Myanmar Rights Advocate Bo Kyi Urges Youth to Preserve History and Defend Freedom

Myanmar human rights advocate and 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Bo Kyi has urged younger generations to document human rights violations, remember the country’s history of military repression, and continue the struggle for freedom and justice.

“Remember the past. Document the present. Defend the future,” Bo Kyi said during a lecture on November 11, reflecting on his experiences under decades of military rule in Myanmar.

Born and raised under military dictatorship, Bo Kyi recalled an education system that emphasized obedience and memorization rather than independent thinking and questioning.

“I was born under military dictatorship. I was taught how to obey the order. I was not taught how to do critical thinking,” he said.

He described how students were expected to memorize lessons without questioning what they were taught. Student unions were not legally recognized, while restrictions on travel and contact with foreigners limited opportunities for young people to engage with the outside world.

Despite these restrictions, students continued to demand freedom and justice. Bo Kyi recalled how the military government responded to their calls with arrests, imprisonment and torture.

“They gave bullets to us. They gave imprisonment to us. And they arrested and tortured,” he said.

Bo Kyi was first arrested in 1990 for participating in the pro-democracy movement that emerged following the 1988 student-led uprising against military rule. He spent a total of seven years in prison across two periods of detention, enduring torture and harsh prison conditions.

After his release in 1998, he fled to Thailand to escape further arrest. In 2000, he and other former political prisoners established the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) in Mae Sot, a Thai border town near Myanmar.

The organization documents political arrests, imprisonment and human rights violations in Myanmar while providing assistance to former political prisoners and their families. Its records have helped preserve testimonies of political detainees and bring international attention to abuses under military rule.

Bo Kyi said documenting these experiences was essential to ensuring that future generations understood the consequences of authoritarianism.

He also warned against restrictions on freedom of expression, describing enforced silence as an attack on fundamental human rights.

“In silence, how do we hear? They want us to be silent. They do not allow us to have freedom of speech. They destroy the basic human rights of society,” he said.

Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in younger generations, particularly students who continue to seek freedom.

“There are new generations. There are students who really want freedom,” he said.

Bo Kyi is among the recipients of the 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Award, which recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to public service and social leadership in Asia.

The 68th Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Philippines.