RFA interview with a Singaporean shot in Rangoon

RFA’s Mandarin service interviewed this man last night. You can read the interview in full below, and go to our English Web story for more background and context. [Photo via Ko Htike.] 

“I’m a citizen of Singapore who lives in Rangoon. At around 4:00 in the afternoon today (Thursday), my wife and I were on our way back to my office… We were some 500 meters from a huge crowd of protesters who were surrounded by troops. We heard gunshots, lots of gunshots. The road to my office was blocked. I got out of the car to see what was going on. All of a sudden, a truck carrying soldiers pulled up. More than 20 soldiers got out and started shooting, firing rubber bullets. I told my wife to duck. One of the soldiers shot me twice with rubber bullets, one in the left leg, one in the right foot. They kicked me and the other people around me and told us to squat down in a ditch. We followed their orders. They told us not to look back; otherwise they would shoot. This lasted about 10 minutes. Then the group’s leader told them to get in the truck and they moved on.”

“But we were not even part of the demonstration. I was shot twice. I am having trouble walking. The government is taking shots at people – protesters or not – indiscriminately. I have notified the Singaporean consular office in Rangoon of the incident, but I withheld my name because my wife is Burmese and her relatives and our children are all living in Burma. I as a foreigner living in Burma can always seek help from my embassy. But the Burmese people have nowhere to turn.”

“The Burmese state media announced today that eight were wounded and one had died in the clashes. We can never know the true figure. They will cover up whatever death toll they can to hide the truth. The death of the Japanese journalist is something they could not hide. Every one is still in disbelief and shock that they had beaten the monks. And everyone is angry. ”

“I don’t think the situation will ease soon. The atmosphere is extremely repressive in Rangoon. The monks in the smaller cities will not sit idly by because beating monks is a terrible insult to Buddhism. You know, yesterday, some monks got on their knees to plead with the soldiers while chanting good wishes to them. Those who saw it could not take it because monks do not kneel down to ordinary people – it’s the other way round. The monks are angry. And the people are angry as a result. I think the situation will get worse-if not in Rangoon, then in the smaller cities. The people will continue to rise, and the government will use even more ruthless measures to crack down.”

“The protests spilled into Chinatown yesterday. The residents there came out to greet the protesters and clapped to show their support despite orders banning clapping.”

“The Chinese community are made up of two groups of people – those with money and those without money. Those with money are mostly doing business with the military junta. So they are reluctant to criticize the government – I am ashamed to say that I am one of them. That’s why I must ask you to withhold my name. But we are really very angry inside.”