Prominent Burmese journalist is in danger of rapid health deterioration ( Burma Midia Association ) July 22, 2002


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22 July 2002: BMA News -

Prominent Burmese journalist is in danger of rapid health deterioration

by Zin Linn

A reliable news source inside Burma sent an urgent message concerned with U Win Tin, the most distinguished prisoner of conscience today. It was said that he needs a serious and effective medical treatment immediately. People from literary and political circles were worried about his health that deteriorated rapidly in July.

U Win Tin, former editor-in-chief of Hanthawaddy Newspaper in Burma and NLD Central Executive Committee member who celebrated in detention his 72nd birthday on 12 March 2001, was returned to his special cell at Insein prison last May 20, after several months in Rangoon General Hospital (RGH). The reason of his return was that the military intelligence authorities decided to build partition walls in the hospital wards in order to put prisoners of conscience in solitary confinement.

Nearly two months after his return to cell No.10 in Insein Prison, U Win Tin has been suffering from more health problems. In first week of July, he was seriously tormented by haemorrhoids and his previous urethral infection subsequently caused prostate gland disorder. He suffers from severe pain while trying to urinate and bleeding when he defecates. He has to take plenty of pills for his ailments. Although he was badly distressed by pains, he did not ask for special treatment. When the prison doctor came to see him in the 2nd week of July, he was considerably pale and weak. Then the doctor asked him of whether his family could afford to buy some good medicines. As he was a confirmed bachelor, U Win Tin replied the doctor that a friend of him who came to visit him at prison is not as rich as to buy him good medicines. His friend has been visiting him for over ten years. As he was afraid of giving trouble to his friend, he instead asked the doctor to treat him with cheaper medicines. While he was requesting the doctor, an unidentified junior jail officer who sympathise with U Win Tin was watching the scene. The officer retold the story to visiting friend of U Win Tin. He also told him the real situation of U Win Tin's health problems. According to him, U Win Tin is required to undergo a special medical examination and treatment.

''I know him very well for I take charge of the special cell-block occasionally. He's a man of steel and never shows a sign of depression. But this time I'm deeply concerned about his health'', said the jail officer.

A close aide of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he was convalescing after second hernia operation (the first was in March 1995). The UN Special Rapporteur for Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro visited him in hospital in early March 2002.

Prominent journalist, writer and co-founder of the National League for Democracy, U Win Tin was arrested on 4 July 1989, charged with a make-up criminal code and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour on 3 October 1989. Furthermore, he received 10 and 7 years sentences in June 1992 and March 1996 respectively, and therefore he is serving twenty-year prison sentence in total.

On his third trial, U Win Tin was allegedly charged for smuggling out of the prison anti-military regime propaganda and a report on human rights abuses in various Burmese prisons to UN Special Rapporteur.

He is being held in the special cell-block of Insein prison, in cell No. 10. Due to his very poor health, the authorities regularly transfer him back and forth between cell No. 10 and the prison hospital. During the 13 years he has spent in jail so far, U Win Tin has suffered two heart attacks, underwent two operations and wearing a surgical collar for spondylitis. Because of poor health-care in prison, he has lost most of his teeth and the authorities refused him to provide a set of dentures. He also has got eye-sight problem but the authorities refused to provide him a pair of new spectacles. Former editor-in-chief of the Hanthawaddy Daily, vice-chairman of the Journalists & Writers Association of Burma, literary & art critic, editorial team member of the Burmese Encyclopaedia Publishing Board, author of various articles against the regime and close colleague of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Win Tin, now 73 years old, refused several times to give in his political belief and sign a letter of resignation from the NLD in exchange for his release.

One prominent magazine editor inside Burma recently said that the military authorities suspected a clandestine correspondence between U Win Tin and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi while he was at Guard-ward in RGH. That may be the regime's major concern and they would never allow him of becoming again Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's consultant. In his second trial, he was allegedly accused for advising the Lady to launch a campaign of civil disobedience.

U Win Tin was awarded UNESCO's World Press Freedom Prize for 2000 and World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award for 2001. Fifty-five mayors of towns all over France have signed a Reporters Without Borders' (Reporters Sans Frontières) petition calling for the immediate release of U Win Tin, who has been solitary confinement for over 13 years with serious health problems. The petition was organised with the help of the monthly magazine Maires de France, which supports the journalist.

Conditions in Insein prison, the country's most notorious dungeon where nearly hundred political prisoners have died in recent years, are not at all suitable for U Win Tin's poor health.

The leader of the NLD, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has called U Win Tin "a man of courage and integrity. He could not be intimidated into making false confessions. He is as clear as ever and his spirit is upright and unwavering."

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