No Political Prisoners left behind “Forgotten”, an interview with U Win Tin

If we ever felt that we were been forgotten, become forgotten prisoners, by our family, by our siblings or by our comrades or by our political party or our organization we belonged, then would arise upsetting issues. Among our political prisoners, we would go into arguments, disputes, and mental-breakdowns and into isolation. We could call it depression too. There came numerous problems because of it.

However, I had never felt that way. It was because of all the encouragement from my friends outside. Because of their moral support and helping hands, I had never felt like a forgotten prisoner. This, I considered, a very important factor of our life. So when I came outside, I met with my friends and colleagues. I was glad and grateful and I am not feeling being left behind as forgotten prisoner at all.

So with this Great Spirit, I can continue my political activity as much as I am capable of. I try to be useful for the good cause of our country and for our people. Because, I have come out to the outside world without the feeling of being forgotten, I become more optimistic towards all people, I have more confidence and loving-kindness to them, and I have more respect to my own people. With this spirit, I become more able.

Taking an example of my own self, I am now helping political prisoners as much as I can now. If I can offer clothes, or if I can offer medicine, I provide at my best at all cost to them. It is like the way I used to spend time in prison, I used to stay in prison as unforgotten prisoner, I would like them to feel the same way as me. Then they will come out without the broken spirit as “forgotten prisoner”. This is what I am doing right now.

If they were come to outside world not as “forgotten prisoners”, they would be beneficial to the good cause of our country. They would work for the good cause of our country, our people, and political reason and for democracy, the more the better. Well, comparing with me nearing at my eighties, I can only work for next 1 to 2 to 3 years in the coming future. But for them, they are young; they can be able to work for many more years to come if they were not felt as “forgotten prisoner”. This is my great expectation and my hope. To have this spirit and maintain continuously, I am working on this process. I would like to say this much.

Well, if I were to tell you off the record, I have grown old already and now, this time is not proper for continuing political activity. I can be less useful as I grow old. My ability was decreasing too in mental and physical power. But I have to carry on. I have to work hard. It is due to the surrounding situation.

All I want to say is this; when all of you have wished me for long life, I also would like to add that I want not only just long life, but also long life with the will to continue to engage in political activity as I wish. While I am alive, I want to live doing what I want. Well, getting involved in political activity is not because I am proficient or I am expert but I have the responsibility to do so and I am thrown at this concurrence by chance and I do not deny it. Therefore, it is suffice to say that if I were to participate in political activity, I want to be useful and effective in it and I wish and I pray seriously for it too. I would like to say this much. …”