Affidavits of eyewitnesses to the Depayin massacre

I, Wunna Maung, hereby swear under oath that:

1. I am a citizen of Burma, holding National Identification Card No- 9/MCS- (N) 003840. I was born on March 16, 1977. My parents are U Kyaw Maung and Daw Tin Win. I live in Htundone Myo Thit, Chan Mya Thar Zi township, Mandalay. I make this affidavit in support of my statement on Depayin Massacre, Burma, which took place on May 30, 2003.

2. I had applied for a membership in the Mandalay National League for Democracy (NLD) Youths. The NLD Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo himself said that we had been accepted as members. He continued to say that membership cards had not been issued to anyone due to prevailing situation and told us to continue to implement the Party’s programs. As I had been elected by youths of Htundone Ward, I had to serve as Htundone Township Youth Organizer.

3. For the organizing trip of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to Upper Burma, I had to serve as a youth security officer, according to the duty entrusted to me by Mandalay Division NLD. By security duty, it was meant that, the ones holding the duty had to take the responsibility of keeping a close watch on the travelling party during the whole journey in order to guard against any danger that might befall. Daw Suu entrusted security duty for the organizing trips within Mandalay Division to Dr. Hla Soe Nyunt, an elected MP of Sagaing Township Constituency No.2 in Mandalay Division. Accordingly, Dr. Hla Soe Nyunt, in turn, entrusted Youths of Mandalay Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest Townships, the duty to serve as reserve security units. For the security of Daw Suu, there were 17 members of Central Headquarters Youths who had accompanied Daw Suu from Rangoon. Whenever there was a break in the journey for rest, the Central Youths members took up position as the inner tier of security while Mandalay Township Youths members took up position as the outer tier.
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8. On May 30, the party started to leave from Monywa for Butalin Town at 10:30am. At the beginning of the journey, 10 cars and about 150 motorcycles from Monya escorted the party. On reaching Butalin, the ceremony for installing the signboard and opening Butalin NLD Township office was held and Butalin NLD Youths was formed. At about 4:30pm, the party started to leave Butalin for Depayin Town. On the way at Saingpyin, Daw Suu stopped to meet local NLD members and family members of U Win Myint Aung, an MP-elect, who had been held in prison, to give a word of encouragement and comfort. Before reaching Depayin, as the scout car going ahead of the party failed to return, motorcycle riders were sent to find out about the situation. However, the motorcycle riders also did not return.

9. At the exit of Monywa, our group, including Chairman U Tin Oo and Daw Suu, went in to Zawti- ka Monastery of Monywa for paying respect to the abbot. However, the abbot was away and we continued our journey to Butalin. As we continued our journey, it was about 8:30pm when we reached a place, near Kyi Village, between Saingpyin and Depayin, where the incident took place. At that time, there was only a car between the car we were in and Daw Suu’s car. Daw Suu’s car was at the forefront and in the middle was a car in which U Tun Win (from Zaygyo) and U Khin Maung Thaung were riding. Ours was the third car, which was a Hilux model, green color. Behind our car was that of MP-elect, Dr. Hla Soe Nyunt’s (Sunny, white color). Behind that was the car of Central Youths (Hilux, white color) and behind the Central Youths’ car was that of Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo’s (micro-bus), and then cars of the NLD members, all in a line. After passing Kyi Village for about 300 feet, two Buddhist monks blocked the way stopping the vehicle in which Daw Suu was riding. At that moment, Ko Tun Zaw Zaw got off from the car and, when he inquired about the reason, the two monks said, “We have been waiting for a long time. Ask Daw Suu to give a speech.” In response, Ko Tun Zaw Zaw explained that the “request could not be complied with as there was no time.” While he was still explaining, two Dyna and two Torlagi trucks, altogether four trucks, full of people, came towards us from Monywa side. The people in the trucks, shouting over and over, the slogan, “Oppose those relying on external forces, acting as stooges; holding negative views,” [government slogans] alighted from the vehicles. At that moment, villagers from Kyi shouted, “We, the people in return don’t want you!” At that, the USDA [Union Solidarity Development Association] members and their cohorts from the trucks shouted, “What are you saying?” And with that, they started attack on the villagers with irons spike, iron bars, bamboo clubs and wooden clubs, which they had brought with them, and we had to witness the incident helplessly with a bleeding heart. At that time, as a Dyna truck also was trying to run over anyone in sight, the Kyi villagers who had come to receive us, had to run in disorder. When the two monks who blocked Daw Suu’s car for a speech, were asked to stop what was happening, they said, “We won’t be able to do anything,” and “You may also drive on.” Just at that moment, our cars started to come under attack. I took responsibility for security on the right side of Daw Suu’s car. The disposition for security was that I was close to the right side of the body of Daw Suu’s car. There was no one behind me. We were standing in a line side by side. As the cars were parked close to the right side of the road, there were only one or two of us on that side. Two [men dressed as] monks, with red cloth wrapped around the arm down to the elbow, were standing close to us. They were not the initial two monks who had blocked the way. At that moment, we saw that all the cars behind were being battered by packs of attackers. We, members of security unit, were standing from two to three tiers on the left side to cover Daw Suu’s car. All the USDA members and their hired hands attacking our cars were drunk. We learned later that from the time of departure from Monywa, a half-drum full of liquor was put in their car, and anyone in the car was allowed to drink as much liquor as he wished.

