ICRC meets 40 political prisoners in Shwebo Prison

DVB ( August 6,2003)

The ICRC was allowed to visit Shwebo Prison where most of the people who were arrested during the May 30 Dipeyin incident are being detained. The team inspected the prison from the 31st of July to the 2nd of August and they were allowed to meet 40 political prisoners, said the spokesman of ICRC, Mr. Jean-Pascal in an interview with DVB.

He said that the ICRC was allowed to meet 40 prisoners in Shwebo Prison and among them, there were some people who were arrested during the May 30 incident and some other prisoners who were arrested before that incident. He also insisted that he is not allowed to say the names and details of the people met by the organisation.

The ICRC team which visited Shwebo Prison is made up of two 2 ICRC officials, one doctor and one interpreter. When asked if the team was not allowed to visit other prisons apart from Shwebo Prison, Jean-Pascal said that the ICRC is still requesting the authorities the permission to do so.

The people who were seriously wounded during the May 30 Dipeyin incident are still being treated at military hospital situated inside the Northwest Military Command Base at Monywa and they are not allowed to see anyone to this day.

Moreover, the authorities have been launching new arrests in Monywa and Mandalay areas in connection with the incident. The ICRC refused to comment about the report and the ICRC insisted that it is prioritising its efforts in arranging correspondences and meetings between the political prisoners and their family members.