Political Prisoners Deny Wrongdoing

September 19, 2001—A group of political prisoners asked about their views on military rule in Burma insisted they had done nothing wrong by opposing the country’s ruling junta, according to prison sources. Military Intelligence (MI) officials questioned the prisoners at Tharawaddy Prison, near Rangoon, on August 10. Sources reported that two MI officials, Major Kyaw Nyein and Captain Ye Yint Tun, met eight political prisoners, including one elected Member of Parliament, separately to ascertain their views on the country’s political situation. All of the prisoners, except for National League for Democracy (NLD) MP-elect Dr Myo Nyunt, are being held under Article 10 (a) of the State Protection Act. All have completed their original sentences, but remain under detention due to unspecified security concerns. At least 52 of Burma’s nearly 2,000 political prisoners continue to be held long after their sentences have been fully served, according to prisoner-rights groups. Former political prisoners close to the Tharawaddy Prison detainees say that those still being held under Article 10 (a) have already completed ten-year sentences. The recently interrogated detainees include: Zaw Aung, a member of the National League for Democracy; Zaya, leader of the Democratic Party for a New Society; All Burma Students’ Democratic Front members Soe Moe Hlaing, Thaung Htike and Yin Htwe; and activists U Aung May Thu and Htay Kywe. According to sources inside Tharawaddy Prison, when asked to assess their past political activities, each of the eight prisoners replied without hesitation that they had done what was best for their country. After being given several hours to reconsider their answers, all eight repeated their original response. The sources added that it was now "extremely uncertain" when the prisoners would be released. Meanwhile, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has informed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a recent letter that a political prisoner being held in Mon State’s Moulmein Prison is in urgent need of treatment for an eye condition. Dr Min So Lin, an NLD MP-elect, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in 1998 for his political activities. In a recent interview with Radio Free Asia, an AAPP spokesperson added that Nay Lin Soe, a prisoner being held in Kale Prison, in Sagaing Division, is also suffering from a severe eye ailment, and could soon lose his sight. Nay Lin Soe is serving his second prison term for his political activities. According to AAPP, at least 68 political prisoners have died of various diseases in Burma’s prisons since the military crushed a pro-democracy uprising in 1988.