Myanmar democracy veteran mourned

23 April 2014
Last updated at 10:04













The NLD described Win Tin as a "great pillar of strength"

Hundreds of mourners have gathered to mark the funeral of Myanmar pro-democracy veteran Win Tin.

A founder of the National League for Democracy (NLD), he served 19 years in prison under Myanmar's military rulers for his activism.

Released in 2008, Win Tin was seen as a close aide to Aung San Suu Kyi but also held the power to disagree with her.

He died in a Yangon hospital early on Monday morning after suffering from health problems.

His body will be buried in a cemetery outside Yangon later on Wednesday, the AFP news agency reported.

Win Tin was Myanmar's longest-serving political prisoner


The memorial service in Yangon saw many donning blue outfits as a sign of solidarity


Win Tin was unafraid to criticise party leader Aung San Suu Kyi when they disagreed

Freed from Insein prison six years ago, Win Tin continued to wear his blue prison shirt as a protest because others were still being held.

Mourners wore blue prison uniforms as a tribute to him and carried portraits to a memorial service, reports the BBC's Jonah Fisher from Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon.

Much of Win Tin's time in prison was spent in solitary confinement and his sentence was twice extended.

He was known for speaking his mind - not being afraid to criticise members of his own party, in particular those he saw as being too reverential towards Aung San Suu Kyi.

Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said Win Tin's death was an "irreplaceable loss" for the South East Asian nation, formerly called Burma.

"His bravery in the face of cruel hardship continues to echo through Burma's fragile reform process," he said in a statement.

Two years after his release, Myanmar held its first elections in 20 years.

The NLD boycotted the polls but re-entered the political fold as the government embarked on a process of reform that saw some political prisoners freed and media censorship relaxed.

The party now has a small presence in parliament and its key focus is the general election due in 2015.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-democracy-veteran-mourned/