Myo Yan Naung Thein is a Burmese democratic leader who has dedicated his life to the democratization of Burma. He was educated in architecture but became involved in pro-democracy activism while in university, leading student demonstrations in 1996. As a result, he spent seven years in prison where he was tortured. After his release, he continued his activism and was imprisoned again in 2007 after participating in protests led by Buddhist monks. Though imprisoned twice for his activism, he remains committed to establishing democracy, human rights, and rule of law in Burma. He now works to educate younger generations through schools established by Aung San Suu Kyi.

1. Myo Yan Naung Thein's Biography
“The people who hold authoritarian power don’t want to relinquish it. But, if the military are seen to
stand back from mainstream politics it is not because of their willingness to build a democratic country,
but more because they recognize the need to allow more public participation in politics, and to have a
relationship with the international community.” [Myo Yan Naung Thein]
 Name: Myo Yan Naung Thein
 Birth Date: March 31, 1974
 Education: Bachelor in Architecture [Rangoon Institute of Technology (R.I.T)]
 Place of Birth: Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma)
Myo Yan Naung Thein is a democratic leader of Burma who dedicates his life for democratisation of Burma. Addition to mother
tongue Burmese language, Myo Yan Naung Thein speaks excellent English, French and Spanish. He earns the Architecture
Degree from Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT). He spent nearly a decade in the prisons. During interrogation, he was
tortured very seriously.
He is campaigning for to end ethnic’s conflicts and to achieve ever lasting peace in Burma. He is a strong advocate for ethnics’
rights and he believes in unity in equality and harmony in diversity. He believes in dialogue and he devoted his life to achieve
national reconciliation reality in Myanmar. Currently, Myo Yan Naung Thein is working very closely with democracy champion
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Myo Yan Naung Thein was born in Myanmar from U Mya Thein and Daw Kyi Kyi Sein. His parents are politicians and so he is
familiar with global and domestic politics since his childhood by listening to his parents conversation with guests and Myo Yan
Naung Thein might quietly listening to their conversations at the corner.
Since his parents encourage reading and education, Myo Yan Naung Thein is blessed to have various collections of books at
home including politics, history, economic and international affairs etc. As an outstanding student, Myo Yan Naung Thein
passed matriculation exam with flying colours which enabled him to join prestigious Rangoon Institute of Technology (R.I.T)
where he earned the degree in Architecture.

2. His political career started when he was only 21 years old when he was studying at the Rangoon Institute of Technology (R.I.T)
which is famous for breeding ground for political activists. In 1996, there were students' demonstrations started from Rangoon
Institute of Technology (R.I.T) led by Myo Yan Naung Thein and six other like-minded students demanding for justice for police
brutalities on students and unfair dismissals.
At that time, Burma was under military regime which came to power after gunned down more than 3000 unarmed peaceful
demonstrators in 1988 mass uprising. Burmese military regime is particularly notorious for torturing and imprisoning dissidents.
In Burma's history the period between 1988-1996 is known as the bloody crack-down years. The military regime put Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi under house arrest, locked her supporters behind bars and increased engaging civil wars with armed ethnic groups.
Young and full of passion for justice, Myo Yan Naung Thein was fully aware of the risk he was taking.
He knew that he and his comrades could be gunned down, arrested, tortured and imprisoned. But, he took the risk for justice
for people of Myanmar. As expected, Myo Yan Naung Thein was sentenced to prison for 7 years in 1997 and sent him to Thayet
prison which is 300 km away from his hometown, Yangon. His father passed away suddenly when he learnt that his son, Myo
Yan Naung Thein, was seriously tortured during interrogation.
Myo Yan Naung Thein was re-arrested again in 2007, a tragic day for all of Myanmar. Engaging a vital role in the struggle for
freedom in Myanmar, he actively participated in the 2007 Buddhist monks led revolution. This time, he was imprisoned and
sent to Thandwe prison which is 700 km away from his beloved hometown, Yangon. His crime, being a freedom fighter, making
him a prisoner of conscience. His mother in her late 70s was bedridden diagnosed with heart condition. Although it takes 2 days
to get there by coach due to natural barriers and transportation challenges, since roads are dangerous as they are built through
mountains and jungles; she was very persistent and did not let missing the visiting days.
In Myanmar, there was no rule of law during the reign of military regime and the laws are dictated by the generals to suit their
present moods. But, military regime can only imprison Myo Yan Naung Thein's physical body but they cannot imprison his
determination to restore democracy, human rights and rule of law in Myanmar. To this day on, Myo Yan Naung Thein still fights
for freedom and justice in Myanmar. He was released from prison and is now actively working to achieve his goal. The Lady
appointed him director of the Bayda Institute, which operates boarding schools that the NLD has opened for the next
generation of political activists aiming to build Myanmar to be a society of conscience.
"We must bear in mind that until we grow strong we can't do anything," said Myo Yan Naung Thein, a veteran of past student-
led protests against the regime who now teaches the younger generation to question what the government tells them and to
debate what they can do about it. Despite two lengthy prison terms, Myo Yan Naung Thein's desire to see change come to
Myanmar hasn't dimmed from when he joined anti-government protests in 1996 and 2007. But the former student leader
teaching classes at Bayda Institute becoming a corporate strategist. He's also very aware of the fact that Myanmar government
could shut down the Bayda Institute at any moment. Of course, Myo Yan Naung Thein has gone through too much to blindly
trust the country's rulers.
Myo Yan Naung Thein once quoted as saying "What you believe is what you achieve". Truly, he is living proof of a hero, fighting
for what he believes in freedom, democracy and human rights for everyone is now closer than before in Myanmar. Myo Yan
Naung Thein's work is admired by many leaders around the world including US President Barack Obama, Germany President,
US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and British Foreign Secretary William Heague.