Worries of political prisoners' families

DVB ( 16 October, 2003 )

U Kyaw San, the MP of Thaze and the chairman of Sagaing Division NLD who was handed down a seven year prison sentence for congratulating Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for winning Nobel Peace Prize is given another one year sentence with Act 10A.

Daw May Nwet, the wife of U Kyaw San told DVB about the sentence as follows:

Daw May Nwet : He was already given two month extension twice and they handed down another one year sentence on the 27 September for the first time and I think there are more to come. He is unable to see on his left eye. He is to be hospitalised on the 15 October to have an operation on the next day. I am going to see him on 16 October.

Dr. Than Nyein, the MP of Kyauktan Township who is also imprisoned in Insein Prison like U Kyaw San is suffering from swollen livers, said his wife Daw Khin Aye as follows:

Daw Khin Aye : His stomach is also swollen. He finds it very difficult to eat. He is to be sent to the hospital on the 21 October. He has been taken to the hospital once a month but his stomach is still swollen. He is being treated in the prison clinic U Ohn Maung from Nyaunglebin and U Nyan Thaung from Mayangone and U Soe Myint from Minbu and U Tin Tun and U Thut Wei are in the same prison with him. U Thut Wei is kept in the same ward as my husband…

U Htway Myint, the vice-chairman of Democracy Party is being treated in Rangoon General Hospital’s prisoners ward and his condition is not improving, according to his son U San Myint Aye:

U San Myint Aye : My father is still in Rangoon General Hospital. He is the only political prisoner left in the hospital. I have lost contact with U Win Tin. U Maung Maung Khin often goes and visits him. The health conditions of my father, U Thut Wei, Dr. Than Nyein and U Win Tin are not good.

Despite the repeated demands from the Amnesty International and the UN for the releases of those old and ill political prisoners who have been given long-term prison sentences, the SPDC is still pretending that it doesn’t know about them.

There are around 1500 political prisoners languishing in Burmese prisons at the moment, according to their family members.