10. For that reason, when they attacked our cars they did it inhumanly and they shouted also, “Are you [a] death-defying force for [the] Kala woman? [i.e. foreign woman, alluding to Aung San Suu Kyi’s marriage to a British citizen]. If so die!” So shouting, they brutally struck down the youths. As there were few people on the right side of the car, the attackers concentrated their attack on the left side, and thus I escaped from the beating. When people on the other side of Daw Suu’s car fell, the attackers struck down glass windows of the car. When the glass was broken, they jabbed into the cars with the rods they were carrying. At that time we who remained shouted, “Daw Suu, do run, run!” In the car, there were the driver, Kyaw Soe Lin, Ko Tun Zaw Zaw and Daw Suu, only three. In the rear also, they attacked U Tin Oo’s car in a pack, and I saw them seizing and taking away U Tin Oo. At that time, U Tin Oo was wounded on the head. Daw Suu escaped beating, because she did not get out of the car. If she did, the attackers would beat her to death, because the attackers were totally drunk. They did not look like they were drunk on liquor but they looked like they were high on drugs. While the situation was in confusion, the attackers arrived near our car and in a pack, they rushed on to attack Daw Suu’s car. They knew that we would not resist and I think, for that reason, they beat up with greater force and killed more.

11. They also beat up women in the third car (Hilux, green color), after pulling off their blouses and sarongs. When the victims covered in blood fell to the ground, I saw the attackers jumped on to them and wrapped the hair around their hands and pounded the heads against stone surface of the road, with all the force. I saw them behaving most inhumanly. I saw with my own eyes, earrings being forcibly taken from a woman who had fallen to the ground (Thanda Soe, second year student). The attackers uttered such base and sordid words like “You woman, wanting to be Kalas’ wives, go ahead die! Before Kala, we will make you our wives. We have to build roads, repair roads, repair bridges and you want to be wives to Kala – die, die!” and went on brutally beating and attacking until the victims were dead. As the cars in the back kept their full headlights on, we saw all that happened. From my mind, I still cannot get rid of the sight of people, covered in blood, being beaten mercilessly and inhumanly.

