Date : 2003-12-02

Prisoners Continues To Suffer, No Changes So Far In Burma.

By Zin Linn

Many political prisoners today are languishing in the notorious prisons in Burma and are afflicted with various life threatening diseases and suffering due to lack of medication and treatments.

To mention two cases, one is the outstanding student leader, Paw U Tun (alias) Min Ko Naing. He is one of the hundreds of political prisoners who have been detained since March 1989 on account of his leadership of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions.

Another person is U Win Tin, a 71-year-old journalist and one of the founding members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), unfortunately he is not one those recently released. He is under detention since 4 July 1989; and the veteran journalist is serving a 20-year sentence for his peaceful _expression of political opinion and is in very poor health and languishing.

Unfortunately, it should be told very loudly that a large number of political prisoners of conscience, who had finished serving their prison terms, are still held under Section 10(a) and (b) of the State Protection Law. Many are suffering from various diseases and lacking medical treatments and would be on their way to crematoriums.

During the last fifteen years of military rule, democracy and human rights had been extinguished throughout the country. The worst atrocity premeditated by the military took place on 30 May 2003 at Tapayin and it was not only a matter of human rights abuse, but also a crime against humanity.

Burma has been under the reign of military dictators since March 1962. In August 1988, the Burmese armed forces brutally suppressed the innocent civilians, who peacefully participated in the “8.8.88 pro-democracy movement.”

Over three thousands people were shot dead during the uprising of the people's movement throughout the nation. Since then, a military junta, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is ruling the country with a rod of iron, without a constitution or a legislature.

In September 1988, after seizing power, the SPDC started playing the game by now and then announcing concessions towards their democratic involvement, such as the right to form political parties was one of them.

Burma military regime came up with the idea to hold the Parliamentary General Elections on 27 May 1990.

Burmese voters overwhelmingly supported the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the elections. The NLD won more than 60 percent of the popular vote and 82 percent of the parliamentary seats.

After holding the Parliamentary General Elections, the SPDC refused to recognize the results of the general election and the elected representatives were ignored and the Parliament was not convened up to date.

Burma is notorious for its extremely poor human rights record. The SPDC officials have a regular habit of arresting and detaining individuals who express or advocate for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma.

Prison conditions are harsh and inhumane. Unsympathetic treatments including physical and mental tortures are common occurrences; prisoners are often shackled and put into solitary confinement for years without having fresh air, fresh water, sunshine and proper medical care.

Torture is the order of the day, and it has become pretty institutionalized to be is practiced dedicatedly by prison guards, police officers, and military intelligence personnel and soldiers on the unfortunate political prisoners.

As things in Burma had not changed, it is now doubted that even the political road map announced by the SPDC Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt on 30 August 2003, will not lead to anywhere that far of a democratic goal, as junta’s insincerity well known.

It was alleged that it was an act of political duplicity to cover up the grave injustice rendered to Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders and supporters at the government orchestrated Tabayin Massacre.

According to political observers, now it becomes apparent that the military regime is showing its canine teeth to hold on to the already grabbed power at any price. It does not respect the wishes of the people as expressed in the1990 multi-party general elections held by the State Law and Order Restoration Council's (SLORC).

As grave injustice has been experienced at a sickening regularity, considerable number of members of parliament from the National League for Democracy (NLD) have signed a petition and requested that the United Nations Security Council to take into account the Burma Issue seriously and urgently.

A similar request, signed by 252 members of the NLD Youth Wing was sent to the UN Secretary General on September 18, 2003. But it is still not clear whether the memorandum reached UN Secretary General. As the memorandums are the reflection of the aspirations of voters, Burmese people are hopefully expecting a response from the world body to take effective action against the military regime – and it amounts to a drowning man struggling to clutch a floating piece of straw for survival.

On the other hand, the NLD MPs also sent a similar letter dated 27 September 2003 to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Subsequently, Britain’s Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brian responded. In his letter dated 3 November 2003 laddressed to the “Elected Representatives of 1990 Elections,” O’Brian emphasised,'' The UK is firmly committed to help encourage lasting, substantive political change in Burma. We share your dream of an open, united, prosperous, democratic Burma, in which the rights of all people are respected, and where the resources of the country are used for the equal benefit of all its citizens.'' (Full Text of the Letter is given separately)

- Asian Tribune -

A Profile

Zin Linn – aged 56 yrs, when he was a student activist, arrested in 1982 , for his involvement in the poster and pamphlet campaign against the then Burmese Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) and served two years imprisonment in the notorious Insein Prison.

In 1988 he took part, in the Peoples' Democracy Uprising. In November of that year, he became an NLD Executive Committee Member for the Thingangyun Township and later became administrator of the NLD Rangoon Division Office.

In 1991, he was arrested for his connections with the exiled government, National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment, again in the notorious Insein Prison. In December 1997 he was released.

Aung San Suu Kyi gave an honorary certificate for his commitment to the struggle for democracy.

He was an editor and columnist and contributed over three hundred articles to various publications, especially on the international affairs, while being inside Burma.

He fled Burma in 2001 to avoid the impending arrest and currently works for the NCGUB and writes extensively.