Burma: Dr. Myint Naing MP

Quietly released from Prison after languishing for 14 long Years

By Zin linn

Dr. Myint Naing an NLD Member of Parliament from Kant-ba-lu Township constituency (2), was quietly released on 30 January from Thayet Prison situated in middle Burma after serving 14 years prison term.

A physician by professional, Dr. Myint Naing was arrested by military secret police in November 1990 in Kant-ba-lu, a town in Sagaing Division of Upper Burma. He was put on trial under Section 122/1 as conspiracy to overthrown the junta by participating in the formation of a provisional government after 1990 Parliamentary general elections.

The military arbitrary court, which is housed inside the Insein Prison, on 30 April 1991, sentenced him for 25 years for treason.

In 1994, Lt.Col.Soe Nyunt, the military intelligence chief of Insein Prison, persuaded him to abandon his political belief, so that he could be released from the jail. But, Dr. Myint Naing declined to the proposal of Soe Nyunt.

Dr. Myint Naing and this writer were together in the same prison until this writer’s release.

While in prison, he took an active role in secret political activities inside the Insein Prison, especially collecting human rights abuses testimonies, which were later sent to Yozo Yokota, the then Human Rights Rapporteur for Burma in 1995.

Due to taking responsibility as a member in Committee to Protect Rights of Political Prisoners in Insein Prison, he was put on trial together with 23 others in 1996, and sentenced additional 5 years imprisonment.

He was transferred to Thayet Prison in 1997. As there was no qualified physician or medical doctor in Thayet Prison, Dr. Myint Naing took responsibility to give medical treatments to political prisoners as the prison chief officer asked for help from him.

He's a staunch NLD MP and gave his mandate to the Committee Representing People's Parliament (CRPP) while he was in prison.

He was born on 6 October 1951; he's now 53 years of age. When he was a medical student in Mandalay Medical Institute, he participated in the 1975 student movement and the authorities punished him with 2 years suspension of his studies. In the 1990 Elections, he polled 30,628 votes or 76 % of the votes of the constituency, where he contested.

He obtained his medical degree in 1981 and spent much of his time in rural area in Shwebo district, as a benevolent volunteer physician.

He was a specialist curing snakebites and saved many who lived in that snake-infested province. As he was a very kind person, rural people near and far recognized him as their generous benefactor.

There are over 1550 political prisoners in the military junta's prisons including 17 Members of Parliament, who were elected in the 1990 General Elections and another 4 MPs under house arrest.

The two important top level leaders of the of the National League for Democracy (NLD) - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo, are still held under detention since 30 May 2003, on which day, the junta-backed thugs and goon squads ambushed and abducted the Nobel Laureate and her supporters at Depayin.

- Asian Tribune -