12. After Daw Suu’s car left, we also ran away. There were people fleeing on motorcycles and on foot. We were three, including a young monk. After running for a considerable distance, we could no longer continue to run. At that time, we saw a car coming from behind and flagged it down. It happened to be a car from our group. All three of us climbed onto the bonnet of the car. Before we drove for long, we saw a group of USDA members and their henchmen waiting for us on the way. We also saw [persons on] about 40-50 motorcycles being beaten. Hence, we had to turn around and run back. It was only about 10-minute drive from the place we were first beaten and to the place where they were waiting. We also saw traffic police from a distance. As there was no escape for us going forward or backward, we wheeled down to the side of the road at a place that seemed to be a branch road. However, it turned out to be a ditch. The car got stuck in the mud. All the people got off and gave a push. At first, it moved a bit. After moving forward for a while, the car got stuck entirely in a ditch. No amount of pushing moved the car. As we had not had our meal and as we had to run from the killing, we became completely exhausted and could no longer push the car. There were about 18 of us who had been in the car. We were members of Youths from Mandalay who had taken responsibility for security, including the Upper Burma Youth Affairs Officer Ko Tin Tun Oo, Deputy Officer Ko Myo Naing, Joint Officer Ko Hla Oo and Central Youth Ko Thein Soe. We no longer cared about the car and all of us tried to flee away from the danger. Fortunately, the place we came to turned out to be [scrubland]. In our flight, Ko Tin Tun Oo and Ko Myo Naing failed to come with us. We saw there the people who had fled before us. We found ourselves to be a total of 97 persons and 49 motorcycles. The ones we met were girl and boy students from Monywa and Sagaing, who had come with our convoy. The counting was done, of course, only in the morning. Two among the group turned out to be members of the gang that had attacked us, supposedly on the bidding of the USDA. They told us about themselves not because we asked them. They revealed their identity on their own volition. They explained, “We had never done such a thing in our life and since we could not bear to do such a thing, we came fleeing with you.”

13. After counting all the persons and motorcycles, on the morning of May 31, we all went towards the main road at 5am. At first, the motorcycles were forbidden from getting on to the main road but without success. They stubbornly went on to the main road. Ko Chit Yin and I remained behind. Among those who went on to the road was Ko Hla Oo. His head was fractured and his hand was broken. The police from their car fired guns to stop the motorcycles, which got on to the road. We could see from a distance the motorcycles that ran on to the road. At that time, we heard seven gunshots…

14. As we did not get on to the road and just walked across the paddy fields, we reached a village called Yin-dwai. As the villagers fed us, we ate and took rest for a while. At that moment, as a child who came back from outside said to us that the village headman was asking about us, we started to set out from the village. After leaving the village and walking in the fields for about 30 minutes, we met six other villagers. Those people took us to their field huts and looked after us for a night.

15. On June 1, at 5am, we started out from a villager’s field. I put on clothes of the farmers I met on the way, with which I exchanged my Kachin sarong and white shirt [NLD uniform]. A villager showed us the way, until we reached Hsin Inn Village in Shwebo Township. That villager had sent us for about 15 miles, and until we got to Hsin Inn, we had to walk through villages. We rode in a car from Hsin Inn to Shwebo. At Shwebo, I put up at a friend’s house, temporarily. While in Shwebo, I met eight persons who had come back from Depayin attack. They said, “While we were looking for jobs, a person took us to the USDA office. We were told that we would get 800 Kyat as daily wages, meals and liquor, and the job was to gang up and beat up a group of people.” “As we were afraid of the officers in that office, we said ‘Yes,’ and gave our promise,” explained the participants in the attack.
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Affidavit of U Khin Zaw

I, U Khin Zaw, hereby swear under oath that:

1. I am a citizen of Burma. I was born in Min Hla Town of Tharawaddy District, Pegu Division in the year of 1315 B.E., and now I am 50 years old. I am the third child among seven brothers and sisters. My father was Artist U Khin Soe and my mother is Daw Sein Than. In 1968, I appeared in the eighth standard school examination. In 1969, I moved to Rangoon. In Rangoon, I learned about gems from my uncle and I made a living as a gem trader and broker. I had never been in politics and had never been to jail. During the BSPP [Burma Socialist Programme Party] Era also, I never did anything in connection with government. I had been only a simple gem dealer.

