Statement from NUSU re: Budalin Student Union
The Nipissing University Student Union strongly condemns the heinous and senseless attack that took place on July 28, 2023, in Budalin Township, Sagaing, Myanmar (known in English as Burma). It is with profound grief that we learn of the deaths of three teenage students and representatives of the Budalin Student Union – Ko Kyaw Win Thant (18), Ko Kyal Sin Nyein Chan (19), and Ko Thuta Nay (19).
The Budalin Student Union, affiliated with the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), has been tirelessly advocating for the rights and voices of students in a region plagued by ongoing conflict. The attack on their office, reportedly carried out by dozens of military personnel, was a ruthless act that resulted in the loss of young lives dedicated to promoting democracy and human rights.
The targeted raid, executed in a ‘guerilla style,’ left the students with no chance to escape, leading to severe injuries and their untimely deaths. The attack also extended to civilian areas, causing destruction and further loss of life. Such unprovoked violence against young students who merely sought to express their dissent is an affront to the principles of freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the situation for students in Myanmar since the February 2021 military coup has been deeply troubling. The AAPP reported that 125 students have lost their lives, 716 students have been detained, and 138 students (including 31 females) have been handed prison sentences. These statistics paint a grim picture of the dire conditions faced by students who dared to voice their dissent against the military regime.
In November of 2022, seven students from Dagon University, Yangon, were unjustly sentenced to death, marking a severe escalation in the military’s crackdown on student activists.
More recently, in May of the current year, students who were being transferred to another facility were killed by the military. Shockingly, this news only came to light in July, raising concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the actions of the military authorities.
Further adding to these atrocities, ABFSU reported on July 8th that Khant Lin Naing, the vice-chair of the Bago District Student Union, was killed. Khant Lin Naing, who had been arrested on December 12th, 2021, was given an unjust 15-year prison sentence. Later, on May 28th, 2023, he was taken from prison in Daik-U, Bago Region, along with three other prisoners, for transfer. Tragically, his family was informed of his death in early July, underscoring the grave dangers faced by student activists in Myanmar.
The distressing incidents in Myanmar demand urgent international attention. Students’ safety and well-being must be protected, and human rights violators held accountable. We stand in solidarity with the affected and call for an immediate end to violence against civilians.
The appalling atrocities against student activists in Myanmar must be condemned. The international community, led by the United Nations, must take decisive action to bring justice and security to the country. We demand an end to the military’s reign of terror and advocate for democracy and human rights worldwide.
As the Nipissing University Student Union, we support the people of Myanmar, and our fellow student unions, in their fight for justice, freedom, democracy, and peace. Action must be taken now; our global solidarity is their voice.