Student political prisoners win right to books after hunger strike

DVB (August 11,2003)

Some political prisoners were staging a hunger strike in Mandalay Prison. According to additional reports received, the hunger strike was staged by three political prisoners and it was between 21 and 25 July.

A source close to the Mandalay Prison told DVB that when the hunger strike was first organized, 18 young men volunteered for it, but only three followed through when the actual hunger strike was staged.

The three who went on hunger strike - Ko Moe Kyaw, Ko Aung Soe Min, and Ko Kyaw Nyunt - were students serving long prison terms.

Their three demands were for the authorities to return the books they had confiscated, permit the reading of new books, and watching television.

Soon after the hunger strike was staged, authorities came to negotiate. Following negotiations, an agreement was reached to return the books that were confiscated and to permit the reading of additional books. Prison authorities, however, rejected the request for television viewing, saying they would not permit it.

The source said the students who went on hunger strike called it off in the evening of 25 July since the two of the three demands they made were already met.

News about the incident has neither been announced by the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) nor the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross).

In fact, the SPDC has already permitted the reading of books and television viewing for political prisoners since the UN special rapporteur on human rights for Burma, Prof Pinheiro, visited Burma last February.

But, following the Tabayin incident on 30 May 2003, tighter restrictions are being imposed on newcomers as well as the old political prisoners. (BBC Monitoring Service)