2. I joined the NLD in 1998. The reason for joining the NLD was that after voting in the 1990 election, the whole family moved to Mandalay. There I met U Hla Win (aka) Bo Mee Khae, who was related to me. U Hla Win was a native of Moenyo and he was with Gen. Aung San in the struggle for independence, during the British and Japanese times. He was working as a patron of the Mandalay Division NLD. We lived in the same compound and, through inquiry about each other’s backgrounds, we came to learn that we were related. As a result of inspiration gained through this uncle U Hla Win’s persuasion and my discontent with the military regime in power, there was a welling up of political courage in me and in 1998, I became a member of the NLD in the Southwest Township of Mandalay. Now, I am a full member of the NLD.
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11. After leaving Butalin, we reached Kyi Village at about 7:30-8pm. To reach Depayin from Kyi Village, we still had to cover a distance of about 2 – 2 1/2 miles. The place we had arrived at was a jungle. However, it was not a jungle like those of Pegu Yoma. In the upper land, jungle means clumps of bushes and thickets. The bushes were good for hiding. About 20- 25 persons could hide in a bush. Even a standing man in the bush could not be seen, as it was so thick. The motor road was on a flat land and the road was wide enough for two cars to easily pass each other. As it was about 8pm when we arrived at the place where the incident took place, the surroundings were in pitch darkness. We could see in the headlights of our cars about 1000 Kyi villagers, who had assembled to welcome us near the junction where the village road met the main road. At that time, the car in which Daw Suu was riding and about 10 other cars had already gone past the village. The motorcycle I was riding on was at the end of the convoy. There were Dyna and Torlagi trucks following behind my motorcycle. While our motorcycle was passing the villagers by, cars in the convoy suddenly stopped.

12. At the time the cars stopped, I noticed that the group, which was going to disrupt Daw Suu’s trip, was behind us. The people in the group held up iron bars, pointed iron rods, bamboo sticks and wooden bats, which they had brought with them and shouted, “You, destroyers of race, whores, who want to have Kalas as husbands; Don’t become Kalas’ wives, become my wife!” etc. At the same time, I heard Kyi villagers countering by shouting, “You are the real destroyers of race, wreckers, act as stooges!” Then the people with weapons jumped down from their trucks and started attacking the villagers, who were welcoming Daw Suu. I did not notice exactly when the attackers started to tail the convoy. I think, these Buddhist monks were fake monks who had followed us from the Army Northwest Command, because most of the monks who were accompanying us had been sent back to Monywa… by personnel of the Army Northwest Command headquarters, based near Zeedaw Village. At first, we thought the monks on the Dyna and Torlagi trucks were the ones who had been accompanying us. However, we saw them taking out red cloths and wrapping them around their arms down to the elbow level. Accordingly, it was clear that they had planned in advance for the attack. I think, wrapping red cloth around the arm was an arrangement to prevent mistaken attack and to make them distinct from the monks who had accompanied us. While the commotion was thus taking place, the thugs, who had hidden in the bushes in advance, came to join forces with those who had come in the trucks. They were also armed with iron bars, pointed iron rods, bamboo sticks and wooden bats. They numbered about 3000 and the weapons they were carrying were the same as the ones carried by those who had come in the trucks. As the cars in the rear kept their headlights on, we were able to see the actions going on and the sounds and voices. We could not see the people clearly, as we were looking from a distance of about 100 yards. It was a gigantic mass of people. Kyi villagers were near the scene and they were the first who had to bear the beating, as they were the ones who exchanged hostile words with the attackers coming down from the Dyna and Torlagi trucks. For that reason, the USDA members beat them up with malice. The place where Daw Suu’s car was parked was quite a distance from where I was.

13. While the attack was taking place, those who came on motorcycles took flight after abandoning their bikes. Some were struck down in their attempt to flee. At that time, no one could care about his motorcycle any longer. It was a time when everyone had to run for his life. At first, I did think about helping our leaders and our NLD members. On second thought, I realized that I would surely die before I got to my leaders and my NLD members, because I had first to pass through the killing ground. It was frightening even to imagine. Before my own eyes, people were being beaten savagely. I was hearing the wounded, dying victims moaning and wailing in pain, shrieking in agony, and crying out for help. At that time, as the attackers from the Dyna trucks were shouting unspeakable abuses, it was just like the hell boiling over. I saw with my own eyes the attackers striking down the victims with all the force and stabbing viciously with pointed iron rods. Truly, it was a murderous attack. The beating was done until the victims died.

14. I heard that U Tin Maung Oo of Southwest Township, Mandalay, was suffering from bleeding in the ears, as a result of the beating. Now, his name is on the list of those who died. He was Organizer for our Southwest Township as well as Mandalay Division headquarters photographer. Another one was Ko Thein Toe Aye, who was Candidate Organizer for our Township. His name also is on the list of those who died. It appeared that the attackers were systematically trained. They mainly aimed and struck on the head. Even when I was at a hundred yards, I heard with anguishing pain, the popping sounds of heads being broken by savage blows.

