military regime, and its evaluation of life on citizens treating as if a piece of paper, never hesitate to tear off whenever its power has been threaten.
Although we could not identify how many Ko Moe like leaders have being lost yet, we are sure that more and more unionists will be lost in the labour movement in Burma as long as this regime is standing on the earth.
The lost of Ko Moe reminds us to solidify our spirit more to overthrow the regime. We would like to request all the workers in Burma (who work for living) to unite in kicking out the regime. We would also like to request the International Labour communities to assert more actions than ever to overthrown the regime.
Seafarersf Union of Burma
More Information: S.U.B +66-1-812 2550
Email: seagull@ksc.th.com
Note:
Seafarersf Union of Burma is based in Thailand to uplift the better life for Burmese seafarers and fishery workers as well as fighting for exercising worker rights in Burma. It is affiliated by Federation of Trade Unions – Burma (FTUB), International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and International Center for Labor Solidarity (ICLS)
The military regime of Burma bans the all forms of trade union movements and gives harsh punishment to those who try to organize the labour within the country.
