Some of Burma's Political Prisoners 1

8/14/2019 Some of Burma's Political Prisoners 1

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Studied law. Elected member of the BurmeseParliament. Most senior political

representative of the Shan,Burmas largest

ethnic minority. Sentenced to 93 years in

prison in 2005. Jailed in Kachin state far from

his family and where conditions are said to

be very harsh. Aged 65 he has a number ofmedical conditions including diabetes and his

health is said to be deteriorating. Awarded

Honorary Citizen by Italy in 2008. His

message from prison is: We didnt commit

any crime. We reaffirm our aim to empower

our people to bring peace, justice andequality to the people.

Khun Htun Oo


3/13

An NLD member and a dedicated LabourActivist. Recognised by international human

rights awards from Canada and the Czech

Republic for her work in bringing forced

labour to the attention of the ILO. Aged 38.

Imprisoned for 8 years and six months in a

jail 700 miles from her home in Rangoon.Recently placed in solitary confinement for

three days for singing an independence

anthem. In frail health, her heart problem has

seriously worsened in prison. In 2007 she

said. We held demonstrations for all the

people, including those who beat us. [They]are also facing difficult daily lives.

Su Su Nway


4/13

In 1988, he was a final year student inInternational Relations at Rangon University.

He helped found the 88 Generation Students

Group, together with activists from the 88

uprising. He has a reputation as a gifted

strategist and as one of the most prominent

activists. Aged 47 he was sentenced to 65years in prison in 2008. He is reportedly

suffering from poor health and has been very

ill in prison. Speaking of his activities he has

said: We paid the price with our families, our

youth and our society. But we are satisfied

with that sacrifice .

Ko Ko Gyi


5/13

Talented artist, poet and satirist. Co-founderand spokesperson of the 88 Generation of

Students Group. Sentenced with other 88

Generation Group members to over 65 years

in prison. He is 46 and in failing health. He

has been held in solitary confinement and is

suspected to have been tortured. At his trialhe declared: You can sentence us to a

thousand years in prison for our political

activities, but we will continue to defend

ourselves in accordance with the law.

Nobody can hide from justice.

Min Ko Naing


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7/13

Leader of the 88 Generation Students GroupMarried in April 2007. He is described as a

very kind and generous man and as a joker

who makes people laugh. He was arrested a

number of times including for the White

Sunday campaign; he organised100 people

to wear white like prisoners uniforms andvisited families of political prisoners to

support them. His brother was also a political

prisoner but died in jail. Aged 42 he was

sentenced to 65 years in prison, along with

other 88 Generation Group members, for

their part in the Saffron Revolution in 2007.

Htay Win Aung aka Pyone Cho


8/13


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10/13

Leader of the 88 Generation Students Group.Worked for the NLD election campaigning in

1990. Took part in the Saffron Revolution in

2007. Sentenced to 65 years with hard labour,

the court refused her family permission to

attend and subsequently handed down prison

sentences to her lawyers for representing her.On sentencing Mie Mie declared We will

never be frightened! She has a degree in

Zoology and is married with two children aged

17 and 12. Her health is deteriorating in prison

in Irrawaddy, a long way from her family in

Rangoon.

Thin Thin Aye aka Mie Mie


11/13

Comedian, film actor and director from anintellectual and political family. Zarganar is a

nickname meaning Tweezers. A qualified

dentist, he was involved in the 8888 uprising

and Saffron Revolution in 2007. Aged 48 and

in deteriorating health, he was sentenced to

35 years for his involvement in cyclone reliefefforts. He is incarcerated in tiny cell in a

prison many miles from his family who have

been denied visiting rights - even after

making the trip. He has spoken of previous

prison terms - of being kept with dogs,of

seeing monks with gunshot wounds andbroken bones and of young lives destroyed.

U Thura @ Zarganar


12/13

A chemistry graduate from RangoonUniversity, her last job was working with a

childrens NGO. She has diplomas in

Business Law, Applied Psychology, English,

Business Management and Banking

Technology. Now aged 40, she was

sentenced to 65 years with 13 other activistsin November 2008 for her part in the Saffron

Revolution in 2007; she and other activists

led a peaceful march against the

governments economic mismanagement and

hikes in fuel and commodity prices. Her

lawyers were also sentenced to detention.

Sandar Min aka Shwee


13/13

STATEMENT BY IVAN LEWISMINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRSON THE 8888 POLITICAL PRISONERS

This Saturday 8 August is the 21st anniversary of the 8888 Popular Uprising in Burma. It began as a

student protest about corrupt government and economic mismanagement in Rangoon but spreadthroughout the country. The students were joined in their protests by people from all walks of life saffron-robed monks, teachers, young children, housewives and doctors. A general strike took placeon 8 August 1988, an auspicious date. But Burmas first popular uprising was put down the nextmonth in the most bloody and ruthless manner. A brutal repression of the people that has continuedto this day, and which we last witnessed in the beating and killing of monks and civilians inNovember 2008.

It was 8888 that brought Aung Sang Suu Kyi (ASSK) to the forefront of the struggle for democracy,freedom and civil liberties . ASSK is the best known of Burmas political prisoners and she is theBurmese peoples beacon of hope. But she is currently subject to a political show trial and faces theprospect of a prison sentence on 11 August a date the regime have set to avoid the anniversary of8888, and because the Senior General believes 11 is his lucky number. Relying on numbers, luckyor otherwise, is a poor substitute for a clear strategic choice of an inclusive democracy.

ASSKs plight also highlights the appalling plight of the over 2100 other political prisoners. Here, tocommemorate the 21st anniversary of 8888, are a few of these other political prisoners. It isimportant that we know their stories.

Like ASSK, their stories are heart-rending. They are people with families from whom they areseparated. Many of them are sentenced for decades, two from minority ethnic groups have beensentenced to over 100 years each. The regime wants to ensure its critics die in prison. They arepeople from different ethnic backgrounds and walks of life Shan, Mon, Burman, lawyers, artists,activists, MPs, a comedian. They are talented people with professional qualifications. Their

incarceration demonstrates how much human potential goes unrealised in Burma. Their diversitydemonstrates that the regime does not discriminate all dissent in any form is brutally crushed. What these political prisoners have in common with each other, and what the regime has against

them, is an unwavering commitment to peace and national reconciliation. On the anniversary of 8888, I want to pay tribute to all Burmas political prisoners. Their courage

and resilience in the face of the abuse of their fundamental human rights is humbling. I also want torepeat the international communitys call to the Burmese regime to release unconditionally allpolitical prisoners, and commit to a genuine and inclusive process of dialogue and nationalreconciliation. Until they do so, future elections, such as those they plan for 2010 will haveabsolutely no legitimacy.

Some of Burma's Political Prisoners 1

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