The fate of the family of Ne Win, the dictator who ruled Burma with an iron fist for more than a quarter of a century, is testament to the dog-eat-dog nature of military rule in this impoverished Southeast Asian country.

Since 2002, four members of the family—Ne Win's son-in-law Aye Zaw Win and his grandsons Aye Ne Win, Kyaw Ne Win and Zwe Ne Win—have been held in Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison for plotting to overthrow the current regime.

Sandar Win stands next to her father, former Burmese dictator Ne Win, at a party celebrating his 90th birthday. (Photo: AP)

“Officials have allowed U Ne Win’s relatives to bring their own TVs and DVD players into the prison, as well as other communication devices. Therefore a prison official was sacked at the time,” said a prison officer at Insein Prison.

“However, they have influence even over U Zaw Win, the director-general of the Corrections Department, since they are from the former No.1 family. Other low-ranking officials at the prison are like their tools,” he added.

When Win Tin, a prominent opposition leader, was in prison, he was detained at the Special Cellblock compound in Insein Prison where Ne Win’s family members are also held. At the time, the veteran journalist had some conversation with the former first family members.

Win Tin, who was released from prison in September 2009, once told The Irrawaddy that Aye Ne Win, who studied in the UK, said he wanted to see pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Min Ko Naing, a prominent leader of the 88 Generation Students group, released from detention.

The Special Cellblock, which is for top political dissidents and imprisoned seniors officials, consists of 10 cells and five small houses. It was directly overseen by the Military Intelligence (MI), but the Special Branch of the police now directs it after the MI was abolished in 2004. The Special Cellblock has a separate kitchen and provides daily state-run-newspapers to prisoners.

When Ne Win’s son-in-law and grandsons were arrested in February 2002, Ne Win spent his last days under house arrest with his favorite daughter, Sandar Win, until he died in December of the same year.

Although Ne Win was the founder of Burma's first military dictatorship, his funeral passed quietly, with only Sandar Win and his former colleague, Brig-Gen Aung Gyi, allowed to attend.

After Ne Win passed away, Sandar Win remained under house arrest at their home next to Rangoon's Inya Lake. Since her release in December 2008, she has kept a low profile to avoid trouble with the ruling generals.

“She regularly visits her beloved husband and sons in Insein Prison. Sometimes she hangs out at the Railway Hotel, where Rangoon elites and international NGO staff gather. But she seems quite depressed,” said a businessman in Rangoon who close to the family.

“The fate of U Ne Win’s family is a lesson for all, but particularly for the current people in power,” he added. 

Recent information leaked from prison officials is that restrictions on Ne Win’s imprisoned relatives have been eased. There have even been reports that they have occasionally been given permission to go outside of the prison.

However, this kind of special favor by prison authorities is not reserved only for the former first family, but also for other privileged prisoners, including well-known businessmen.

One of them is Maung Waik, a tycoon who is imprisoned for drug charges. He was arrested for allegedly providing drugs to Nay Shwe Thaway Aung, the grandson of the junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

“Maung Waik is not like prisoner serving a jail term on drug charges. He is more like a VIP guest at Insein Prison,” said the prison officer. “He mostly stays at a prison guesthouse which is outside Insein Prison. He can still use his mobile phones, doing his business as usual.”

Irrawaddy reporter Lin Thant contributed to this story.