15. At about 9pm on that night, two elders from Kyi village came to me and one of them said, “My lad, you’d better come with me. You should not remain here.” So saying they took me to the village, and from there I was sent, stage by stage, to Monywa. I had to sleep two nights on the way. I avoided going into Monywa and instead, I stayed in Kyaukka, a village outside of the town. From there, on June 4, I traveled back to Mandalay by bus. When I reached home in Mandalay, I saw my wife laid up in bed, as she became debilitated with illness, after hearing the news of us being beaten and slaughtered. For that reason, I took my sick wife and left urgently on the same night for Rangoon by 8:30pm, mail train. When I reached Rangoon, I stayed in hiding at a friend’s house.

16. On the morning of June 13, my friends informed me that my father U Khin Soe, aged 76, passed away at 11pm, on the night of June 12. After deciding to send off my father on his last journey, even if I got arrested, I left Rangoon in the evening of June 13, by 5pm, express train, for Mandalay. I reached Mandalay on the morning of June 14, at 9am, well in time for the funeral of my father. My relatives told me that my father died of grief caused by the arrest of his brother and the uncertainty as to whether I was dead or alive.

17. As soon as I arrived in Mandalay, my close relatives and friends told me that the military intelligence men had the intention to arrest me and they had subjected some of my friends to interrogation. At 2pm, the remains of my father were taken from Tundon Ward to Dagundaing Taung Myint cemetery for cremation. On return to Tundon, as I learned on the way that the military intelligence men were waiting for me at my house, I went and hid in a friend’s house. From there, I arrived at a place in the liberated area, on the Thai-Burma border, on June 16.

Affidavit of Maung Po Zaw

I, Maung Po Zaw, hereby swear under oath that:

1. I, son of U Than Maung and Daw Mya Kyin, am a citizen of Burma, holding National Identification Card No Ma Ma Na (Naing) 139877. I am 23 years old residing at Ba Ba Lay Ward, Mya-yi-nanda Myothit Town, Mandalay, Burma.

2. I had never been involved in politics. I applied for membership in the NLD only two weeks before Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s trip to Mandalay. While Daw Suu was staying in Mandalay, I was given nighttime security duty for two nights. Daw Suu came to Mandalay on May 26. On the next day on May 27, she went to Dada U. During Dada U trip, persons who took security duty with me included Ko Win Kyi, Ko Pone Myint Zaw, Ko Wunna Maung, Ko Aye Win, Ko Yeh Min San, U Myint and Ko Soe. I went together with Zaw Zaw Aung, Ko Tin Aung Myint and U Tway from Southwest Township on May 29 for Mandalay-Monywa trip. On that trip, I did not take security duty for Daw Suu. Due to shortage of vehicles, only two from each township were allowed to come for security duty. However, responsible persons explained that some could come on their own expenses. Accordingly, some went with the traveling party on their own arrangement. On the Mandalay-Monywa trip, the main responsibility for Daw Suu’s security was taken by members of the NLD Central Youths.
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5. When we left Monywa, there was still nothing unusual. On arrival in Butalin, the ceremonies for installing signboard, opening Butalin Township NLD office and formation of NLD Youths were performed. From there, we left for Saingpyin at about 6pm. In Saingpyin, Daw Suu gave a speech for about 30 minutes. Then, we left for Depayin. At that time, there were nine cars in front of our car and two behind. When we arrived near Pyankya Village, I saw about 20 busses, each of which could carry 40 persons, trailing at a moderate distance behind our convoy. When we arrived near Kyi village, two monks stopped the car in which Daw Suu was riding and advised Daw Suu to give a speech. Then I saw Central Youths security detail leader appealing for pardon, as no speech could be given due to lack of time. Then, the cars moved on a little. At that time, protesters trailing at a distance behind us got off their cars and started to attack the local people with wooden bats, pointed iron rods, iron bars and bamboo sticks which they had brought with them. Daw Suu told our cars to stop. While the attack was in progress, 3-4 villagers shouted, “ Daw Suu please help us!” and arrived at the place where our cars were. At that time, when Dr. Hla Soe Nyunt asked help from the two monks, they replied that it was impossible. On that day, the local authorities had come in advance and forbidden, with threats or with a promise to make offerings, all monks of the monasteries near Kyi village, to go out and welcome Daw Suu and NLD members when they arrived, give assistance or come out even if any problem arose. The monk explained that as they were forbidden like that help could not be obtained and that all communication lines had been sealed.

