‘They beat me. I fall down. They beat me .... I lose my mind’

MICHAEL described it as a ‘motorbike’ position.

"I put in motorbike-like position. I have to do it for long time, but I cannot do for long time," said Michael in broken English.

"After four, five hours I tire, I fall down. They beat me. I do it again. I fall down, they beat me."

And so it continued for much of the day. For more than a year, he was subjected to this torture.

"I lose my mind," said Michael (not his real name).

His crime was to be a student activist fighting for democracy in Burma.

He was arrested in Shan state during a national uprising against military rule in August 1988.

A military junta has ruled the south-east Asian country since then, ignoring and brutally suppressing election results in 1990 which over 80% voted for pro-democratic parties.

The country has been consistently listed as one of the worst human rights offenders in the world.

Today, Burma's prime minister in exile, Dr Sein Win, visits Ireland to meet Burmese people and talk to government ministers and officials.

His party the National League for Democracy is headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, who was almost assassinated by government-backed forces last May and is again under house arrest.

Dr Win's visit follows a decision last week by the Government to appoint an ambassador to Burma (or Myanmar as the junta renamed it).

Earlier this week the ambassador visited Burma and met members of the regime.

It's something Michael is not happy about.

"We are against this. This time is no good. If they change power to Aung San Suu Kyi then fine. Appoint ambassador now you support military Government. The Irish Government should support Aung San Suu Kyi. She is still under house arrest."

Michael was released from jail in December 1990 after he contracted malaria and "lost his mind".

On release he received medical treatment. But he could not stay in the country.

"I scared in Burma. They arrest people, they torture, they kill some people. I know many people, friends, who have been killed. How many people were killed we cannot count."

Michael fled to Thailand, revisiting Burma for his grandmother's death in 1996. In 2002 he applied for asylum in Ireland.

He still suffers from his time in jail and continues to receive medical treatment.

Like many Burmese people in Ireland he is afraid to give his real name, fearing military intelligence can reach as far as here.

His mother still lives in Burma. A skilled engineer, Michael wants to go home, be with his family and build up his country.

"It was not easy to leave. We all still have family in Burma. But the country is in bad condition. The military is like Hitler, Stalin, Franco. If they really want democracy they should change to Aung San Suu Kyi now."