Dr. Khin Zaw Win is a dentist and pro-democracy activist from Myanmar.
He was held in the junta’s prison for 15 years, for his thesis criticizing the junta.
Dr. Khin left dentistry and worked at UNICEF. In 1993 he received a scholarship from the government of Singapore, and got his Master degree of Public Policy. So he had to return to Myanmar for his thesis for some facts and junta arrested him at airport.
He was released from junta’s jail at 2005. In November 1995, he reported on the decrepit prisons in Myanmar to United Nations special rapporteur of Myanmar.
Now Dr. Khin Zaw Win works in Myanmar.
Currently he’s at WashintonDC. There he said to Voice of America about election2010.
"All Myanmanese are waiting for date of election. It’s announced that November 7, 2010. I think it’s too short of interval. Political parties will be rushed for that. I hoped there must be a month but it has just 2 weeks to register and submit nomination for candidates.’
" It’s serious order of junta, I think. Nearly all political parties are not ready for it. Politicals parties have to face much difficulties for collecting members. Government ordered that a party must submit 1000 members. Most of the parties are hard to get that target. To be fair and free election, it might not be reliable, all think like that. I don’t want to say my opiniun but I can say that most parties will be hard and difficult. It could be due to time-pressured. There must be release order for prisoners. But after released, he or she could not be a candidate. I wish he or she must be candidate."
"I cannot recommend that election 2010 will bring CHANGE for Myanmar people. Candidates will do a lot for expectation of Myanmar people. Not election 1990, election this time is more weaker at all aspects. People’s parties could not compare to government parties such as Tine-Yin-Tha Si-lone-nyi-nyut-yay Party and Pyi-Khine-Phyo party. These are junta’s parties."
"Also people’s interest towards politics has been declined. We have to rebuild it first. Junta must not chang their outfit as civilian and govern the country, it mustn’t."
"However, I agree election 2010 to perform becauce I hope for people. People wants CHANGE. Me too."
Dr.Khin Zawin is about 63 years old. He is a polite and genuine gentleman. During the years prior to his arrest, he had linked with National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party and he made voice and report about Myanmar’s political condition at abroad.