Where is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?

July 2, 2003

Although it is rumoured that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was transferred to Yemon military camp, according to some MPs who were detained at the camp told the DVB that it is no better than the notorious Insein Prison in terms of living condition.

U Maung Aye, the MP of No.2, Thayawaddy Township constituency who was detained at Yemon for nearly a month in 1997 told the DVB about the camp as follows:

U Maung Aye : I was in that camp for 20 days with other MPs in 1997. They kept us at an officer mess which is situated in the middle of the jungle. During the rainy season like this, the place is covered with tall grass. There are snakes and scorpions too.

DVB : Someone told me that the snakes and scorpions would crawl up to your bed there…

U Maung Aye : While I was there, I didn’t face that problem because it was during the dry season. The people who were kept there in 1998 faced that problem because it was during the monsoon season. They told me that the snakes and scorpions would climb into their rooms and beds.

DVB : The place is not like a prison… is it like a guesthouse? What was the living condition like?

U Maung Aye : It is an officer mess for garrison officers. At Yemon, they have a garrison. kept us at the officer mess. When you travel from Rangoon to Pegu, after Htaut Kyant, you have to leave the main road and go into the interior. It is situated at a location around there.

DVB : If the news of Daw Suu’s transfer to Yemon is true, do you as a MP think that it is better for her there?

U Maung Aye : I don’t know for sure yet. I only learnt about it when you told me. It might be slightly better than the prison. But it is far from Rangoon. I don’t want her to be detained like that. We want her to be released and free. That is our desire.