6. In order to document the beating of villagers on the video, attempt was made to line up the motorcycles and light up the area with their headlights. In the light from the motorcycles, we saw the attackers holding up wooden bats, iron bars, pointed iron rods bamboo sticks and shouting. At that moment, the sound of a whistle was heard, and led by monks in red armbands, they shouted and charged towards us. While we were still dumbstruck on seeing the charge, they started attacking the last pickup truck, in which the monks and novices were seated.

7. After that, I saw them attacking almost simultaneously the car in which Daw Win Mya Mya and the women were riding. As things were happening like that, some got off from the cars and ran into the fields and some along the road. As people were running in all directions, our convoy of cars, including the car of Daw Suu, remained behind. At the same time, there was shouting that Daw Suu’s car was under attack, and the crowd of people, which was in the front turned around and came back. While the crowd reached near Daw Suu’s car, I saw the car dash out from the pack attacking it. On the car, I saw 8-9 members of Central Youths standing on steps on the sides of the car, facing one another with linked hands, and giving protection. As other cars started to follow Daw Suu’s car immediately, those running jumped on to the nearest car. As the car was full, I climbed on to the roof. As we drove on for about 10 minutes, because of the sound of our cars, the cars systematically parked in the fields on the left and right sides of the roads, turned on their headlights simultaneously. As I was on the roof of the car, I could see in the light from the headlights people with bats, iron bars, bamboo sticks and pointed iron rods, waiting ready for us. When Daw Suu’s car reached among the waiting attackers, they fling at the car with sticks, brickbats and iron bars they were holding in their hands and shot at it with catapults. In a pack, the ones in range also hit at it.

8. At the time when Daw Suu’s car passed through the attacking crowd, our car started to enter it. Just as our car tried to rush through the crowd, a Dyna truck parked on the side of the road for the purpose of blocking charged in to hit our car. While trying to avoid collision, our car fell off the side of the road and arrived at the front of the crowd. While our car was veering, I jumped off from the roof on to the ground. While our car veered round to get back on the road, I managed to get in at the back of the car, after catching the rails on the sides. While I was trying to get back in the car, a stick thrown at me hit me in my back. The canvas sheets covering the sides of the car were taken down while the car was driving on. We were beaten for about two minutes by the attacking crowd. As people in the back of the car were lying flat on the floor, only persons on top got most of the beating. After driving for a few minutes, we reached Depayin hospital. The members of the NLD Youths did not respond in kind the terrorist attack made by the crowd waiting in readiness. Daw Suu had told us that if we were wearing the NLD uniform of white shirt and Kachin sarong, we had to bear with a bowed head, whatever was done to us, and must not retaliate.

9. When we arrived at Depayin hospital, from our group Ko Soe (arm, knee, foot), Ko Myint U (head fractured), A student from Monywa, name unknown, (head fractured), Rev. Ashinpyinnya Depa, a monk from Yankin monastery (fractured head and elbow), two women NLD members from Monywa, names unknown (wounds in the head), Ko Myint Soe of Saingpyin Village, who had run away from the incident, and a person from Mandalay Southwest Township. All had to be treated as in-patients as the injuries were serious, except the one from Mandalay Southwest Township, whose injuries were light. On the second day of having treatment at the hospital, May 31, two traffic policemen came and took away the car driver. Then a police inspector and a policeman arrived on a motorcycle. They came to get the list of in-patients at the hospital from the township hospital doctor. The patients were checked against the list and addresses of the patients were noted down.

