Ethnic leaders including Arakanese and Chin leaders have attended the celebration that was held to mark the 49th anniversary of Ko Min Nine’s birthday on the 18th of October in Myoma Monastery in Rangoon’s Marankone Township.

U Aye Thar Aung, the General Secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy, said he and other ethic leaders attended the birthday celebration for Ko Min Ko Nine, an imprisoned student leader.

“There were so many people and I could not remember how many ethnic leaders attended this birthday celebration. But I saw U Po Zo Zam, the President of the Chin National Party, and U Hla Saw, the Secretary of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party in the ceremony”, said U Aye Thar Aung.

Nearly 2,000 people, including prominent democracy leaders and activists such as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo of the National League for Democracy, renowned journalist Hantharwady U Win Tin and U Zarganar, a famous comedian who was recently released from prison, were present in the ceremony of Ko Min Ko Nine’s Birthday.

“The leaders attended the ceremony to show their unity as well as to make known their wishes for the immediate release of all political prisoners including Ko Min Ko Nine and other student leaders. Everyone is wishing for their freedom. Without freeing those people from prison, it will be difficult for the politics in this country to move forward”, said U Aye Thar Aung.

He said that everyone is expecting the student leaders including Ko Min Ko Nine will be released very soon.

An iron-barred cage closed with locks was displayed during the celebration of Ko Min Ko Nine’s birthday in the monastery as symbol that he is still being imprisoned.

Over Kyat 7 million worth of books were donated by some publishing houses in the celebration of the 49th birthday of Ko Min Ko Nine and he himself from prison donated 2 Magazines and 5,000 Kyat each for 210 political prisoners who were recently released from the prisons.