Political Prisoners Doubled in Two Years, Say Activists

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=15302

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By WAI MOE Friday, March 13, 2009

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COMMENT(5)


The number of political prisoners in Burma has almost doubled since July 2007, according to activists who launched a campaign on Friday to press for their release.

Before the start of demonstrations in August 2007, it was estimated that Burmese jails held 1,100 political prisoners. Today the number stands at 2,100, said Khin Ohmar, a leading Burmese activist at the launch of the campaign “Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now!” (www.fbppn.net) in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

“Unless political prisoners are released, there is no peace and stability in the country,” she said.

The “Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now!” campaign is organized by the Thailand-based Burmese Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP) and the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB), an umbrella dissident group of seven organizations in exile.

Khin Ohmar, of the FDB, was banned from attending the Asean summit in Thailand last month, along with a Cambodian activist.

The current campaign aims to collect a symbolic 888,888 signatures on a petition for the release of Burma’s political prisoners. The petition will be circulated in Thailand, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

In Thailand, the launch was held at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok and Chiang Mai University’s International Center.



Friday was chosen for the launch because March 13 was proclaimed Burma’s Human Rights Day by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other leading dissidents to mark the anniversary of the deaths of activists Phone Maw and Soe Naing in clashes with police in 1988.

The petition calling for the release of political prisoners will be circulated until May 24, the day that Suu Kyi should be released from her current term of house arrest under Burmese law. It will be sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,

The UN General Assembly has been urging the release of Burma’s political prisoners for more than a decade.

AAPP Secretary Tate Naing said at Friday’s launch that the 2010 election would be meaningless if political prisoners were still behind bars on polling day.

“The release of political prisoners is number 1 priority for national reconciliation and democratization in the country,” he said.



COMMENT(5)

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Nay Tun Wrote: 14/03/2009

Why haven't the US and EU countries (France once advised UN that it should use R2P during Nargis) proposed asylum for Aung San Suu Kyi and her followers in prison? I am sure the junta will release them immediately. I found no other better solution than that.

For example I heard that some 88 generation have children such as Jimmy/Nilar Thein or Ma Mie Mie. I am sure their families will be very happy if their children can study in US or France or UK for free.

France gives special scholarships to political asylum seekers. In the UK there are special scholarships for the children of pro-opposition politicians from Myanmar.

In the US, Soros's OSI is a very consistent scholarship source for all children of NLD MP-elects and the 88 generation group.

That is just for your info.





zaw win Wrote: 14/03/2009

When the Muslim separatist movement started to flare up in the south the then PM Thaksin asked the Thais to make origami paper birds. Even though educated Thais cringed in shame, Thaksin's govt. rained down the south with paper birds using air force planes. He assumed all Thais are as stupid as those poor ignorant villagers who do not understand the complexities of tax evasion.

Instead of addressing the real issues facing the Muslim south he thought that the sight of paper birds falling from the skies will soften the hearts of hardcore Muslim fundamentalists. Well, where is Thaksin now?

This Signature campaign is just like this.

Only a few of these lazy day dreaming NGOS or so called experts on so and so will believe that after seeing these signatures the junta's heart will soften. Grow up, fellas.



Pi Tu Wrote: 14/03/2009

I want to say signing the petition is like providing a piece of sand and a brick for democratization in Burma. I am always happy to support this campaign as it will be a strong knock in international communities, though the dictators won't care and they ignore the demand of international communities. I completely agree with the statement that without releasing all the prisoners, there will be no justice and the forthcoming 2010 election is not just since it is manipulated by the power-crazy generals and they ignore the rights of ethnicities who are pressed to take part in the election. It is obvious that the brutal SPDC is not willing to discuss with the opposition.



Tettoe Aung Wrote: 14/03/2009

Is there any surprise after that document was leaked in September last year? The military regime intends to crack down on dissent as their preparation for the forthcoming 2010 elections. The question is why a country like Australia is helping them in upgrading the regime's police force. It may be the previous government's decision but it has bad consequences.



hsi hsa paw Wrote: 13/03/2009

We are very sad when are reading this news.
We would like to support this campaign.
So what can we do?