10. After the list of patients was taken, Ko Soe said to me, “They’ve taken the patient list, but your name is not on it. So, you’d better leave and inform responsible persons.” At about 5pm, the police inspector and five policemen came again to the hospital, in a car. All the people on the list were taken for detention. After sleeping two nights and staying three days, on June 1 at three in the morning, I left the hospital, with a friend, for Depayin railway station. On arrival at the station, my friend and I bought train tickets and took the train to Monywa. We arrived at Monya at 10am. After arriving in Monywa, I went round and inquired about the bus to go on to Mandalay. I found out that busses were banned for 10 days from going to Mandalay starting from May 30, and there was nighttime curfew in Monywa. I arrived back at Mandalay on June 1 at 6pm.

Affidavit of Ko Chit San

I, Ko Chit San, hereby swear under oath that:

1. I, son of U Kyaw Hla and Daw Thein Tin, am a citizen of Burma, holding National Identification Card No Ma-Ya-Ta (Naing) 084649. I am 36 years old residing at Yatanabonmi Quarter, Maha Aungmyay township Mandalay. I am a car driver.

2. On May 28 about 8am, car owner Ko Myint came and asked me to help drive his car No B/5671. He has applied NLD membership for four months already but was not issued membership card as yet due to security reasons. I accepted his request.
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7. On May 30 at about 9am, we resumed our journey from Monywa to Butalin. In reaching Saingpyin village, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave a speech to the villagers, who came to welcome us, and then continued the journey to Depayin at about 6pm. We arrived at Kyi village, the place of the incident about 8pm. After a few moments in passing Kyi village, the cars going in front stopped. Then from behind the motorcade shouting and swearing voices could be heard. “You walked on the road we built, you crossed the bridge we built, wives of Kala, we will kill you with clubs. We have watched Chinese martial arts movies”. With these barbarous words, they began to beat the people in the motorcades. They also beat our car. I witnessed through the rear view mirror in my car that the two victims, who were in my car, fell down to the ground as they were stabbed with iron spikes. The thugs were those who were rather tall. They were wearing gray-hooded clothes. Their eyes were red in colour.

8. I did not know that the person sitting at my left side was attacked with which weapon. Yelling loudly, he fell on me. At the mean time, the thugs attacked the right side of my car in which I was sitting. They also struck down the window and front mirrors of my car. Then, I attempted to leave my car. As I energetically kicked the door of my car with my two legs, the attacker who was beating my car fell down to the ground. Then, I got off the car and attempted to drag the injured out. Unfortunately, it failed. The body of that victim could not respond anything. At that time, the attacker, who fell down to the ground, beat my right leg. As such, I could not continue my efforts to take the body of that victim out. At the time of the attack, I saw the killing field clearly in the light of Dyna trucks. Then, I had to run away through the fields, where car spotlights could not reach. Subsequently, I wondered whether I had to continue running or get back to see the killing field again. After that, I decided to get back to that incident area. I watched the scene of crime from a distance. The thugs repeatedly beat the victims until they died. I also heard shouting, swearing, crying and asking for assistance. It took such a long time. I could not estimate how long it was as I did not have my watch.

9. Then, about 80 policemen, holding shields and wooden clubs, got to that area in four Dyna cars. After that, two cars that were rather similar to Pajero Mitsubushi, chased the previous convoy, and arrived at that area. Two officers got out of the cars and checked the killing field. Hiding under cover of night, I witnessed that the 80 policemen threw the bodies of the dead and injured, as if they were garbage, into the trucks. I could clearly see in the lights of trucks that had been to that area before, and others that got there later, although I could not discriminate between who was who. The two Hilux pickup trucks left at the scene were pushed down into the rice field and then they set them up as if they had overturned. The other two Hilux pickup trucks were set up to look like they had had a head-on collision. Then they took pictures of them with video and still cameras, for the record. After that, I left that area so that I could find a venue to hide for a night.

10. After three hours walk, I reached Shwe-ku-ni monastery in Kyaukka village. With the permission of abbot, I slept there. In the morning of the next day, May 31, 2003, I returned to the killing field again. I saw that an emergency police station no. 2 was opened near the campus of the irrigation department, that was close to the killing field. In order to eliminate all the evidence, water was brought in with municipal trucks and bloodstains and other marks were washed away by the policemen, using brooms. In the mean time, except those official cars, I did not see any vehicle passing through the tar road. I walked from Kyaukka to Monya town. After that, I got to Mandalay from Monywa on June 5.
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