The Habibie Center Condemns U Ko Ni’s Violent Death

Jakarta, 2 Jumadil Awwal 1438/30 January 2017 (MINA) – The Habibie Center, Harvard Kennedy School – Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Proximity Designs, and Kemitraan were saddened by the news that U Ko Ni, Legal Consultant, National League for Democracy (Myanmar) was shot dead on Sunday, January 29, 2017.

Media reports stated that the tragic incident took place at Yangon International Airport after U Ko Ni had just returned from a trip to Indonesia.

“Our thoughts and prayers go to his family. May God grant them strength during this difficult period,” said Mila Oktaviani the Communication Officer of The Habibie Center in a statement.

The Habibie Center are all the more saddened by U Ko Ni’s violent death given that his visit to Indonesia was to learn from the experiences of Maluku in defusing bloody communal/interreligious conflict that devastated the Ambon Municipality and some parts of Maluku Province in 1999 to 2004, at a time when Indonesia was in critical juncture of democratic transition and military reform.

The Habibie Center strongly condemn his killing and call on relevant authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrator(s) to justice. At the same time we urge to remember his passing by inviting steadfast support for the democratization process in Myanmar, including addressing communal/interreligious conflict.

U Ko Ni was part of a Myanmar delegation that took part in a three-day Structured Discussion on ‘Democratic Transition, Military Reform and Communal Conflict: What can Myanmar Learn from Indonesia’s Communal Violence in a Time of Democratic Transition (1999 – 2003)’, which was co-organized by The Habibie Center together with the Harvard Kennedy School – Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and Proximity Designs in Jakarta from January 23 to 25, 2017. (L/R01/RS05)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)