On The Lip of Digging-Grave

The deep vales and every kinds of being

Were sleeping, we were sleeping.
The whole village was also snoozing
But a team of black-boots was awakening
And goose-stepping,
Toward the northern part of valleys, was so stright
Under the moon-light.

The sounds of barking broke the silent night
And woke villagers up restlessly and tirelessly.
The sounds of black-boots were running
There to here and here to there.
Too the sounds of barking were running
Hither to thither and thither to hither.
Nobody dared out.
Some of black-boots approched my house,
Took position around,
While other were rounding the village,
In a cat-action they jumped up the house,
Then they shout'd "Don't run out, don't run out"
Pointing the gun on me, picked up my hair,
Kicked me and dragged me out,
Tied me in back, hanged me up-sidown on a tree
In front of my house.
Beat me with bamboo, lashed me with whip
And asked me questions
"Why militants had come? Why are you supporting them?
Why aren't you inform our camp they come?
How long had they been staying here?
What did they do?"
Ordered the people to lit firebrands around,
Decreed all villagers to watch me round
And terrorised them not to do like me.

Commanded a few villagers to cook for their meal
Drank country-liquar and ate chicken diets.
Their eyes werein red and became brighter than brightest.
Forced the girls and young ladies
To dance in rounding touches-lights.
Pulled the girls and ladies, wherever they like, into their chests.
Hugged them in tight, kissed them in sights
And tugged them into dark places.
Moment later girls and ladies came back with red-faces,
With shyly faces and tearful faces.
Drunk-uniforms came to me and asked me
"Are you happy?"
Turned to villagers and queried
"How about yourselves?"
Compeled the villagers must shout back
"We are happy, so happy."
Hurled water on my face
Poured boiling water into my mouth
Beat me with bamboo and lashed me with whip.
Put me on ground and dragged me out of village to kill.
There had a digging-grave for me.

"The whole night I was beaten
I was being hanged on, but
Seeing A-Digging-Grave, I felt that
No ache, no hurt, no pain, no suffering
No tear and nofear, but
I was seeing nothing and hearing nothing
My heart was jumping, body was shaking,
Breathing so fast and so deep.
I knew I am going to sleep, sleep forever."

"On the lip of a digging-grave
Tied my hands in back again
By the clothe, closed my sight
I saw a deep-dark
That where I have to go
The last chance for hearing was "Big Bang"
Which shall take off my soul"
The Death ordered me to kneel down and head down.
Clear the way of bullet
Ready to fire
Put the wintry and weighty gun-point on my shoulder,
And to shot, wait for order.

On a dying moment, from the hill
The monk rushed down to the commender
"In the name of Buddha, in the name of Dhamma
In the name of Shangga, I bag his life.
Instead to kill a being, Please donate me him.
As an innocent, donating and saving a life
You may reach Nirvanna in the name of Buddha"

Forced the villagers to make rafts with bamboos
To collect rise, paddy and sesamum,
Amassed all on the rafts of bamboo
At last brutal soldier
Fired the houses of villagers
Even not left the temple.

Dark-smoke was soaring
Flamming flames were rising from valleys.
We backed and left the burning village
And sun rise fron east.


Note: This true story, from one of trible villages was called Khone Ror in Palatwas township in Arakan state, Burma, was interviewed by Soe Win (his pen name's called Khine Mra Thein) in early 1994. This village was totally fired by Burmese Army in December 1993 and The village-headmaster, Loong Htoung, was being hanged and waited to kill on the lip-of-a-digging-grave for charge of fquesting Arakanese Revolutionary movement. After the village Buddhist monk pardomed for his life by granting not to do again; if repeat again he and the monk must be kill by shoting. Loong Htoung was released from killing and left to Indo-Burma border after village was fired and he is living near Parava Refugee camp.

Khine Mra Thein (Choung Tha Gree)
15. Dec. 2005
Dum Dum Central Jail, Kolkatta, India.