Mie Mie

Thin Thin Aye (Burmese: သင်းသင်းအေး, pronounced [θɪ́ɰ̃ θɪ́ɰ̃ ʔé]; 1970 – 13 August 2018), better known as Mie Mie (မီးမီး [mí mí]), was a Burmese democracy activist who organized and led numerous anti-government protests. She was imprisoned three times between 1988 and 2012, and Amnesty International considered her to be a prisoner of conscience.^[1]

Aye died in a car accident on 13 August 2018, near Kyaunggon, at the age of 47.^[2][3][4]

In the summer of 1988, a series of protests escalated in Yangon and other cities demanding the resignation of General Ne Win, Burma's military ruler.^[5] These protests took their name from the date of the largest march, 8-8-88.^[5] Aye, a 10th-grade high school student at the time, joined the uprising and became active in the All Burma Federation of Student Unions.^[6][7] On 7 March 1989, she was arrested for the first time for distributing fliers commemorating the one-year anniversary of the death of Phone Maw, whose killing by security forces helped prompt the previous year's uprising. She was detained for three months, then released.^[7] In 1990, she traveled to campaign on behalf of the National League for Democracy (NLD).^[6]

In 1996, Aye was studying at Dagon University in Yangon when she took part in a protest and was subsequently arrested.^[7] She was then imprisoned for seven years in Tharyarwaddy Prison.^[7]

Following her 2003 release, she became involved with the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students Group. When rising fuel and commodity prices led to widespread unrest in Yangon in August 2007, the 8888 Generation Students Group played a major role in organizing protests.^[8] The largest of these rallies drew over one hundred thousand protesters, most notably a number of Buddhist monks, giving the uprising the popular nickname "The Saffron Revolution" for the color of their robes.^[9] The New York Times described Aye as "prominent in photographs and videos of the first small demonstrations", noting that she appeared in the shots "with her fist raised".^[10]

Following a government crackdown on protestors, members of the 88 Generation Students Group were swiftly arrested.^[8] On 22 August, the day after several 88 Generation leaders had been arrested, Aye led a protest march and then went into hiding.^[7] She was arrested herself on 13 October 2007 at a rubber plantation where she was hiding with fellow leaders Aung Thu, Htay Kywe, Zaw Htet Ko Ko and Hein Htet.^[7]

Leading up to her trial, Aye was detained with other activists at Insein Prison.^[7] On 11 November 2008, she and other 88 Generation members were convicted of four counts of "illegally using electronic media" and one count of "forming an illegal organization", for a total sentence of 65 years in prison apiece.^[11][12] Aye reportedly shouted in response to the judge, "We will never be frightened!"^[13]

Amnesty International named her a prisoner of conscience and called on multiple occasions for her release.^[1][14] Human Rights Watch called for the 2007 protesters to be exonerated and freed,^[15] as did Front Line.^[16]

Aye's health was said to be deteriorating as a result of her imprisonment.^[14] In 2008, an NLD spokesperson alleged that prison authorities were refusing her proper treatment for her heart condition.^[17] Her husband stated that she also suffers from spondylosis and arthritis.^[18]

Aye was released on 13 January 2012 as part of a mass presidential pardon of political prisoners.^[19]

Aye married Hla Moe in 1990 and has three children with him.^[18] Hla Moe works in a car repair shop and in 2009 told Irrawaddy magazine that he was allowed one twenty-minute prison visit with his wife per month.^[18]

Aye died in a car accident on 13 August 2018, near Kyaunggon, at the age of 47.^[2][3][4]

• Profile at Assistance Association for Political Prisoners