Maung Maung (Burmese: မောင်မောင်; born 2 October 1952) is a Burmese trade unionist. During his studies, he earned a Bachelor of Science in geology.
Maung Maung, General Secretary of the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), is a key leader in the Burmese pro-democracy movement. Working from the Thai-Burmese border, Maung Maung coordinates the efforts of a broad coalition of pro-democracy groups, including the Members of Parliament Union (MPU), National League for Democracy-Liberated Area (NLD-LA), National Democratic Front (NDF), and Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB).
Since 1990, the NCUB has led efforts to coordinate and plan for a democratic future for Burma. Maung Maung’s is involved in a participatory constitution-drafting process, including groups inside and outside Burma. With a democratic transition on Burma’s horizon, Maung Maung has begun to press even harder for democratic reform to ensure that the transition is smooth and peaceful. He continues to call for international support and encourages the activists in Burma to keep the peace as well as keep strong in their fight for democracy.
The NCUB and its constituent organizations and allies have steadily built upon their successes, and, coordinating through Maung Maung, are continuing to direct significant pressure against the Burmese junta that will allow for the restoration of democracy in their country. The NCUB continues to bring together pro-democracy groups and leaders to strategize about how best to prepare for Burma’s transition. Maung Maung and other pro-democracy leaders are ready to lead the people of Burma into a democratic future.
In addition to his elected position in the NCUB, Maung Maung serves as the GeneralSecretary of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB),[1] an organization that builds trade unions and advances worker rights in Burma. The FTUB consists of various affiliated unions, including the All Burma Mining Union, the Seafarers Union of Burma (also affiliated with the ITF), the Textile Workers Union, and the Health, Education and Social Workers Union. The FTUB strongly supports the restoration of democracy in Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, whose party won the 1990 elections in Burma and which has been denied the right to form a parliamentary government by the ruling military junta.
Maung Maung is recognized by trade unions and human rights advocates throughout the world as the foremost expert and authority on labor rights in Burma. He is regularly invited by the workers’ delegations and various countries (including the United States) to attend and present evidence at ILO conferences and conventions.
On two notable occasions, the Burmese people have taken to the streets to protest the military regime, which, in turn, sparked the regime to crack down violently and kill thousands of peaceful demonstrators. As a tireless advocate for democracy, Maung Maung participated in or actively supported both protests. During the 1988 protests, Maung Maung led a union of miners through the streets to protest the military regime. On account of his pro-democracy activities and his leadership during the protests, he was forced to take pension and later left Burma in 1988, and has been separated from his wife, son, father, and sisters ever since.
During the August–September 2007 protests, Maung Maung worked from the Thai–Burmese border to coordinate efforts by NCUB and FTUB with key pro-democracy groups, provide logistical support to protest leaders, and lead protest communication efforts with media outlets and foreign governments.